Conquering Nap Time

DSC_8598.jpg, originally uploaded by Brian Bjork.

For some time Rachel has been sleeping through the night in her crib. She knows the routine and while not always happy about it she complies. Before bed she eats, gets her diaper changed, is wrapped in the swaddle blanket, is offered kitty pacifier, is given good night kisses, and lights out. Most nights she quietly falls asleep.

Naps have been another story. Before placing her in her crib I would swaddle her, darken the room, turn on her white nose machine on, and offer her kitty pacifier just like at night, but within a couple minutes of being placed in the crib the screaming would start and continue until I came in and picked her up. I would soothe her, she would start to nod off again, I would place her in her crib, and she would scream again.

I have not been consistent with placing her in her crib to nap because it is easier to let her sleep in my arms or in her swing where she will happily sleep for a couple hours and wake up well rested. Furthermore, I had forgotten when we were training her to sleep in her crib at night she would take up to 10 minutes to stop crying and fall asleep.

Last week I decided we were going to get serious about naps. Naps were going to happen in her crib regardless of her opinion. I decided I would let her scream for 10 minutes at the most before I went in and picked her up. This was the hard part for me and I had to set my watch and keep very busy for those 10 minutes. It took her several days to accept her nap routine and sleep for several hours. It seemed really hard in the midst of teaching her to sleep in her crib, but when I think about it now I am once again reminded we are blessed with a pretty easy and adaptable baby who is also a great sleeper.