Hello AGAIN! I posted to this board several weeks ago about progressing my 11 month old to independent sleep. At almost 1 year old, he now goes down completely independently and almost always puts himself back to sleep when he wakes during the night. He sleeps solid from 7pm to 6:30am. The few times when he doesn't put himself back to sleep, I simply stand outside of his room and reassure him with my voice until he eventually lies back down and goes to sleep. This usually takes about 15 minutes. We have not had the same degree of success with naps (not even close), although applying the same techniques. I feel we are taking steps backwards as he is now (for the last 3 days) not taking any naps in his crib.
He is a textbook baby, but apparently has a spirited streak when it comes to naps. I would appreciate any suggestions, particularly from parents of spirited ones. We do an extended wind down (quiet activities for half hour leading up to expected nap time). Once we see yawns/eye rubs, we hold him and dance/sway to soft music in his room, with the room darkened (as dark as possible during day time). I let him physically relax in my arms and then set him completely awake into the crib. He begins a loud cry on the way into the crib. I walk out and he immediately stands in his crib, and continues crying. I had progressed from sitting beside his crib on the floor and reassuring him with my voice, to standing outside of his room. However, we lapsed and he now will cry a long time without ever lying down (hence 3 days with no nap in the crib). I have gone in and gotten him after 40 minutes of crying the last 3 days, put him in the carrier and he slept there. I suppose I am not leaving him long enough in the crib? Or perhaps I should return to sitting beside the crib and build back up to standing outside? Initially we thought the extended crying was due to insufficient A time, but we have increased his A time back to an age appropriate level (4.25 hours)....and the crying still persists. B/c of the spirited streak, the crying is loud screaming; I don't think it is a "need you" cry but rather an angry cry? This is really the only time he cries all day, so I'm not very good at interpreting his cries. I don't know how long to leave him in the room crying. It's so loud, it can feel like CIO!!! Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.
