Contact naps

I’d love to hear from other moms about contact napping and transitioning a Velcro baby to sleeping independently during the day.
My little guy is 14 weeks old, and we’ve always done contact naps. He’ll happily sleep up to 6 hours a day on my chest, and honestly, I love the cuddles. We also co-sleep at night, and after I put him down around 8 PM, I’m usually able to roll away and get a few hours to myself before joining him later.
I’m fortunate enough to be able to stay home with him, so I haven’t felt pressure to change things. At the same time, I’d love to find a balance where he can still get the daytime rest he needs while also learning to nap independently for at least some of the day. I’d like to continue contact napping for one or two naps because it’s something I genuinely enjoy, but I’d also love to be able to get a few things done without being attached to him 24/7.
For those of you who had a Velcro baby, what helped your baby start sleeping alone during daytime naps? Did you use a gradual approach, transfer after they fell asleep, practice one nap at a time, or something else entirely?

in our community

Toddler suddenly scared of room and waking during the night

My little girl will be 3 in July and suddenly night times have become an absolute battle. I can get her to go to sleep okay, however, for a week now she has woken up in the middle of the night absolutely screaming saying that it’s scary and refusing to go back to sleep without me staying in her room with her (which is not comfortable at 34 weeks pregnant on a make shift floor bed out of sofa cushions!) has anyone else’s little one gone through the same thing and does anyone have any tips on what stopped the night wakes for them?

Second hand baby stuff

I am curious what everyone thinks on second hand baby stuff like, car seat, push chair, cot etc. babies grow very fast, they grow out many things in just few months and kinda feel like it is a waste of money and not good for the environment. And also think as first time mum he/she is going to be my only child so I should get whatever is the best. On a dilemma 🤷‍♀️

So fed up

Baby only contact naps in a dark room. I'm so over it.

Why can't it be one or the other.
Nap in the dark OR contact nap.
Its not right, it's not healthy.

He's nearly 4 months and I've tried a few times to get him out if this habit but it never sticks!

I don't want this anymore. I dread EVERY nap. I love him and love being a mum during wake windows but when nap time rolls around I find myself regretting being a mum and I feel terrible for it, but I can't do this anymore hours on end in the dark every day for months on end. 😭😭😭

Sleep (help!)

So - we haven’t been getting very much sleep. My baby who is 5 months today always slept really well, but recently it’s not been great. The longest stretch he will do is about three hours - otherwise he instantly wakes up as soon as we put him down in his crib. Last night we were up until about 3 am trying to get him down. I honestly don’t know what to do other than co sleep which isn’t my preferred option because I don’t sleep very well next to baby! Anyone else experienced this?

Struggles lying flat!!!

My six week old is sleeping well (for a newborn!) but really struggles with discomfort when put on his back. He arches his back and squirms a lot after feeds anyway, but is most comfortable in an upright / inclined position. Even after staying upright 20 mins (and we’ve tried lengthening this right up to an hour!) when lay down the back arching becomes significantly worse and he’s gulping and gasping until he gets so distressed and it escalates to wailing.

He can’t tolerate being on back more than 10 mins or so when awake either (pram walks, changing mat etc).

As soon as he’s put back in an upright position he’s fine and sleeping away again on me. It seems more than just comfort / contact needed, even co sleeping he won’t lie down next to me.

How on earth do I balance safe sleep guidelines, with making sure he’s getting sleep and then also ensuring I am able to rest?! It’s meant for weeks now my partner and I take turns having him on us almost 24hrs a day and I’m running off 3-4 hours sleep per day even though our baby is sleeping much much more than this but I have to stay awake as he’s on me / upright.

Help!!

Fighting sleep

Why will my lo never just sleep when they’re tired?? Would rather get themselves overtired and scratch themselves to the point they bleed a tiredness thing