We returned from vacation a couple weeks ago. While we were gone, we let Baby Markers nap wherever she would – in the car, in our arms, in the pack n’ play, on the bed in the hotel room – basically anywhere we could make it happen! The struggle was that for naps and bedtime, I was the only person who could get her to sleep and it required lots of rocking, ssshhing, walking and singing. This habit I had created was getting really old, really fast. I knew once we returned it would be time to figure out this nap situation, and since Baby Markers would be 5 months old, she was ready.
Baby Markers delaying bedtime with giggles!
I started googling “nap training” and didn’t find too much on the subject. We’re not die-hard for the CIO method, but I knew I would need to let her fuss a bit in her crib so she’d get used to the space, and used to falling asleep in there on her own. Up until this point for each nap I had been lying her down in the crib completely asleep, after she fell asleep in my arms. And I was the only one she’d do this for! Anyone else that tried (even Mr. Markers) and she would scream. I decided to use with a modified plan that I felt most comfortable with, which included checking in on her every 5 minutes of crying until she fell asleep.
Going into nap training, I wanted to achieve 2 goals:
- GOAL 1 : Get her to fall asleep on her own, in her crib without any rocking (which would allow anyone to put her to bed)
- GOAL 2 : Extend the length of her naps past the first 30-45 minutes
I figured it would be good to establish a routine so she’d know when to expect a nap. Here’s what I came up with:
- change diaper
- put in sleep sack, give her the pacifier
- read a book or sing a lullaby in rocking chair (if she wasn’t too fussy)
- turn on lullaby music and sound machine
- lie down in crib, kiss her head, say “naptime sweet girl”
- leave the room
As a SAHM, I don’t have a set schedule for each day, but I try to watch the clock and stick to the “EASY” method: eat, activity, sleep, you (“you” meaning mom’s time to herself). She can typically be awake for 2 hours during the day before she starts to get fussy, yawning and rubbing her eyes. I do a combination of watching her and watching the clock to determine the best time for a nap.
The “technique” I developed was really just what I felt comfortable doing while we were getting through this transition. A pattern developed after the first day, so this is what I stuck with: While she was crying, I did 5 minute Ferber checks. The first 2 times I would go in, give her the paci and walk out without saying a word to give her the opportunity to settle herself. The 3rd time I gave her the paci, put her on her belly and rubbed her back until her eyes started to close. Then I tiptoed out of the room quietly.
Day 1
Awake at 6:30am
9am: nap #1 – cried for 10 minutes, slept for 45 minutes
12:30pm: nap #2 – screamed (at which I cried too!) for 25 minutes, slept for 3 hours 45 minutes
Bedtime at 8pm
Day 2
Awake at 5:30am
7:30am: nap #1 – cried for 15 minutes, slept for 30 minutes
12:30pm: nap #2 – cried for 20 minutes, slept for 1 hour 15 minutes
4pm: nap#3 – cried for 10 minutes, slept for 1 hour
Bedtime at 8pm
Day 3
Awake at 4:45am, ate and fell back asleep until 7am
9:15am: nap #1 – cried for 5 minutes, rubbed back, asleep for 45 minutes, let her cry for 15 minutes but she did not fall back asleep
12:15pm: nap #2 – fell asleep in the stroller for 10 minutes, transferred to crib, slept for 45 minutes, woke up, rubbed her back and gave her a paci, she fell back asleep for another hour
4pm: nap #3 – fussed for less than 5 minutes, rubbed her back, fell asleep for 1 hour
Bedtime at 7:30pm
Day 4
Awake at 6am
7:10am: nap #1 – set in crib, rubbed her back, left the room while she was still awake – no crying at all! slept for 40 minutes
9:45am: nap #2 – no crying! slept for 2 hours
2:30pm: nap #3 – no crying! slept for 1 hour
Bedtime at 7:30pm
Sleeping like an angel in her crib.
I cannot even tell you how different our days are together! I’m no longer constantly trying to get her to sleep, and her longer naps allow me to get some things done. The only downside to this is that she now will not nap in the carseat or stroller as easily – only if she’s extremely tired. I’m a bit of a prisoner to our home now since she’s taking 3 naps a day, but it’s worth it to have a happy, playful baby during her wakeful hours.
Did you nap train? What worked for you?
Nap Training part 5 of 5
1. Nap Training by Mrs. Bee2. Our Sleep Training Journal by Mrs. Superhero
3. Nap Training an 8 Month Old Baby by Mrs. Bee
4. Nap Training at Six Months by Mrs. Confetti
5. Nap Training for Baby Markers by Mrs. Markers
pomegranate / 3401 posts
great post! my LO is 5 months and since I’m a SAHM, I’m sort of like you, we don’t really have a “set schedule”. This post has inspired me to nap train though…
cantaloupe / 6397 posts
This is incredibly inspirational to me!!! Hoping we can get something similar going in another month or so (LO is 3.5 months).
GOLD / wonderful coconut / 33402 posts
OMG, I am so jealous. I would love an hour nap. She will fall asleep in her crib now, still cries, but getting better. But she never naps more then 40 mins for us unless in the car or stroller.
guest
I’ve been trying to figure out starting a routine for my LO (she’s 2 months now and I have 8 weeks till my leave ends) so this is a super helpful post. Just wondering, when you say bedtime at 8 and wake up at 7, does that mean she’s sleeping the whole time in between, and is awake otherwise (during the day)? Almost everywhere else I read says that smaller kids take at least 3-4 naps a day (though I know everyone is different).
guest
We do a similar routine – put in crib/sleep sack, give binkie, say good night and leave. DS goes out like a light and even grabs his own binkie/lovey at 9 months. Usually naps from 1-2 hours.
My question is when do you know that it is time to reduce the number of naps? What are the signs? What kind of transition should I expect?
guest
At what age did you start?
Did teething interrupt the nap training?
Teething is a nightmare! We have SEVEN coming in at once!
My little guy is 6.5 months, used to sleep through the night with a 3am dream feed and two 2hr naps during the day and one 45min one. Now: hahaha!!! What is sleep?!?! Teething set us back sooooo far!
Any advice? I’m not a fan of the CIO but when your baby has bags under his eyes. I guess everything is out the window!
blogger / grapefruit / 4836 posts
Oh man, we are in the middle of this right now! I will have to let you know how it goes! We have been using the swing as a crutch, but im actually giving that up tomorrow. Eek! Thanks for the post!
blogger / cherry / 192 posts
@Anna: yes, at this point she sleeps from 8pm until 7am every night. we’re very lucky! and yes 3 naps a day for a now
@Amanda: we started nap training right when our LO turned 5 months. at that point I felt she was “ready” to cry it out a little bit if need be. now she’s 6 months and I’d like to transition to 2 naps a day, but she’s still taking one long morning nap and 2 shorter afternoon naps. I’m going to try to extend her 2nd nap so that we can start to skip the 3rd.
@Two_Sneeze: we started nap training at 5 months. we aren’t teething yet, but I’m afraid that it might screw up all of our hard-earned work! I think our modified CIO method worked well for us – I never left her for more than 5 minutes at a time. Each time I went in she calmed down, and I never picked her up. Eventually she understood that naptime was happening one way or another
@Mrs. Lion: good luck!!! stay strong mama
guest
Great post, I have a newborn who will only settle to sleep in my arms, I’ll try a few of these methods, i’m too soft to let her c.i.o.
guest
You (and baby) must have felt amazing on day 4! What an accomplishment! Great job! I sometimes feel tied to the house because our girl takes 3 naps too but I try to get naps #1 and #2 at home and then run errands in the afternoon if needed. If she missed the 3rd nap or it ends up being short because we are out and about I try to move bedtime up 30-45 minutes. Seems to work most days!
olive / 60 posts
We sleep and nap trained our 7 month old with phone support by a sleep doula. Having a bed time routine is so important. Even thru some crazy teething she still manages to be a perfect sleeper.
@Mrs. Markers: I found I was a prisoner in our home too but it’s so worth it to have a happy rested child. We found we were able to let loose a bit about 2 months after. Also had similar issues with car and stroller napping. Try giving a new association to napping in those paces. We have a lullaby cd in our car for car naps on long trips and once she’s awake I turn it off. Now she’s almost 15 months and when I turn the cd on she says night night. It’s cute!
blogger / grapefruit / 4836 posts
@Mrs. Markers: oh man…we tried cold turkey yesterday. biggest. mistake. ever. LL is back in the swing today. We are going to try the weaning approach
Lesson learned…don’t change bedtime, length of naps, location of naps, and feeding schedule all at once. Fail.
bananas / 9973 posts
Thank you for your detailed schedule and routine! K is just over 5 months now and we have no nap schedule. Until just a couple weeks ago, I couldn’t ever get her to nap at home. I’ve been trying to read her cues better, or maybe now she is just getting more tired with all the new things she learns and activities we’ve been doing, I’ve been able to get her to nap in the swing or nurse to nap some times. Not good habits, but we’re finally starting to sleep at home. I’m also scared to become a prisoner of the house too, but hoping at least one good afternoon nap at home is doable. It’s a glorious occasion when we get a nap longer than 30 min.!
coffee bean / 30 posts
Hi there, how were you able to extend the nap cycle from 30-45minutes? How long did you let your LO fuss/cry?