Nap time routine

[summerbaby]

I usually have a hard time getting my DD to go down for a nap. I think coming up with some sort of a nap time routine might help her. What do you do to signal to your DC that it's nap time?

[mia's mama]

We use the exact same routine for naps that we use at night...minus the bath.
We read 2 or 3 books in the rocking chair, I nurse her and sing a lullabye, then put her into her crib AWAKE with her 2 favorite stuffed animals. I say "Night Night" to Mia and the animals, walk out and shut the door.

She "talks" to them for awhile, and eventually drifts off to sleep.

[catmom]

Ours is almost the same as her nighttime routine, too. We change her diaper, dance with her to her 3 favorite lullabies (on her "planet sleeps" cd), and then I nurse her down. I still nurse her to sleep... putting her down awake doesn't work during the day.

[kimthebride]

DS does about 3 naps a day.

If we are home, I shut the blinds, dim lights, dance with him to a lullaby CD, wrap him up (sometimes swaddle), give him a binky and lay him in his PnP.

If we're out & about he'll fall asleep on his own. If he's fighting it, i'll swaddle and shush him til he falls asleep.

[lauren f s]

We'll go into the bedroom, turn out the lamp, and DD will pick out one book and one baby (stuffed animal) to sleep with her. We'll read the book, dance to one song from her Elton John cd (she loves him), then I put her & her baby in bed. She'll either fall right asleep or will talk to her baby for a bit, then go to sleep.

[Natasha]

About the same time everyday, i announce nap time is after x (lunch, the end of his show, after mommy goes potty, whatever). Then, he lays down with me and I rub his back till he starts to doze off. At night, I read to him, but it seems to keep him up during the day, where it calms him at night.

[summerbaby]

Thanks for your replies. I'll definitely steal a few ideas from you guys and see how they work with my DD. Mia's mama and lauren, that's so cute that your DC sleep with a stuffed animal. My DD is only 3 months so she could barely grab a toy. Looking forward to the day she "talks" with her "baby."

[lauren f s]

She seems to really enjoy sleeping with a stuffed animal, especially since she gets to pick which one. I think she likes having a little control over some part of her naptime, even if it's something as simple as picking a book and stuffed animal.

[Megande]

My DS is three months old too. For naps I turn on his white noise, bounce him for a few minutes on the exercise ball (our version of rocking), sing him his "sleep song", and then put him in the crib awake. He does a great job of getting himself to sleep after I properly signal that it is time. The only problem is, he *will not* sleep anywhere but his crib and the before sleep routine is really important!

[lindybug]

bump!

[jbenny75]

Ours is very simple. When I see DS's sleepy cues, we head up to his room. I close the curtains, give him his binky, then rock him for a few minutes. Then he goes down in his crib, usually just drowsy but awake. He usually rolls over on his side and goes to sleep.

[DianeCourt]

DD is 11 months old. We give DD her binkie (pacifier), read a couple books in the glider, sing a lullaby, then put her down in her crib awake and turn on her Lullaby Birdies Soother.

[Bloomwood]

DD is 4.5 months. At either the two hour point or when she is fussy, we go to her room. Put her in a sleep sack. Depending on when she ate last, she might get a bottle. I turn on her rain white noise, give her a little rock and lay her head down on her blankie with her bunny. No cries, she just rolls onto her back and goes to sleep. Sometimes she may play a little first.

(watch, I probably just jinxed myself by saying it's easy!)

[lindybug]

bumping again. any more naptme routines?

[Kanga]

DD is 12.5 months old.

We change diaper, feed her if it's time, turn on humidifier (white noise...we use a fan in the summer) and the same song on her aquarium. I walk her until she's out. Usually she wakes up when I lay her down, but her eyes usually stay shut. She rolls over and goes to sleep 95% of the time. If she doesn't, I pat her back and shush her. Rarely do I have to put her down twice anymore, but it was pretty common when she was younger.

[Smittenk]

Bumping for more ideas please!

[Txfish]

I say ok, it's naptime. Carry upstairs while we say goodnight to the house very quietly -- we go slow and take our time saying goodbye to lots of things so we've had a nice relaxing bounce/walk on the way up. Once in the room, we say night night light, close the blinds. Then blanket over their back/head while they're on my shoulder for about a minute, just swaying. Then I lay them down, give them a paci if they want it, stuffed animal if they want it, and pat for less than a minute and tell them to have a nice nap.

They both get themselves to sleep pretty easily, with a little talking to animals or self, or just some good old grunting and scrunching around the crib!