Nap routine

[Qaytbey]

Our 10 month old daughter tends to go to sleep by herself pretty easily (currently c. 10.30h and c. 15.30h) and as such, we have never really developed a routine for naptime.  Is this OK or should we be developing a routine for her just in case she canīt sleep?  Any suggestions?  Sheīs absolutely fine at bedtime and we have a routine that works well, for 99% of the time.  Thanks!

[keeps me guessing]

i tend to say if it works then don't fix it. Sounds like thing are great just the way they currently are.

[*Nicola*]

As Darlene says, it sounds like you are doing great 

Each child/parent has a different routine and it sounds like your DD is confident and happy going to sleep independently, which is exactly what you are aiming for    Remember also, that closing the curtains, saying a special phrase eg; nighty night, are all 'parts of your own routine' so you may have more of a set routine that you imagine  .

[Qaytbey]

Darlene and Nicola, thanks for the encouragement!   She is an absolute Angel (with a little bit of Textbook thrown in for good measure!).  Her naptimes can vary though (start to finish, rather than duration) and I wasnīt sure if I should be trying to get her to sleep at the same times each day.  Having said that though, when she is awake she is happy and lively, gets a bit grumpy when sheīs tired and either falls asleep by herself, or following a few cuddles :-)  No specific routine or "trigger" for starting the naps though.  Pushchair is even better, she just canīt resist naptime if sheīs out and about!

One other quick question thatīs been bugging me.  I know that letting a baby cry herself to sleep is generally discouraged here.  I agree, but my daughter has a 5 minute cry before going to sleep at night, nothing strong and she soothes herself most of the time and the crying gradually peters out.  If she passes 6 minutes or is crying harder than normal I go in to her.  Is letting her cry like this for 5-6 minutes OK?  I am assuming that I am helping her to get to sleep by herself and that going in before then would interfere with this?

[keeps me guessing]

as for the crying, each baby has a mantra cry which is a cry that soothes the baby, you would know best as to wether it is a mantra cry or a "i need you cry" which you need to respond to". It sounds like you know the difference and are doing a great job.

With naps, i have a routine not schedule so naps are not always at the same time as it depends on when she wakes, when she gets tired ect. Generally there is a 30 minutes leeway and are pretty close to the same time. I know her awake time is 2.75 after morning wake and pm is 3 hours after wake and bedtime is about 3.5.

hope this helps

[Qaytbey]

as for the crying, each baby has a mantra cry which is a cry that soothes the baby, you would know best as to wether it is a mantra cry or a "i need you cry" which you need to respond to". It sounds like you know the difference and are doing a great job.

Thanks again, I think it is what she does to sooth herself.... her part of The Routine :-)  Her "I need you" cry is very different and Iīm usually rushing in involuntarily, even before my brain has kicked in!!!

With naps, i have a routine not schedule so naps are not always at the same time as it depends on when she wakes, when she gets tired ect. Generally there is a 30 minutes leeway and are pretty close to the same time. I know her awake time is 2.75 after morning wake and pm is 3 hours after wake and bedtime is about 3.5.

hope this helps

This describes perfectly how our daughter "works".  You are absolutely right and hearing you say this, I remember that a routine is advocated rather than a schedule.  Itīs been so long since I needed to think about it I had forgotton!  Our daughter was on EASY practically since birth and has always worked well (bar the first month, which I reckoned was her settling in period).

Thanks again, I really appreciate the help that I have been given personally, and the fact that the Forum is there should it be needed.