I had planned to share my nap saga long before now, but as always, life got in the way! I started nap training almost two months ago, and our baby is now nearly 8 months old. From the beginning…
Before attempting nap training, I did a lot of research. My new best friend is the Baby Sleep Science blog – it contains detailed information about baby sleep cycles that was crucial not only for my decision to nap train but also for determining the way in which I trained. The site stresses the importance of having realistic expectations about how often and how long baby should be napping. (I also learned that it was totally okay that I had been holding the baby for her naps until she was 6 months old. Whew!)
Around 6 months, babies transition from 3 to 2 naps per day and are capable of learning how to sleep through more than one cycle during a nap. Our baby is very dependent on her naps. She NEEDS those naps. At 6 months, if I held her through two long naps (1.5 to 2 hours) that were spaced apart by 3 hours or so, we could get by with 2 naps per day. But if one of those naps was interrupted or the whole day started earlier than usual, we were pretty much stuck with 3 naps. (Side note: this is still the case at 8 months old although we are getting close an exclusively two-nap schedule.)
It makes it very difficult to have friends or leave the house. At the very least, it would be nice if I could exercise or work during naps. I love holding her while she sleeps, but it was taking a toll on my brain and my back. The time had come for nap training.
Planning is everything. Successful sleep training comes not only from researching how and when it should be done but also from preparing the physical environment. We already had an effective setup for nighttime sleep training – blackout blinds, a meticulously fine-tuned thermostat setting, and ambient white noise.
A quick word about our white noise experience. We desperately tried to find an app that would work for us; however, due to my keen hearing and obsessive personality, I was always able to pick out loops, gaps, and background melodies. Very disappointing. I had personally been a fan of my Marpac Dohm Classic for many years; however, over time it too developed a slight rattle. Lately, we have been using the LectroFan Classic in two bedrooms, and we love it! Of course, all of these options are probably fine for a baby…just not for a baby who sleeps in a room with me.
Back on track. The stage had been set. I was ready. Ready to place my drowsy but awake 6-month-old in her crib instead of snuggling her for an hour. Why was I doing this again? Oh yes, my back. And brain. As suggested by Baby Sleep Science, I use a routine similar to our nighttime routine when laying her down – I nursed her until drowsy, placed her in her crib, and sang a song while rubbing her head. And then I walked away…
To be honest, that first nap went fairly well. She cried for a few minutes and then went to sleep. Crying plus the nap gave me about an hour to myself! The freedom was exhilarating!
About 3 hours after the first nap, we attempted the second nap. It did not go quite as well, but all in all I would still deem it a success. She was awake but quiet when I left the room; however, the tears came just a few minutes later. I held out about 10 minutes before I rushed in to console her, her sweet little tear-streaked face peeking up at me. I repeated our routine, and she only cried for about 5 minutes before falling asleep. Win!
Sounds too easy, right? It was. The next few days did not go as well, and I abandoned trying to put her down awake. It’s a goal for the future, but for now, I am focusing on getting her accustomed to napping alone in her crib, ideally for more than one sleep cycle. I am excited to share my new discovery in this arena – laying her on her stomach for naps. She appears to prefer her stomach, and I suspect that when she wakes after one sleep cycle (usually about 30-45 minutes), it’s because she wants to roll over. Of course, then she notices she is alone and sits up and cries. Nap over. Since I started laying her down on her stomach, she has been sleeping longer! It has only been a day, but I’m optimistic!
As with any behavioral training, there have been and will continue to be obstacles. When we have an appointment later in the day, I have been holding her for naps to ensure that she will be pleasant for our outing. Teething really put a wrench in all sleep situations for about a week. And as I write this very paragraph, she just woke from her nap after 45 minutes despite being placed on her stomach. We do what we can with the hurdles that life throws our way!
Feel free to share your nap story!
Do you struggle with sleep or behavior for older kids? Check this out!