Transitioning from sling naps

[Kanga]

And maybe some more general sleep thoughts!

Ds2 is 4 months now & I would like to get him to take some naps at least, somewhere other than on me. I'm hoping that now he's a bit older he'll start to get into some kind of routine as up to now its just been bung him in the sling whenever!

If the conditions are ideal - right amount of sleepy, clean bum, full tummy etc he has been known to fall asleep on his own in his pram or on the baby gym which is something the others never did. So I'm hoping he will be able to settle himself for naps unlike ds1 who needed his back patting for months on end! Any tips on how to get him to nap in the cot?!

I am also trying to get him into a reasonable bedtime. It starts off well & he's settled by 8.30 but then wakes up 30 mins later & takes at least another 30 to settle down again!! I'm assuming he'll figure it out/grow out of it as I'm not sure what I can do to help!

[Marrow]

We went from naps in sling to naps on lap, with a particular music video. Then once that was sorted, we projected that video on the ceiling above the cot. It wasn't pain free, particularly when C learnt to get up on all fours but not down again! But we got there.

[Kanga]

How old was she marron? I knew there was someone on here who'd done it! I am wondering if it will work to get him more less to sleep in the sling then into cot with back rubbing/song, then eventually into cot with song etc much like your progression.

The others fed to sleep but ds2 isn't as keen in the day! Trouble is biting the bullet & doing it really but it's hard as the sling is so much easier with the others around!!

[Marrow]

Ooo now there's a question! I know we had the projector set up in our bedroom, and we moved her into her own room not long after 6mo. So my guess would be 5mo ish.

Our problem-to-be-worked around was that I'm the one with the sling, but needed to work. DH doesn't do slings. When she was tiny, she did a lot of napping / feeding in the sling on my front while I typed!

[Kanga]

To be fair, dh has said he could take ds2 in the sling (he has an office in the garden) and let him nap. There are times when I was to get on with jobs that aren't easy with him in the sling.

Interestingly though, today I fed him till drowsy then put him in his pram. He stirred but put himself to sleep. He's not sleeping in the cot in the night yet & it is big & cold compared to his crib, unlike the pram. So I'm wondering if a little next or something would help. Got to be worth a shot!

[Marrow]

Where's the instruction manual when you need it, eh?!

[Kanga]

Indeed! We foolishly thought third time round we might know what we were doing but apparently not!!

[busmother]

I never did slinging to sleep, but would bung mine in the pram and take them out for a walk when they needed a sleep. After a while I found that by the time I'd faffed about getting myself ready to leave the house they had already dropped off in the pram and I didn't need to go out. After that putting them in the cot was just the same as putting them in the pram so if I knew I was staying in the house I'd put them down in the cot.