Name: MarTy'sMom
Greendale, WI
Number of kids: 2
Ages of kids: 2 months, 2 years
Problem: I have a two month old baby that will only nap if she's being held. I don't think she's conditioned to being held, because we constantly try to lay her down once she's asleep. However, within minutes her eyes pop open and she begins to cry. The funny thing is, she sleeps fine all night (10pm - 7am) in her crib! Does anyone have any suggestions?
Solution submitted by Diana from Cleveland, OH: Put your child down when he/she is drowsy, but still awake. I also had a child who really didn't nap much as a small infant but slept fine at night. The doctor said he would probably sleep better at nap time as he got older. Around 4 months is when he started taking real naps. But the key for Jared and why I'm convinced that I never have sleep problems is putting him down awake. In the beginning, he would cry, of course, and I would go in and comfort him for about 30 seconds (without picking him up) every 5 -10 min. I haven't had to do anything like that for Jared at nap or bedtime since he was 6 months old (unless he was sick. Good luck - I think your baby will start napping better over the next few months if you just insist upon it. But you certainly have my sympathies for the here and now!
Please submit any more solutions.