Tell me this is OK....

Nap time is always a nightmare around here. I either have to take sidney for a walk, rock her (which rarely ever works anymore) or nurse her (even though she ate an hr before).

Bottom line is I have been nursing her to sleep and I don't like the pattern of Eat, Sleep, Play. It makes her a little more cranky when she is up plus she eats a lot more often than needed because she gets sleepy within an hr of being up. (and her naps are mostly short).

Soooo....I just got tired of rocking her and wanted to eat my breakfast so I put her in her crib. She fussed for 10 minutes than full out wailed for 14 minutes. I said to myself I would go get her after 15 mins of crying. But at 14 mins she stopped. I snuck in and she was passed out!!!!!

It makes me happy and soooooo sad at the same time. It BREAKS my heart to do that. Is this what I need to do for every nap time and will she at some point not cry??? (she is 4 months and 1 week)

Re: Tell me this is OK....

Try the Eat, Play, Sleep routine. Play around with how you get her to sleep. In the beginning my son would only fall asleep on a pillow, then it was on your chest. He would only nap for 30 min.

Now I lay him down on his tummy or I lay down with him while his in the crook of my arm. The key is to catch them when they start rubbing their eyes or give you other tired cues. I also try to do it around the same time daily. After he falls asleep, I'll transfer him to his crib, pack n play or co-sleeper. I think he knows the routine know so he doesn't fight it.

There are times when he wakes up from a nap or night time sleep, I will let him cry until he falls back asleep. If it goes on for more than 15 min, I will go check on him. Usually putting the pacifer back in does the trick. If he gets hysterical then I'll take him out and try to put him back to sleep.

Message edited 11/19/2005 10:50:48 AM.

Re: Tell me this is OK....

Re: Tell me this is OK....

I went through this with my daughter, it was horrible to listen to her cry but I didn't know what else to do, she wouldn't sleep without me, I just remember yelling at my poor DH because I was upset she was crying and I felt sooo bad... we went through a little while where she cried, and it got less every time.... she is almost 10 months now and for nap and bedtimes I just put her int he crib with her blankie and she goes to sleep, she even waves goodnight to Daddy and Jordan on the way up It'll get better I promise!

Re: Tell me this is OK....

Emily is only 6 weeks and she hsan't cried herself to sleep at all but she has fussed herself for like 5 minutes to sleep. There have been times where I tried EVERYTHING to get her to sleep. but when she's overstimulated and overtired nothing will work. I just end up having to put her in her bouncer and she usually fusses for like 3-5 minutes and then konks out HARD.

Don't feel bad about it. I think it's okay for them to cry for a few minutes before then fall esleep, and probably if it happens a few times she'll cry less and less because she'll realize that she has to calm herself down to sleep.