# What age did your child stop napping in arms?



## janerose (May 9, 2004)

DD is 19 wks and will pretty much only nap in arms. I'm fine w/ it, so this isn't a "how to make her nap on her own" post :LOL She's napping & nak'ing right now in fact! Just curious about when an in arms babe seems to naturally make the transition to napping alone. She does sleep more independently at night. Not in arms, but still swaddled right next to us in her crib sidecar.

She actually napped better alone when she was a newborn. Now I'm lucky to get 1 nap a week "off". I try to totally respect her needs & not stress over it. Also, am I the only mama who doesn't keep track of things like naps or hours a day slept? Seems like all my friends do this. Like they're all competing to see who's baby sleeps the longest/best/most regular.







DD does have a loose schedule she more or less put herself into, but I don't stress if she sleeps a few hours less some days & more on others.

Just wondering what other in arms mamas experiences have been.


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## Tracyn (Feb 1, 2005)

Do you have a sling? A nursing pillow? If you can your babe used to sleeping in/on these, you may be able to 'remove' yourself a little easier and put her down for a nap?

My DS is 20 months and would still sleep in my arms every day if I let him. I always lie down with him until he nurses to sleep for naps and at night.

I imagine it's a newborn 'phase' - who wouldn't love to always be cuddly and held ?

Not sure if that helps, but whatever you do, don't get caught up in the 'competition'.

My DS still wakes up a bunch at night (we co-sleep), and I just roll over, give him the boob, and he's right back to sleep. When people ask if he sleeps through the night, I say 'yes', because I've never really felt tired because of his waking because it is so brief.

Anyway, I'm getting off topic !!

Cheers,
Tracyn
Mumma to Dylan born 01 June 2003


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## mamabear&babybear (Dec 20, 2004)

My 6 month old dd is just now making the transition from sleeping in my arms to sleeping alone for her naps. Although I still have to lay right next to her. It was a tough stretch in the middle, and I often wished I could put her down for naps. I kept reminding myself that she is only going to fit in my arms for so long, so I might as well enjoy it.







I would continue doing whatever feels natural to you.


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## mommybritt (Nov 19, 2001)

4 months old for dd#1, dd's #2&3 are 13 months and still nap in the sling - I am trying to transition them, though, they're getting heavy!


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## InochiZo (Aug 17, 2004)

It was definately a transition from about age 5-6 mo to about 8 mo. He almost always naps not in arms but does nap with DH on a regular basis.


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## thismama (Mar 3, 2004)

I can't remember the exact age.. probably from 5-6 mos on she started napping more on her own. I found the sling helpful too... she would fall asleep in it (or in arms and I would pop her in it andwalk around), then I could lay her and it on the bed and she was less likely to wake coz she was still swaddled.

Then every time she woke I ran in (still do) and nursed, and she would drift back off.

Now she naps on her own if we are at home. She nurses or gets walked to sleep in arms, I transfer her to the bed, nurse if she wakes and cries.

I find she sleeps well in the bed, I think because it is familiar and safe and she knows mama responds quickly when she is there. In the stroller or on the sofa or somewhere she is unused to she naps more fitfully.


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## KateMary (Jun 14, 2004)

My dd is 4 months and mostly naps in her crib. She seems to nap better and longer in a quiet room with the white noise machine on. Any moderately loud noise wakes her up. But I try to nap with her on the weekends when off work. I do try to keep track of her nap hours cause I am concerned she is sleep deprived. She is a short napper-often less than an hour. But its hard cause DH stays home with her and he is a guesstimater when it comes to how long she napped.


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## yllek (Jan 22, 2004)

My 5mo is napping in a wrap as I type this.







Usually he has been sleeping in our bed for naps. I nurse him to sleep, put on a monitor, and slip back in if he needs a boob to get back to sleep. That started somewhere around 4 months.

As for keeping track of sleeping, I have to admit, I did the whole sleep log thing for about a week. It did help me figure out when ds naturally tended to get sleepy. His sleep patterns are nothing like what the books and articles describe, I'll tell you that.  Still, once I did the logs, I stopped worrying about how much sleep he was getting. When he's tired, he sleeps; when he gets up, we do something else.

As for sleeping in arms, I have to say, I totally miss it. I'm loving that my baby is sleeping cuddled up on my body right now.







This is the first time he has fallen asleep while slinging in quite a while.


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## blessedwithboys (Dec 8, 2004)

starting around 9 or 10 mos and perfect by 12, for all of my kids.


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## User101 (Mar 3, 2002)

When the next baby is born (around 2 1/2)







:
BUT I rest with them a little, maybe read or go online, and then I put them down if I need to,
Annette


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## gribbit (Aug 30, 2004)

My 8 month old starts out in my arms but then I can lay her down on my bed and I nap next to her. Sometimes I can sneek away, but usually I just use the time to nap with her and I find it helps me get some extra rest.

michelle


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## ChristusG (Jul 23, 2004)

My DD is 9 months old and she probably made the transition around 6 months. Now I rock and nurse her to sleep in my arms, then I lie her down.


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## mamacarla (Jul 25, 2004)

Am I supposed to be putting him down?!? lol

my 9.5 month ds naps on me -- i think it's because i am lazy and would rather snuggle, watch tv and look at the computer than put him down and get something done around the house

i suppose i should start transitioning him to a nap spot -- he sleeps in our bed at night and goes to bed when we go

i wonder how i will go about this


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## MilkyMcGee (Jan 30, 2005)

I can't remember the exact age either, but I would venture to say around 7 - 8 months. I remember that it was when he started to trade in several naps a day, to just 2 or 3.
Anyway, I don't remember it really being an issue with us, as I pretty much always had him in the soft carrier.


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## EllasMummy (Dec 10, 2003)

My DD napped in my arms until she was 12 months old. She started to wriggle out of my arms onto the bed and she seemed to prefer it and certainly naps longer that way.

I loved holding her for naps and would still do it now if she wanted to but now she likes her space and loves climbing into our bed to nurse to sleep. Its strange really because at night she likes to sleep in my arms.


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## boatbaby (Aug 30, 2004)

My DS stopped napping in arms right around 4-5 months. I am soooo glad DH took pics of him cuddled in my arms, because now I MISS IT SO MUCH! Having that sweet little bug on my chest, feeling his little breath, too sweet!
He won't nap in my arms now at nearly 8 months, too wiggly and independent.
Sigh.
At least we have co-sleeping!


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## InochiZo (Aug 17, 2004)

No, Mamacarla - you just enjoy every cuddly minute with that baby. As long as you and he are doing what you want. I think so many of us have things we think we need to do rather than sitting still with a sleeping baby, (I could never get my baby to sleep much in the sling and still do stuff).


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## nicholas_mom (Apr 23, 2004)

For me, ds stopped napping in arms around 10 months, but still he slept in DH's arms until about 19 months for naps.


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## ShadowMom (Jun 25, 2004)

By the time DS was 1, he would nap at very regular intervals (that I could predict) and on his own pretty well, provided he had a quiet spot and I lay down with him to get him to sleep.

I know that seems far away now, but you'll probably go through several phases between now and 1 years old - the not wanting to nap at all phase, the phase where baby wants to be held to nap, the phase where baby doesn't want to go to sleep but will sleep alone when they will FINALLY go to sleep, etc. etc.

The time will fly by, but eventually you'll find that your little one has a little nap schedule they follow and they're not hard to get asleep as long as you follow the routine.

Hope this helps!

Oh, and on the sleep obsession thing - DH watches DS during the day and I always keep track of it, but that's more so I know how tired he is and what time he'll want to go to bed. I don't know why others are so obsessed with it.


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## mamacarla (Jul 25, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *InochiZo*
No, Mamacarla - you just enjoy every cuddly minute with that baby. As long as you and he are doing what you want. I think so many of us have things we think we need to do rather than sitting still with a sleeping baby, (I could never get my baby to sleep much in the sling and still do stuff).

Thanks InochiZo -- you made me teary-eyed
It is definitly my goal to enjoy every minute of this experience! Laundry can wait!
Carla


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## pixiexto (Mar 6, 2003)

I think DD #1 was 7 months when she began to sleep in bed. We'll see with DD # 2 (now 3 weeks, and happily snoring in her cozy KKAFP!) I love it, truth be told


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## TiredX2 (Jan 7, 2002)

DD napped in arms until after a year. At that point she would occasionally nap lying down next to me and then quickly gave up napping all together (I fought that for several months).

DS napped in arms (or car seat) until he stopped napping altogether before 2.


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## srmina (Sep 10, 2004)

My dd is 19 months old and still naps on my chest. Since #2 is coming in 3 weeks, she'll probably have to give it up soon!!!!


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## PrinceE&LsMom (Feb 4, 2003)

My son was wide awake since the day we brought him home. He never napped more then 10 minutes then would be up for hours and hours. He finally started taking a decent nap by himself around 8 months old.


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## jraohc (Nov 5, 2004)

It is so nice to be hearing from like-minded women! My dd (8 months old) naps in our arms. DH loves it when he's home alone with her on Sunday mornings and she takes a nap in his arms. I love it when I get home from work with her and she naps in my arms (although I wish she'd nap at daycare, I do love holding her and relaxing together at the end of the day).

When we're home together all day, however, there are definitely times when I wish she could take some naps alone. I'm leaving work soon and then I'll probably work on getting her to nap in her crib. She can nap in the sling, but once I start to move she tends to wake up. So, the sling is nice because it helps support her weight (so I can play on the computer or something else that doesn't require movement), but it doesn't help me in terms of getting up to pee or getting a snack or anything like that.


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## *Jessica* (Jun 10, 2004)

Nik is almost 16 months and still naps either in my arms or snuggled in bed while I nap with him. If I get him to sleep and lay him down he only takes a 30 min -1 hour nap instead of a 3 hour nap. I'd rather snuggle with him as long as he wants to than have him only sleep 30 minutes so I can get things done. I take advantage and use that time to read and post on the message boards!


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## lerlerler (Mar 31, 2004)

goodness. since i only have "mainstream parenting" friends, i didn't know that babies DO nap in arms!! I thought I was a lazy freak who got nothing done because I refused to put her down!! I didn't know it was common!

HOORAY!! She's 6 months old and MOST of the time I love it... she'll sleep in the sling whle I am doing errands, in the carseat or in my arms.. and I can't put her down without her waking up within 20 minutes, so I hold her A LOT

It's nice to know I'm not alone


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## User101 (Mar 3, 2002)

You are among friends here!
Annette


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## BlueSkyJennifer (Dec 11, 2004)

My DS is 15 mo old and still often takes entire naps in DH's arms (he is a SAHD). They both seem to enjoy it. But once asleep we can put him down in our bed and he will nap there on his own.


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## lizabird (Jan 19, 2004)

DS is almost 15 months and still enjoys a good nap in the loving arms of his mom or dad. Mostly he naps with dad (who also enjoys taking naps)- so it's very sweet to go downstairs and see the two of them (DS lying on DH's chest) on the couch.


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## Nosebite (May 25, 2004)

My DS slept on top of me till he was 3 months. (YES, on top of me!) One day, I just laid him down next to me in bed, and he was fine. As my mama says, "This too shall pass."


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