Naps When Out

[Hoofbeat]

My DS will be 6months this week and is really good at napping whilst at home. In the last few weeks he's started taking longer naps (1.5-2hrs) and after weeks/months of using shush pat, he is now capable of falling asleep on his own without any patting/holding needed!  I put him in his bed, we listen to a song and then I will walk away and just sit nearby until he falls asleep (I'm slowly moving further and further away and hoping in next week or so I can try leaving the room before he falls asleep). He's sleeping well at night (one night waking for feed as he isn't given a DF, and he puts himself back to sleep afterwards). At the moment he's transitioning from 3-2 naps, so sometimes we are dropping the cat nap. He's BF and feeds every 3.5-4hrs (slowly getting closer to 4) and is also on 2 solid meals a day. His A time is 2hr45mins

However, where we are struggling is naps when we are out of the house. In the car he's fine, but very occasionally we are out somewhere when he's due his nap and we really struggle to get him to nap in his buggy (e.g. when we are in a restaurant).  We've tried playing his usual song, putting on white noise like we do at home, but he just can't switch off from the outside world even when he gets very tired! We've tried covering his buggy with a thin sheet to block out the light, but he usually just pulls this down. We have never used a dummy so that isn't an option. If we are out walking with him in the buggy, sometimes he will doze off, but he will wake as soon as we stop! Now he's having 2 long naps (about 9:45am and 2pm at the moment) they are tending to fall right during the hours we can be out doing stuff, so it's becoming more of an issue.

How can I teach him to fall asleep when we are out?

[ginger428]

We tried the same things, too when we were out. It was easier around 3 mo, but at 6mo, they are much more aware and developing tremendously that it will probably be difficult to teach him a totally different way to fall asleep. There are some babies that can sleep anywhere and those that need just the right conditions (or are taught to have those conditions). My DS was very similar to yours and since he was an infant had a hard time blocking out external stimuli. 

Since IME it was difficult for DS to sleep when out, it was rare that we were at nap times until he got older, >12-18mo, when he could handle longer A times and actually tire himself out by walking, etc... On the occasions that we did go out, we left right before his nap time and when he fell asleep in the car, transferred his seat to the stroller and used a mobile white noise machine near him.  My DS also fell asleep occasionally on calm strolls, but would wake when stopped.

Once when he was 7 mo, we were out and had tried everything to get him to sleep and he just wouldn't.  I vividly remember him acting so loopy, but refused to fall asleep in the car or the stroller. We couldn't get home to put him down, so he just ended taking a really late nap that particular day.  This happened once, so it didn't affect his routine much besides him being slightly overtired that day. On other occasions around this age if we were in the car for any sleep time (beyond our immediate control), he would scream and cry.    He just needed his sleepy cues I suppose. As I mentioned, it did get easier as he got older.

Other than what you already tried, you can probably do better with a darkening blanket... Just use caution that there's airflow and he's comfortable.  What about babywearing him? Have you tried that?

Sorry not be much help. 

Oh one trick I use now is to transfer DS within 5-15 mins, or he'll wake himself up completely.  Some people have told me to wait until they're in deep sleep after 30 mins, but that always woke him up completely as well.

[creations]

My DS would not sleep out and about, refused to sleep in a pushchair even walking for hours, and only a small number of times nodded off in a sling after a huge battle with walking rocking singing etc. It was far more hassle than it was worth.

I did eventually get him into a routine where we did morning nap at home 2hr, predictable.  Then second nap was spit into 2 CNs, one in the car on the way somewhere, then A time, then one in the car on the way home.  This allowed me to take him to baby groups in the afternoon but I had to time leaving the house for exactly when he needed to sleep, he would wait until we were in the car then nod off within a minute of setting off...and then I had to leave him to sleep a full 40 min cycle even if I only drove 5-10 mins to a baby group.  Same on the way home.  If I tried to lift or transfer him or his car seat he would wake immediately and scream.  The down side to this is that I really wanted just one day per week where I didn't need to leave the house, a pjs day, yk? I was exhausted pretty much all the time and would have loved one day "off" but due to the routine I'd set him in he would not take an afternoon nap in his cot at home, if I ever decided not to go out I dreaded that nap time approaching I really did, it was hard hard work to make him sleep nap 2 indoors.

It was frustrating at times but the easiest thing for me was to make sure I fitted stuff around naps. People were amazed he wouldn't sleep in a pram or sling, "What's wrong with him?" was often asked and one time I thought I could go to a christening celebration party (not the church part, just the nibbles and drinks) but after struggling for an hour I eventually gave up and took him to the car...two min later he was asleep and I was stuck in the car again.

I will say one thing though - you have great naps and nights and that is worth a great deal.  Here's a story:
When mine was 6 months I signed up for a short cookery class on weaning, a mum and baby thing.  I was going to leave early in time for his nap but only two of us turned up and the lady running it had done so much prep that I felt too guilty to drop out early, plus the other mum turned out to be someone I had been friends with about 15 odd years before and having a chat and some social time was really nice. I felt determined I was going to force DS to nod off in the sling and stay the full class.  The other baby also needed a nap. The mum realised she had not brought his fabric lovey or blanket out with her and asked the centre for any bit of fabric/scrap/spare kids clothes, anything, and literally lay her baby on the floor, handed him a bit of fabric he had never attached to and he immediately self soothed and nodded off. I was astounded.  Then the trainer and the other mum politely watched me walking, rocking, bopping and singing, with DS in the sling holding his own muslin/lovey (which I would NEVER leave the house without) for about an hour before he finally nodded off. Everyone felt really sorry for me.  To be frank I was a bit embarrassed by the whole thing.  Then the other mum asked me how his nights were - not bad, asleep at 7pm quick feed at 10pm but up for the day at at 5.30 or 6am.  She then revealed that her baby was up for HOURS every night and had never ever slept a long stretch. If he slept he woke after 30 - 60 mins and if he was awake he was screaming.  The poor woman hadn't had more than an hours sleep at night since he was born.
Clearly - we can't all have it all xx

[Jaime]

Well done getting your LO settled into a routine!  Sounds like you're well on your way to having him fall asleep on his own too. 

I'll be honest....I scheduled everything around that afternoon nap time so that nap would happen at home.  I found it was really the best thing to make sure my child had enough sleep.  Both of my kids really loved that afternoon nap (it was the longer nap) and they enjoyed being in their bed for it.  I found the morning nap had a lot more leeway and I could get away with them falling asleep in the car or the stroller, knowing that I'd get a better nap out of them that afternoon.  Even then, I didn't leave the house every morning; a few times a week helped me keep my sanity and get all the errands done!

[ginger428]

I was in that camp basically!  I was the friend who never went out; but they didn't realize how much of a struggle it was for us to get and maintain proper sleep.  To this day, my son thrives on routine and I know the minute when even having a visitor off sets his sleep.  Having said that, you have to live life a little, so once in a while won't do much harm.  Hope you find a great balance and remember that it's a phase that will pass... soon!