Contact naps

I started off with contact naps, lately I've been taking her up with me and laying on the bed while she's in her cot in our room still. And then I pretend to be asleep for a few minutes and she drops off. My little ones 11 months too, we've just discovered I'm pregnant again so those pretend naps are coming in handy

@Kayleigh thank you for your reply... and congratulations 🎊

We moved from contact naps to cot naps at 10 months. How does your little one fall asleep? Mine does with a little bit of rocking/patting, and just as she drifts off, when I put her down, I can often get her back to sleep by patting her. Sometimes straight away, other times takes 2-3 attempts but she does go down. Been doing it for a few weeks now and her naps are extending to what she’d do in a contact nap - 1-1.5hs, although she still wakes fairly often after about 45 mins and I resettle her, but it’s already a good enough nap - not like 15 mins she does in the buggy 😅. If you’re just starting (eg on week 1 or 2), your LO might be adjusting to the transition and it might get better soon. Still enjoying the occasional contact nap ❤️

Yes, been there done this. My baby will not transfer either. Get rid of the crib and use a floor futon. Start by sitting on the futon while rocking her/However you get her to sleep. Then slowly try laying down with her until she falls asleep. I did this all while nursing. Now I lay baby down, side line nurse until she falls asleep and then I roll away. Took a few weeks, but she will normally do her nap solo now. Do NOT beat yourself up. Your baby has benefited immensely from your nurturing. You haven't created any bad habits. Your baby might just need more help/contact to sleep for now. They WONT do it forever. The nursery folks probably have some tricks up their sleeves. Realistically, she probably won't nap well while she's there. But who knows!

@Kimberly I appreciate your message and your advice 💜

@Mila thank you so much for your message ❤️

Exactly the same here! We've contact napped since he was born and the boy has never napped anywhere else, not in the car, buggy, cot nothing. However 2 weeks ago I started trying to transfer him again but only on the first nap of the day and it just worked. I've not done anything else differently to any other time I've tried so I think it really is true that babies will just do it when they're ready. He's not consistently doing his first nap in the cot either but I just keep trying and success rate has been pretty decent so far. My boy is 10.5 months. Good luck! I hope you get there. I'm also terrified about nursery naps as we still rock to sleep. I'm pinning my hopes on herd mentality 🙈😅 x

@Jordan well done to your little boy! You should be proud 👏 Thank you, this is very reassuring 💜 I hope we will get there soon 🙏

We’re also contact napping for every nap 🥴 I’m also hoping herd mentality helps when he goes to nursery 🫣 but a friend has mentioned that her baby boy doesn’t use a comforter at home but does use it at nursery for naps so I’m going to maybe try introduce one and see wether that helps along the line! Also wanted to say echo @Kimberly no bad habits, just a bit of extra contact and extra help to sleep 💛. We’ve tried many many times to get him to sleep in the cot or in the bed for naps and he just can’t do it but that’s okay; they’re still very small and this period of time with naps is also very small 💛🥰.

@Lizzy you're absolutely right. Thank you for your message 💜💪

Anyone found that stopping contact napping has affected the nighttime sleep? Tried the last couple of days to put in her cot and she’s done amazing. However her nighttime sleep is terrible! Or not as good as usual x

@Serin yes! I don't know if it's a coincidence or not as I think he also has a tooth coming but definitely night time sleep issues has coincided with cot naps and also him having 1 nap a week at his nanas x

😩 maybe separation anxiety? So hard to know what to do for the best.