nap regression when mommy help's 7.5 month old fall to sleep

[AandJmommy]

Hello all,

We have been using EASY and PU/PD for 2 weeks now to help our 7.5 month old learn to self-soothe; with the goals to have better naps and less night wakings.. Things have going really good..night waking are pretty much gone! Went from 4-6 night with LO needing to be nursed to sleep to now 0-1 night wakings total! Naps were going better too.. morning nap was about 1-1.5 hours long..afternoon nap was 1-2 hours long..

However in the last few days i am having a very difficult time getting her to settle down for naps... I end up having to do PU/PD for 10-30 minutes then she sleeps for only 30-50 minutes.... she get's very upset with me crying pretty loud and even arching her back away from me When my hubby or her grandmother put her down they often have better success often with only a few minutes of calming her down and maybe one pick-up.... My question is does anyone else find that their hubbies or other caregivers have a WAAAAY easier time getting their little ones asleep.. Will it get easier for me?? It breaks my heart to see her get so upset...I'm so tempted to use my old prop to put her to sleep when she get's really worked up! 
However we've had so much success with the rest of her routine including way less night wakings!
Our EASY is as follows:

6-7 am:wake-up
7:00 am: breastfeed
7:30-8 am:breakfast solids
8:30-9:15:activity
9:15-9:30: am nap
10-11 am:wake-up from nap
11:10-11:11:30:breastfeed
11:45-12:30:lunch solids
12:45-1:45:activity
1:45-2:00:down for afternoon nap
3:00-3:30:up from nap (sometimes as earl as 2:30)
4:00:breastfeed
4:15-5:30:activity
5:30:supper (solids)
6:00:bath
6:30:quiet time
6:45-7:00:bedtime

[creations]

Hello and well done on all the success you've had with your EASY so far.

My question is does anyone else find that their hubbies or other caregivers have a WAAAAY easier time getting their little ones asleep.

I think LOs link certain places/props/sleep methods with certain caregivers.  For example I spend less than 3 mins putting DS down at home but if I go to my mum's place I have no chance of getting him to sleep.  My mum can get him to sleep in her pram (not his regular pram) wheeling him up and down in the garden (accidental parenting there but I figure if we are out he has to sleep somewhere we can't go home for every nap) but she's stuck if it rains.  There's no way he would let me put him to sleep in that pram!
Are you the primary caregiver?  Just wondering if LO associates the prop with you a little more than DH or grandmother?

Will it get easier for me??

Yes I'm sure it will.  I know how upsetting it is to see LO getting worked up but try to keep in mind that you have already made improvements to your routine and these will benefit the whole family.  I really believe independent sleep is a wonderful gift to give your child, knowing that they feel so confident and relaxed to not need you right there all the time, that's amazing.

I'm sure someone will be along shortly to give some further practical advice on your EASY.  My LO is a little younger so I wouldn't want to give inappropriate advice based on my own experience.

Good luck x

[ZacsMumme]

Hun we had exactly the same thing around this age for DS NW. If I went in it was all over and I would have to pick him up a nd feed. When DH went in he would allow him to pat him back to sleep. At first I felt really awful about it, but I think its more about their attachment to you, in a good way. They are learning about object permanance and starting SA. There is also some big developmental changes that affect them in ways we cant see.

I really think this will pass, and in the meantime enjoy some extra time out, let DH and grandma help out

[AandJmommy]

Thank you both for your kind words; it has been geting easier for me to put her down..... I have been humming her lullabies during our wind down and when laying her down in her crib.. I then stand by her crib with my hand on her chest and continue to hum for a few minutes..when she appears to be closing her eyes and settling i leave the room quietly... she has been then falling asleep on her own! sometimes she might let out a few mantra cries but she has resettled on her own.. I say in the last few days I've only had to go back in to recomfort with one P/U! It is paying off being consistent and patient. I do however allow my hubby or mom to put her down when they're around. I figure it helps our LO get used to others putting her down plus she continues to go down for them pretty easy. Thanks again

[creations]

Lovely to hear you're having success xx  And don't worry, your LO loves her mummy very very much.

[ZacsMumme]

Wonderful work hun! (I also do a similar thing with DS re singing a lullaby and pressure when he is unsettled) I find now that I sing the same thing before WD and BT and he now associates it with BT

[creations]

I also sing the same song every sleep time (actually we have 3 songs to choose from but they are only used for sleep and i only sing one (or half a one) at each sleep).  The primary one I sang repeatedly when I was pregnant and he recognized it day one and calmed instantly - how great did I feel in the postnatal ward??

The other two were introduced after birth and work just as well now, the repetition certainly helps him know sleep time is coming.  I sing ours whilst still holding him prior to putting him down.  A recent surprise was the development of DS reaching for my mouth and clamping my lips shut.  Took me a while to work out if he just hates my singing and I'm still not 100% sure, it either means 'no I am not ready for sleep so stop singing and take me out to play' or it means 'I am desperately tired can you shut up and put me down in my cot so I can sleep please'.

Just thought I'd share that in case at some point your LO seems to get frustrated by the lullabye - he may be trying to tell you something.