We haven’t quite got a routine down for the baby yet, second child syndrome and all that. He goes with the flow and that includes naps. However, just because he is relatively easy going, doesn’t mean that now and then he likes to assert his authority by refusing to nap. Which leads to me resorting to untold ways and methods to get the Baby to nap.
You know, just one of those days. I tried everything in my power. He resisted at all turns…
Feeding him to sleep
Lovely cuddles, big brother snuggled next to us. The lady next door must have dropped a pin on the floor because next thing I know he’s trying to launch himself off my knee and get through the wall to said dropped pin.
Rocking him to sleep
Back and forth. To and fro. Side to side. Eyes close, lower into cot, eyes open and repeat.
Walking him to sleep
A leisurely stroll by the lake.
OK a leisurely stroll to the shop.
OK OK a leisurely stroll to Starbucks. For a coffee. And a carrot cake.
Plenty of chance to sleep on the way so I can enjoy my carrot cake ON MY OWN. Guess what? I had to share.
Driving him to sleep
A 2 minute drive to nursery when I want him to stay awake? Of course he falls asleep.
A 45 minute relentless drive round of the same 4 streets? Bright eyed and bushy tailed.
Sleeping in the cot
A chance to practice standing up using the cot bars shooting me his brightest smile.
Sleeping in my bed
A chance to poke his fingers up my nose as I pretend to be asleep.
5 minutes before we need to be anywhere…..
Or you know bedtime. Or lunchtime.
That’s the time to sleep. Wherever you are…
If you liked this post you can find more over on Life with Baby Kicks Facebook page.
My little man is good at naps now but we went through an awful stage when he was a baby. That is possibly the cutest picture falling asleep eating. My little boy is poorly at the moment and I had to pick him up early from nursery yesterday, so I walked in and found him asleep head down on the floor in the middle of a load of children…they do sleep anywhere but only when they want to 🙂 #bestandworst
I love that picture at the end!!! There is just far too much going on for the little man to sleep eh? I remember our nap routine with the first was never brill. If I have another god help us!! Thanks for sharing with #bestandworst x
I’ve tried all of those methods too, mostly at night, and they’ve failed at the times I’ve needed them to work! My daughter is almost a year and the only time she naps is in the car (cue sitting outside our house in the car for 45 minutes while she sleeps!) or in her cot. It’s a nightmare if we really need her to sleep in the pushchair but what can you do?! #TheList
Helen x
http://treasureeverymoment01.blogspot.co.uk/
Always the way! My daughter was a nightmare for naps, she’d only ever sleep in her cot or bed, never the floor etc like normal kids and if she did fall asleep in the car I could never get her back to sleep! #effitfridays
Could you try a fakeout by making a big show of going somewhere to trick him into sleeping?
We have a different problem where are youngest is desperate to nap and her siblings are equally desperate to wake up anything that looks like it may be asleep. Or standing still. Or just sitting.
#effitfriday
Ah, Laura, that resonates with me so much!!
My 3rd boy (just 2) has stopped napping. He stopped at 19 months but actually he still really needs one most days!! He always does it in the pushchair on the school run about 3:30/4pm and then won’t wake up for an hour or so which then means bedtime is 9:30/10pm so me and hubby have no ‘evening’ to speak of.
That photo of him asleep eating is a but cute though….and the Starbucks walk, high five for that!! #winningatlife
#effitfriday
Haha, oh I remember those days like they were yesterday! I have two boys too, now 4 and 3. I totally remember the sleep battles and the total lack of interest in sleeping that they seemed to share in their younger years. It was so frustrating! Now I can negotiate and bribe but with a baby you just have to wear it. They grow so fast though! Enjoy the snuggles where you can 🙂 #TheList
That sounds familiar! It drives me crazy when the Popple resists her nap, since that’s the one chance I have in the day to actually get things done around the house and have a few minutes to myself. Usually she goes into her cot without my protest, but on the days she doesn’t, we’re rocking, walking, feeding, crying (me, mostly). #effitfriday
Awww bless him, falling asleep when he is munching on his carrot. It is so hard not to feed them to sleep when sometimes you just want an easy life and to get on with your chores. I hope you manage to get some better sleep soon x #thelist
Lol my eldest child (now 18) Always used to fall asleep in her highchair. My two yingest however weren’t so keen on nap times. They rarely napped and when they did it took a lot of rocking and feeding and all the other things you mentioned only for them to wake up again just fifteen minutes later. My youngest are now 4 and 2 and to be quite honest I don’t miss all the rocking ssshing.
#fabfridaypost
Ooooooh I so get this, I’ve tried them all! Fab pics 🙂 #thelist
It’s typical isn’t it – they won’t sleep when we want them to & do when we don’t #effitfriday
Oh i feel you. I have tried all of them…although not to Starbucks for cake…i might have to try that one! ha. I think its always the same that they fall asleep when you don’t want them too. #TheList
Babies have inbuilt sensors that tell them the best and worst possible times to do things and then they do the opposite! I’m sure that’s how it works lol. There’s no way you could be mad though with that lovely smile! Thanks for hosting #effitfriday 🙂
Debbie
They always sleep when you dont want them! So annoying. My two dont do much napping these days and when they did it was hugely stressful. Hope sleeping improves for you soon. Popping in from #effitfriday x
9mg what a cutie love this! We feed ours to sleep and she never naps when she needs to but always when it’s after three. Dangerous hours to nap! I can never understand these nap things, they need one but won’t take it. They’re mad!!
Aw, that bottom picture! I’ve grown to accept that the only time Marianna will nap is when she decides she wants to – if I want her to, she’ll do anything to keep herself awake! At the moment her favourite position to nap is curled up on the floor, I think she’s been spending too much time with the dog… 🙂 #effitfriday
Ah yes so true each and every one. Iv walked mine in the pram up and down the garden, round the living room only to stop and see those eyes pop open. **sighs and carries on walking** #thelist
Awww sleep routine is all fun and games. I remember them falling asleep just before nursery started X #effitfriday
Haha – who hasn’t tried all of these?? Love the final picture with the carrot – so sweet! #thelist
Haha.. Ahhh yes the ‘sods law’ of naptime. My daughter likes to fall asleep around 5pm as she doesnt have any concept of this being CATASTROPHIC. #TheList
I often wished Baby came with an off switch, she always used to sleep when I didn’t want and not when I did! Thanks for linking up to #TheList x
My 16 month old started transitioning from two naps to one nap at 15 months it only lasted about two weeks but those those weeks involved waking up at 5am ready for the day, still being tired at his first nap time but not tired enough, the return of witching hour in evening and if he wasnt put down at exactly 11 and you left it to 11.15 no sleep would happen.