Spinoff to 'How to get your 1+ DC to sleep'

For those that put your DC to bed for naps and bedtime awake what is your process? Like for naps...do you just stop whatever activity you are doing and put them in the crib and walk out? Or do you read books, turn down lights, rock a little bit etc....Do you do it at the same time each day or wait for sleepy cues (which I never get)

I put Sidney to sleep awake but I BF her first to settle her down. I would like to wean soon so was curious how I would replace this routine?
TIA

Re: Spinoff to 'How to get your 1+ DC to sleep'

Well I use to be able to just put him in his crib (whether it be bedtime or nap) But for the past almost 2 months that went out the window...

I have the same routine everynight-

dinner- play- bath-baby massage- book/puzzle, bottle and bed--- He lays with me on the couch til he falls asleep

For a nap- if he is really tired sometimes I can just put him in his crib- but even then I lay on the couch w/ him til he falls asleep!

I wouldnt rec'd this habit

Re: Spinoff to 'How to get your 1+ DC to sleep'

For naps, when I notice that he's tired I ask him if he wants to take a nap or go in his crib - sometimes he says yes, sometimes no, but he always goes in for a nap at that point. I tell him he's going to take a nap, and I carry him into his room, hold him and rock back and forth with him for a minute or so, then lay him down in the crib. I ask if he wants the blanket, if he wants doggie on (a wind up musical stuffed animal) and his CD music on. Then I rub his back for a few seconds and tell him I'll see him in a little while.

Bedtime is the same, but we do milk, a couple books and brushing of his teeth beforehand.

Re: Spinoff to 'How to get your 1+ DC to sleep'

Re: Spinoff to 'How to get your 1+ DC to sleep'

For Maddie it was easy. She would walk to her crib & say night-night when she was tired.

When it was naptime (usually an hour after lunch), I would tell her it's quiet time. Bring her in her room, lay with her for a little bit, & then give her kiss & leave.

Joseph was tougher. We took to telling him it was quiet time but he would say "I'm not tired!". So I would say but I am & I need you to help me fall asleep. I would bring him in his room & lay down with him until he was sleeping (or we both were).

For bedtime, it was brush their teeth. Turn down the lights in their bedroom. Read a book & then kisses good night.

I read an article on how light affects sleep patterns. So even more their nap time, blinds were closed, lights were off - and I was talking softly.

Re: Spinoff to 'How to get your 1+ DC to sleep'

For naps...I can tell when Jared is getting tired...so I pick him up and tell him that he's going to take a nap. We close the blinds/curtains together and then I give him his puppy and blanket. He goes to sleep after talking or playing for about 10 minutes.

For bedtime...he takes a bath, reads some books, watches Curious George on PBS and that's it. I bring him to the crib and give him his puppy and his blanket. I turn on the fishy light in his crib and he babbles to me for a bit. Within 10 minutes he's asleep.

Re: Spinoff to 'How to get your 1+ DC to sleep'

Posted by dree

Posted by MommaG

For naps, when I notice that he's tired I ask him if he wants to take a nap or go in his crib - sometimes he says yes, sometimes no, but he always goes in for a nap at that point. I tell him he's going to take a nap, and I carry him into his room, hold him and rock back and forth with him for a minute or so, then lay him down in the crib. I ask if he wants the blanket, if he wants doggie on (a wind up musical stuffed animal) and his CD music on. Then I rub his back for a few seconds and tell him I'll see him in a little while.

Bedtime is the same, but we do milk, a couple books and brushing of his teeth beforehand.

This sounds like a dream! This is what I would love to be able to do. But I don't think we will get there without a fight

At bedtime...does he take a sippy or a bottle? Do you give it to him in his room then go to the bathroom to brush teeth?

Re: Spinoff to 'How to get your 1+ DC to sleep'

WOW!!! All these babies seem to just cooperate so nicely! Were they always like this or did you have a lot of tears in the beginning?

Re: Spinoff to 'How to get your 1+ DC to sleep'

Re: Spinoff to 'How to get your 1+ DC to sleep'

Posted by NK926

Posted by dree

WOW!!! All these babies seem to just cooperate so nicely! Were they always like this or did you have a lot of tears in the beginning?

I agree! Not to jinx anyone, but, you're very lucky that your babies go to bed so easily. Everyday is a new adventure in my house.

Re: Spinoff to 'How to get your 1+ DC to sleep'

For us, it's all about routine. He goes in for his naps and goes to bed around the same times every single day. The majority of the time, he goes down without a fight. There are some days when he seems more tired that I put him in earlier and there are days he seems more awake that I put him in later, but for the most part, his body is so used to the times I put him in, that he starts rubbing his eyes around the same times.

Re: Spinoff to 'How to get your 1+ DC to sleep'

Re: Spinoff to 'How to get your 1+ DC to sleep'

We still have our swing up (he loves it sooooooo much and so far he is still within the weight limit...we are in trouble when he is too big for it ). For his naps he usually climbs in his swing (I strap him in) and he falls asleep within a few minutes OR it calms him down enough for me to put him in the crib and he falls asleep in there.

FOr nighttime he eats, takes a bath, plays, has a bottle, reads books and goes to bed. He goes in awake and usually falls right to sleep.

Message edited 11/25/2006 12:48:36 PM.

Re: Spinoff to 'How to get your 1+ DC to sleep'

BUMP....cause I'm still dying to hear from the mommies about how you got your cuties to cooperate so nicely for naps and bedtime.

Is it something they just came around to or did you have to teach them thru tears

I must know your secrets

Re: Spinoff to 'How to get your 1+ DC to sleep'

Prior to 17 months

1 nap and 7pm bedtime -7am wake up

Dinner, two cups of milk, play then he will go back and get his blanket and normally after 10 minutes of him with his blanket we'd ask if he would want to go to sleepy sleep and he'd grab our hand and walk down to his room and gets an overnight diaper and a kiss then put in his crib and the door is closed until 7am when I walk in and his is awake but playing in his crib (he learned quick that crying longer then 2 minutes wasen't worth it)

At 17 months he started climbing so we moved him to a toddler bed.

About every other day he takes a nap for an hour but on the days he doesn't he will still go in their and just play but will give me an hour to myself if I'm lucky. Also his bedtime changed to 9pm and wake up at 9am. Dinner, two glass of milk, brush his teeth, Pj's, playing until he gets his blanket then we ask if he wants to go to sleepy sleep normally he shakes his head no but he runs to his room and pulls out his books and thows one in the glider and he gets a story then comes out of his room to play a bit more then around 9pm we tell him "Jack it's sleepy time" and he will walk with us back to his room and get an overnight diaper I say "goodnight, sleep tight" and he cuddles into his blanket and goes to sleep. Sometimes I get about 2 minutes of crying but in most cases he knows I'm not coming to get him so he walks back to bed and goes to sleep (sometimes he falls asleep right on his side of the door and if I see it on the monitor I go put him in his bed... till only happens if he pulls his nightlight out of the socket) then he gets up around 8:30 goes to his toychest grabs a truck and then crawls back into his bed and plays till 9am when I open his door.

We read "becoming babywise" and then "becoming toddlerwise" and just follow his methods with a grain of salt. Dh is away atleast 6 months out of the year so I needed to use CIO on occasion for my own survival and DS has never slept in our bed our out of a crib or pack n play

Re: Spinoff to 'How to get your 1+ DC to sleep'

Re: Spinoff to 'How to get your 1+ DC to sleep'

My son just turned 1 yesterday. His schedule is:

Wake up : 7 am
Nap: 10:30 to 12
Nap: 4 - 5 ( I wake him up at 5)
Bedtime: 7:30 to 8 (depends on how late he eats, etc...)

I put him in his crib, no special routines, I give him a kiss and in he goes. I shut the door and he usually cries for a few. I will let him cry though.

As for the naps, this is his schedule with the baby sitter. On fridays and the weekends, I nap him around my schedule so thetimes may differ.

Re: Spinoff to 'How to get your 1+ DC to sleep'

Posted by dree

BUMP....cause I'm still dying to hear from the mommies about how you got your cuties to cooperate so nicely for naps and bedtime.

Is it something they just came around to or did you have to teach them thru tears

I must know your secrets