Hi all. First post, and out of desperation no less. (Sorry if I don't know all the lingo!)
We've been trying to nap train our 6 month old (27 weeks) daughter. Up until now, she had been napping in the stroller. We'd go through a routine (book, turn out lights, quiet singing and rocking) and then put her in the car seat (which attaches to the stroller) and push it back and forth. She'd fall asleep sometimes easily, sometimes with a bit more effort, and sometimes sleep 45 minutes, sometimes 2 hours. It was a mixed bag, but after she fell asleep, she'd stay in the stroller (motionless) til she woke up, which gave us some free time.
She's gotten to the point that I'm not comfortable leaving her stroller now that she's more active and can roll over. So we want to move her into the crib for naps.
She sleeps well at night. Falls asleep on her own in the crib rather easily (not more than 10 minutes of fussing, often less) between 7-8pm depending on naps. She's wakes once to breastfeed -- usually around 3 or 4am. (Though lately she's been waking up an additional time around 12-1am but puts herself back to sleep with 15 minutes; not sure what that's about. Solids maybe?) She wakes up between 6-7am. So around 11 hours of sleep at night, give or take.
We started nap training her last Friday in earnest. Laid her down in her crib after our routine. She'll always start to nod off in my husband's arms (he's been dong the training in the morning before he goes to work) so we know she's tired, and he lays her down before she's fully asleep. The first day was a disaster. No nap in the morning, cried for over an hour. We had somewhere to go later that afternoon (mistake, I know), so she ended up taking a two hour nap in the stroller again. Tried again the next morning, and she fell INSTANTLY asleep at 9:30am (after waking up at 6:30am), and she slept for 1h20m. Afternoon nap, fell asleep after 30 minutes crying, slept 30 minutes, and then slept another 45 on me while breastfeeding. We had a third nap, and she fell asleep after 15 minutes crying, and slept 40 minutes.
Things have been up and down from there.
- Sunday, we tried laying her down at 9am (after waking at 7am), and she was having none of it. We had to be at church, so we tried to lay her down earlier. Rest of the day was a disaster, fell asleep in the car on the way home from church, and took a third nap on a walk in the stroller.
- Monday, laid her down at 8:45 (woke up at 6:45), and she fell asleep at 9:30 and slept for 1h30m (we woke her up). Afternoon nap, I couldn't take her crying and she slept on me off and on the rest of the day.
- Today, we laid her down at 9am, and again she fell asleep at 9:30. I don't know what it is about that time, but she only slept 30 minutes this time. Afternoon (right now), laid her down at 12:45, and she fell asleep crying off-and-on around 1:25, 40 minutes later. We'll see how long she'll sleep for.
(Poor thing also is dealing with some bad ezcema right now, so I wonder if it's bothering her and not letting her relax.)
I suppose I'm just looking for confirmation that this is normal, or that we're doing it all right. Or some help understanding her schedule, because it seem impossible to read her sleepy signs. She'll yawn and rub her eyes even 30 minutes after waking up from her good naps. Then she'll wake up from 30 minute naps and be as happy as can be for 2 hours or so. She's really confusing.
Anyways, whatever advice or insights you can offer us would be very much appreciated!
