white noise to extend naps.....how to wean?

[Luke-n-Me]

This really shouldn't be a major issue, but I'm always worried about how to wean from bad habits.  I have finally figured out (after 4.5 mos.) that the only way to extend DD's naps is to use white noise, I just turn on a fan and she takes really great naps.  While this is simple when at home (it won't happen at the sitters), how/when do I eventually wean her off of the need for it?  I just hate to start trends at home that she won't be able to have at the sitters (even though she's only there 2days/week).  Does anyone have experience with this?  Do I just wait until she gets completely through the tough nap stage (like 6 mos. or so?).  Just wondering if anyone has any experience and how you did it so that I have an idea of what to do in the future.  TIA!!

[Jen R]

I got into the same muddle last summer quite inadvertently,when I bought and used a fan for my son's room as we had a very hot spell of weather and his room was an oven!

I became worried that the only thing that was keeeping him asleep was the fan - so much so that I would have it on until about 2 in the morning :oops:

As we moved into Autumn the weather became obviously cooler and I then worried that the coolness of the fan would make him too cold to sleep, but that he needed the noise! (God, I sound so neurotic!  :shock: )


One night, I forgot to put the fan on and guess what? He slept through as normal!  I think the fan was a good 'tool' to help him get to sleep but if a baby is tired they'll sleep through anything.

Benj probably had the fan on for about 5 weeks - it was just a stage and as his sleeping pattern bacame more predictable and reliable, the fan was no longer an issue.

Hope this helps

Ex-fan user!  :lol:

[Luke-n-Me]

Thanks for the reply.  Actually, for Annika it's not that I need it to get her to sleep or need it at all for the night, it's just for naps during the day.  I mistakenly realized that it was helping her get through.  I couldn't figure out why, over the holidays when we had tons of company, she would sleep so well for naps.  Then I finally realized it was because I ran a fan to reduce the noise during her naps. 

No, you don't sound neurotic to me..........well, in all honesty I'm just like you :lol: (so maybe we're both neurotic).  I just hate getting into bad habits. 

Thanks again!

[Caroline-Charlies Mummy]

Hello,
I did the same thing as Jen last Summer - ds got hooked on an air conditioning unit that was quite loud, and he went through a phase of not being able to sleep without it. Once the hot weather had gone (it doesn't last very long in Wales :roll:  :lol: ), I switched it to an untuned radio, which had the same effect.

If you want to wean her off white noise, I'm not really sure I have the answers, as we literally one day just didn't put it on, and he slept through his nap as normal. Sorry that's not much help to you, but I would just say, don't worry about creating 'bad habits' here. When compared to some AP habits, having a bit of white noise to sleep is not that bad, and maybe if you use a radio/music rather than a fan, it could be more portable. I think she will probably grow out of it herself. I'm sure ds used it when he was learning independent sleep, and getting himself through his 45 minute transition. Once he had done that, he didn't need it any more (in fact, I think I used it for longer than necessary b/c I was so paranoid that not using it would wake him up - anyone ever heard of a Mummy sleep prop :oops:  :oops:  :lol: )

[Luke-n-Me]

Thanks!  Your reply has made me feel better.  I went through the "props" forum (which I often forget about) and read some other posts that made me feel better.  I may have even read one of your posts, but it seems like most babies just get over the need for the white noise.  If that's the only "bad habit" we get into, I guess it will won't be all that bad.  Thanks again!!!