Can only sleep 1 cycle out fo bed. Anyone else has this?

[kaipooi]

Hi all,

Since birth, my LO (now a week to 29 month old) has only ever been able to sleep in his cot. If he sleeps in the stroller or car seat or plane or anywhere else, he always wakes screaming after the first cycle and not go back no matter how exhausted he is. As such, we have always rushed home for his sleeps.

It isn't a problem for us as we are quite used to it now after 29 months. However, we will be travelling back to Europe in August (red eye flight!), and would like him to sleep more than just 45 minutes! It was a horrible and exhausting flight from Europe to Asia last year!!!

So, I am just wondering if anyone has a LO like mine and if so, did you ever find out why and is there anything that can be done to get them to sleep again? TIA!

[AMJ]

Hi our DD is 14 months old and she is the same way. Out of the crib she doesn't nap at all unless we are flying from Europe to Canada or the other way around and she passes out only out of exhaustion and sleeps for 30m it is very hard to travel with her and we have to do it often and I am so tired after it. Nothing really helped us. I think she is just so used to her crib that she doesn't associate being anywhere else with sleep.

[kaipooi]

Thanks AMJ. At least I know we are not alone in this 

[scruffymax]

Yes, DD (same age as yours) has only ever napped around 30 mins if she's anywhere other than the cot. We've just always worked around it but never taken her on a flight so I can't help with that sorry.

[*jazzberry*]

Yes all mine were/are like that so yiu are definitely not alone. We have done a few very long flights, sleep wise they were a nightmare (sorry ) but it did have the advantage of ending up with such tired kids that they adjusted to the jetlag pretty quick, they just slept when we wanted them to once we got there lol!

[Sarsheep]

Yes mine too! 45 min and wide awake!!

[kaipooi]

It really feels less lonely!! Another question out there for you mommies, do you think we made them like that? I was told a few times that my DS is such because I sleep trained him :X I have wondered if that was true...

[Sarah - Enfys' Mum]

Possibly.

But I would FAR rather my baby will sleep a proper nap, on her own, in her bed 6 out of 7 days a week and once a week has a short car nap than have to rely on the car or the pushchair for every nap.

[jessmum46]

^^^^definitely agree with this

[AMJ]

Yes I think by letting DD only sleep in her crib when we sleep trained I made it impossible for her to not sleep everywhere else

[Buttonbobs]

My DD was exactly the same when she was younger, but since about 18 months (and being firmly settled on one nap) she can sleep for more than one sleep cycle when she's in the car. We haven't tried flying with her since this improvement in the car but I hope this gives you some hope your LO may cope better as they get older.

[Mama2Athena]

Hugs you are not alone- my DD (2nd child) is like this.  Sleeps only 1 cycle if not in crib at home or on mat at daycare.  But at least she does nap in the car so if we are traveling or out for the day, she'll just have 2 short naps versus her usual one long nap.

My older son, on the other hand can sleep multiple cycles in the car.  I think it's because he was never properly sleep trained and I had to rely on the car for every single nap until he dropped his nap at age 3

[kaipooi]

Thank you all and I totally agree... I would rather have DS being an independent sleeper in his crib than having to stroll or drive him around I still remember those zombie days before he was sleep trained. I walked till I could walk no more and still he only slept 1 cycle!

Yes, Mama2Athena, DS had the same problem n daycare too when we put him in at 18 months. He would scream before sleeping and scream waking up. He ended up being sooo OT and distressed that we changed to only mornings, and he came home for nap. The daycare could not believe when I tell them all I had to do was put him in his crib, kiss him and say bye bye. Ah well...