Do you have to rock your baby to sleep for naps?

[Spuggy]

I have to take him out in the pram or car to get him to sleep in the day (he is 5 months). I spoke to a sleep lady today who said i need to get him to sleep in his cot in the day without rocking or anything.

I recon this is a tall order I am sure most people have to rock them.

Do you???

 

[xxbeckyxx]

I used to rock for all sleeps but it took 2 sessions of 'crying' (although it was mainly whinging) for Lizzie to learn to sleep by herself. It's really hard but I put her down (clean, fed etc), set a timer for 5 minutes...if she's still crying after 5 mins I go settle her (but no picking up) and leave her another 5 mins. Keep repeating and eventually they go to sleep!!

The first time it took about 2 hours (!), but now it's 5-10 minutes. It's really hard sometimes, and they do regress sometimes for no reasons, but defo worth it in the long run It definitely pays off for night time too - I put Lizzie down awake and she's usually asleep before the 5 min timer stops.

 

[Lacey's Mummy]

Charley naps where ever we are, like his bouncer, push chair, floor if he's playing! The only place he doesn't nap is his cot cos I want him knowing the difference between cot for night, other places for day!
When he was newborn I had a swing so he was rocked to sleep using that but from 4 months I made the change for him to nap elsewhere so he didn't get to used to the swing!
It's hard but try to persevere with him napping somewhere where he's not rocked, like a cot or bouncer. He might get upset to start off with but he'll soon get used to it x.

 

[Esoames]

I've never rocked Isla to sleep. She can fall asleep on her own or listening to her mobile. She rarely naps though but when she does it's fairly uneventful.

Emma x

 

[lucylu87]

I can tell when zak wants to sleep he does the same little wingy noise. i used to put him in his bouncer but recently, i have started lying him on the sofa! i no its probably not recommended but i put cushions all round him so he cant go anywhere, nt that he moves much in his sleep, and he just lies there for a few mins then goes straight to sleep. i think babies will just do what they want, when they want, he will go sleep when he wants, get up, eat, etc and i have just gone with what he wants from beginning and fingers crossed been really lucky. he has a couple of naps during the day then sleeps all night. hes sooo good. x

 

[twinkle84]

Oh fear, I do have to rock Aiden to sleep for day naps?! But I don't mind a 5 min cuddle and he's fast on then I put Jon down, but on a night he gets himself off in his Moses basket but wants cuddles in day! Cries otherwise and I've never sat it out because I havnt minded rocking him to sleep! Now I'm wondering if I shouldn't ?? Xx

 

[Zazu]

I used to have to, but now he screams when I try and would rather just be put down in his cot, he then rolls onto his tummy and sucks his thumb and is asleep in a few minutes xxx

 

[JJ Mum]

Devon won't sleep much in the day at all, like total 35 mins ish between 7am and 9pm so by the time I am desperate for him to nap, I rock him in pushchair or he naps on my lap. at night time, he has been in his cot for 2 weeks now rather than my bed , so thought a big jump to leaving him, so he now goes down awake most times, but with me standing next to the cot, and if he cries or winges I just hold his hand , bit no picking up etc and it works most times. next step to get him a lightshow or cot thing to help him settle without me

 

[PinkPunch]

I try not to so he doesn't get used to it but sometimes just a little rock of the pram is enough to get him into a deep sleep. If he's tired enough he won't need rocked but if he's a bit unsettled he likes it because he knows I'm still there.

 

[SmallPurpleCat]

Isla's great at sleeping at night but only has small naps during the day - no set times really. I know when she needs a nap so she either goes in her swing or she'll go off in her pushchair or on the sofa. It's very rare that she falls asleep on me these days unless she's really tired!

 

[Yodabo]

Drake is like Chaz's Charley! He'll sleep anywhere lol He prefers to sleep in his car seat in the day, give his blankey and dummy and he's out. In the night he's fab at going down, asleep within 5 mins and I can leave him fall asleep on his own.

 

[Momma`Kat]

I havent rocked her to sleep in ages, shes just started taking a dummy now when shes tired though and that soothes her off to sleep, b ut she would go for a nap fine before then whereever she was. Last night she passed out sat up on the couch lol

 

[setdse]

My lil man was in scbu for a week before he came home with me and this helped a lot although i didn't like it at the time! He is now in routine and has learnt to settle himself.

Although he is starting to fight it when he's tired. and sometimes i put him in his swing to settle him or place him on my chest.

 

[mdsremos]

My first Charlie was a 30min napper during the day (you could time him he was that exact!!) and would need to be rocked in the pram or taken out in the car to get a decent daytime sleep and at bedtime we ended up doing controlled crying otherwise we had to sit with him stroking his hand through the cot and replacing his dummy all the time!
Oliver is the complete opposite...he has 2-3 hours nap mid day, 45mins-1hr after school run and needs a 30min power nap at 5.30pm then asleep in his crib at 8pm. Ollie just either sleeps in his crib, or pram or rocker chair during the day and prefers to have background noise like the music channel on during the day which suits us. Amazing how the two are so different!!

 

[tinkerbell86]

i try to not rock unless hes really upset or not well. H will go to sleep on his own quite well though!!