Need some nap help...

[cavalier]

DD is almost 10 months old (I can't believe how the time flies!) and co-sleeps with us at night. During the day, she usually naps on me in bed while I play on the computer or take a nap. I love watching her sleep, but I really could use this time better, I think. I'm already a terrible housewife, which causes a lot of marital issues (DH is a neat freak), and having a baby certainly doesn't help. I keep thinking if I could just get her to nap in her crib.. even for just one nap of the day.. I could use that time to pick up and clean. I've tried nursing her down (to the point of complete limpness), but she immediately wakes up and starts screaming and crying the moment she touches the crib. I've tried patting her once that happens, but 90% of the time, she ends up wide awake and naptime is over (and then she's grumpy for the rest of the day because of the nap fail). She can't sleep in our bed by herself for safety reasons. The Ergo is out because I can't do much with her in it.. it will hurt my back if I bend over, etc because she's getting so big.

Any help? Gentle ideas to get her in her crib during the day? Thanks!

[Vicki_T]

Is there a particular reason your bed isn't safe for her - could you make it so that it is? This is what we do for my not-quite 10mo (I agree, time flies!). I rock or pat her to sleep on the bed, and I feel happy leaving her there because it's pushed up against the wall on two sides, and the co-sleeper is attached to the third side (with dd1, when we didn't have a co-sleeper, we pushed the crib up to the bed - that's the only thing we used it for!). I put a few pillows on the floor at the bottom of the bed, just in case, but she's never got there! I leave the monitor on so that I hear her as soon as she wakes up, and I check on her as well, just in case she moves in her sleep (which never really happens).

If you're not happy with that, how about a mattress on the floor, or just something soft for her to lie on with you? I'm terrible at moving sleeping babies, so I don't try - I just make sure they fall asleep somewhere safe, and I slip away.

I also think you shouldn't be too hard on yourself re: housework. Your baby is still small and looking after her is your main job! (That's what I tell myself anyway :shifty ) I do a lot of my housework when both dds are awake, and rest or snuggle with dd1 when the baby is napping. I don't think there's anything wrong with our babies watching us do housework, and joining in when they're a bit older.

[camperjen]

mama is soft and warm and the crib mattress is probably cold and hard. doesn't sound like a fair transition to me! :P

try warming the crib mattress with a heating pad (removed when you put the baby in). try leaving a tshirt that smells a lot like you (this worked a bit for my 2nd son). you can put a thin quilt/blanket UNDER the crib mattress (so it's softer but still pulled tight and not fluffy like a quilt would be normally) to make it softer.

I would put pillows along the edge of the bed so my son couldn't easily roll off when he was napping - and I'd peek in on him constantly also to be sure he wasn't near the edge.

[Katigre]

What we do with DD is nurse her down for a nap in our bed and then when she's asleep I get up and do whatever it is I need to around the house. She stays asleep pretty well because she doesn't have to be moved.

[LorenP]

try leaving a tshirt that smells a lot like you (this worked a bit for my 2nd son).

I would put pillows along the edge of the bed so my son couldn't easily roll off when he was napping - and I'd peek in on him constantly also to be sure he wasn't near the edge.

When I nurse him to sleep on the bed, or if his brother is alseep in the cot already we edge my son with pillows and put the monitor close to him so I can get to him before he has a chance to move. He can crawl and I haven't missed him using this method before. I don't go downstairs tho.

We also use the smelly t-shirt trick. It means my mum can get him to sleep too. I put him in the cot with the t-shirt, a small toy and his paci. He generally goes to sleep after a little while. If he stands up and cries I go and get him for a cuddle then try again.

[Codi]

Id also be interested in knowing why your bed is not safe. Maybe we could help you brainstorm ways to make it safe.

Here is what I do with dd, who is older now, but I started this right around 10 months. :yes

I nurse her to sleep in our family bed, while ds gets to watch tv. Once she is asleep, I sneak away. :mrgreen Our boxspring and mattress are on the floor without a frame to make it safer. I used to have a rail on the side she slept on so she would not roll off, but now our side is agains a wall (which I do not like, but no need for the rail right now.)

Other ideas are a mattress directly on the floor somewhere else in your home you could put her to sleep on? For a while I would put dd to sleep on the couch for her nap. :think