# Where does your co-sleeping baby take naps?



## gopalakrishna (Mar 19, 2008)

I have a 4-month old who sleeps in the bed with me most nights. For naps, he has slept in the swing, or in an amby hammock but now does not seem happy with either of those options. He does not nap too well on the bed but is that what most co-sleepers do? It makes sense if that is where I want him to sleep at night, but sometimes it is hard to get more than a 20 min nap out of him when he is on the bed and when he wakes up he seems to be wide awake even though I know he needs more sleep. Just wanted to check in and see how others tackle nap time! Thanks!


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## DecemberCat9 (Apr 2, 2008)

I'm a poor one to ask, because my DS (8 months) doesn't nap consistently or well. But to answer your question, he falls asleep nursing on our bed and I leave him there. (Bed rail on one side, pillows on the other, and I go up the second I hear a peep on the monitor). He'll sleep anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours (if I'm lucky!) When he was your LO's age, he napped in the swing.


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## LeighB (Jan 17, 2008)

My almost 4 month old sleeps in my arms or in the Moby wrap. I am trying to get her to nap on the bed, but so far 20 minutes is as long as she'l sleep. It wouldn't be a big deal, but she's obviously tired!
I usually nurse to sleep.


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## lisad1 (Aug 7, 2007)

My 6 month old naps in our bed after I nurse her to sleep, or I put her down there after she falls asleep in the Mei Tai. I put pillows around her and check on her often. I think we'll be putting the mattress on the floor soon too.


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## SuzyLee (Jan 18, 2008)

It has changed as he grows. At first, by me on the couch (next to my leg). 2-4 months was in the swing or sling. 4-5 months was very tough- seemed like he didn't nap anywhere except the carseat or the stroller. 6+ months he goes to sleep nursing (still swaddled) and I lie him down on the bed (he isn't rolling yet). After he starts rolling, I am screwed, he won't sleep in the co=sleeper.


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## redpajama (Jan 22, 2007)

When I only had one, he slept in our arms for nearly every nap. When my daughter was born, though, I had a toddler to keep up with as well, so she often had to take naps somewhere besides with me. When she was really little (newborn-4 or 5 months) she would sleep in the swing a lot. Later she would nap on the couch or bed. We moved our mattress onto the floor largely for this reason, actually, so I could get up before she woke up in the morning (she likes to sleep in--as do I--but my son is usually up early!) and so she could nap on our bed alone. This way, she's able to get off on her own, and in the event that she rolled off in her sleep (which has never happened), she wouldn't be hurt.


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## CowsRock (Aug 1, 2005)

My 3 1/2 month old will only nap during the day with both human contact and movement so he sleeps in the Ergo carrier still using the infant insert even though he is up to 15 pounds now and fairly long and I bounce him to sleep on our yoga ball, then I have to keep bouncing gently to keep him asleep otherwise he'll be awake within 10 minutes. I'm bouncing now actually! Thankfully at night he sleeps soundly as long as he can feel me, it is only during the day that he needs the extra movement as well. It is changing as he gets older though...this week I've been able to lay down with him on the couch in the late afternoon and nurse him and we fall asleep there for a nap







But all my experiments during the day show me that he still needs the Ergo and the ball to nap, and he will cry and then just mildly fuss while watching me put the Ergo on, he knows exactly what he wants







Don't know if that helps you or not. Mine has never liked the swing and he fell asleep once in his vibrating chair but never again. I don't mind wearing him during his naps but it would be nice to be able to do something other than bounce.







I'm sure we'll be there before I know it and I'll be looking back on our bouncing days fondly.


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## chrissy (Jun 5, 2002)

in the sling or in the bed. he isn't a great napper in the bed, but he is getting better.

oh, and b/c i have 2 other kids and we have lots of places to go, he often takes little catnaps in his carseat on the way to or fro where ever we're going.


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## babymann01 (Jan 23, 2008)

my 6 month old girl has also varied in her naps as she's grown. She took naps in her swing until just recently and now she only naps in my arms or in the car. I am trying to get her to nap on the bed, since our mattress is on the floor, but she seems to need the movement during the day, so we rock in the rocking chair or take a drive. At night she nurses to sleep in bed just fine, but it doesn't work during the day, I wish it did! I wear her a lot during the day but she'll only fall asleep in the mei tai every so often. And I am expecting this to change soon too, of course


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## KurumiSophia (Nov 28, 2007)

In my arms, in her mei tai, on our bed, on the floor, in her car seat. We're pretty varied. I'm a big believer in if the baby's sleeping, DO NOT DISTURB.


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## swl73 (Jun 20, 2007)

We co-sleep at night but have recently transitioned our 5 month old to sleeping in her crib for naps and for the 3-4 hours in the evening between when she goes to sleep and when we go to sleep. Then, we take her to bed with us when we go to bed.

It has worked well for us - our daughter no longer has her daytime/evening sleep disturbed by the usual household noises, and we now have a few hours in the day for getting household tasks done or spending some time alone together. We're all still getting the benefits of co-sleeping at night, and we are hoping that whenever we ultimately transition her to her crib at night, that this will made the process an easier and happier one!


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## rmzbm (Jul 8, 2005)

On the bed, on me, in a sling, on a blanket on the floor...


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## ChicoMama3663 (Apr 6, 2008)

My ds naps in his stroller...he is 2.5 years and this has been a solid and reliable place for him to nap.


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## crittersmum (Feb 26, 2008)

In the bed. We put the mattress on the floor because we let her nap in the bed _and_ because my neighbour's little boy managed to climb over his sleeping mama and off the bed without waking her. Yipes!







One nightmare easily avoided.


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## isra1986 (May 4, 2007)

My daughter is 6 weeks and doesnt nap!!! She hasn't napped since she was 3 weeks.


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## aikigypsy (Jun 17, 2007)

Sometimes my 4-month-old naps in bed, but usually she falls asleep nursing and I very gently transfer her to the car seat, which sits on the floor and will rock her back to sleep (sometimes) if she startles. I wish we had one of those hammocks! We still haven't gotten her to sleep in her crib.

Also she sleeps in the moby wrap and ergo carrier when we're out and about.


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## Diana! (Mar 5, 2008)

My almost 5 month old DS sleeps in his crib or bassinet for naps, and he's in our bed at night.


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## MKury (May 14, 2007)

Dd is 9.5 months and only in the past month have we discovered that yes, indeed, she will nap- she stopped completely around 4 months- and she naps really well (1.5-3.5 hours) in her swing. She used to hate it, but one day I was rocking her on the bed, and thought, "She must just like the movement" So I gently put her in her swing, and she never peeped. Now, I watch for her sleepy signs- rubbing eyes, yawning, glossy look- and at the first sign, snatch her up and take her to her swing. It takes about 5 minutes of protest, and she settles in for a nap-a-thon... I love the swing!


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## onyxravnos (Dec 30, 2006)

ds slept in my arms or in the sling for naps until 12mo. he still normally sleeps in my arms but now i can lay him down for naps once hes asleep with no problems.


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## karin95 (Jun 30, 2006)

Our son still naps in his Amby hammock, at 14 months old. When he was little, he'd nap in the Moby wrap, or the hammock. He sleeps in a side-car crib at night, but still goes down easily in the hammock during the day.

It takes him 30-90 minutes at night to fall asleep, so we're hoping that by the time he outgrows the hammock that he'll fall asleep on the bed faster than that...


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## BonnieLynn (Dec 13, 2007)

My 5 mo Ds naps on our bed mostly, but he's not very mobile yet. Sometimes I nap him in the wrap on me or on his lambskin on the floor, which is probably what I'll do once he's more mobile.


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## DQMama (Mar 21, 2006)

LOL dd is 28 months and she naps wherever I put her. I work at home so if I'm on my laptop on the couch I'll lay here there after she falls asleep nursing. If I'm sitting on the floor I'll put her on a blanket next to me or walk over to the couch and put her there if she's in a deep sleep and I think she'll stay asleep.


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## durafemina (Feb 11, 2004)

on me, in the sling/mei tai. . . and occasionally I can put her down on the futon or bed


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## Turquesa (May 30, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *crittersmum* 
In the bed. We put the mattress on the floor because we let her nap in the bed _and_ because my neighbour's little boy managed to climb over his sleeping mama and off the bed without waking her. Yipes!







One nightmare easily avoided.

I need to try the mattress-on-floor thing, even though I don't have room! Dd is VERY active and can outsmart bedrails and pillow barricades. PPs have been lucky to avoid roll-offs. Unfortunately, it happened to us!





















:


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## amberskyfire (Sep 15, 2007)

During the times when I'm getting stuff done around the house, I put DD on the bed for naps. Normally, she won't let me put her down, but if I lay next to her until she falls asleep, I can slip away quietly.

When I'm working, I put her on a nursing pillow on my lap and she'll sleep there for hours! Plus, I love being able to snuggle with her while she sleeps and I can look down into her little face whenever I want. We love our boppy!


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## clavicula (Apr 10, 2005)

wrap/mattress/stroller(outside)


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## sophi4ka (Jun 28, 2007)

DD is almost 4mo and she sleeps either on a wrap on me or falls asleep nursing on our queen bed.


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## marcimoose (Feb 2, 2008)

my 6 mo ds napped into the bed until my mom found him peering over the edge after a nap. so now he naps in the co-sleeper. sometimes i lay him in there so i can go pee or get his bath ready or whatever. just a nice, safe place to put him where it's not a major production. (like his exersaucer or the floor where i have to watch him now that he's army crawling for distance.)


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## Fyrestorm (Feb 14, 2006)

DD now has her own bed and room







, but she used to nap in her Amby.


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## Ks Mama (Aug 22, 2006)

He typically nurses to sleep at nap time on our bed (which is on the floor), no problem, 99% of the time.

If he falls asleep in the car, I can carry him from the car to our bed sleeping. And every once in a blue moon, he's fallen asleep in the stroller.

But typically, he's pretty predictable, likes his routine, and is a great sleeper.

Lucked out this time.


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## LaFlaca1226 (Oct 17, 2007)

My 8.5 month old DD is getting really good at scooting around, so I can't let her nap in the bed without me. Even with the bedrail, I'm terrified she'll fall - our bed is really high up. So she used to nurse to sleep and then I'd gently put her down to nap in her carseat, but now that she's so mobile, I can't leave her in there without her being strapped in, and clicking those straps shut can wake her up.

So lately I've tried getting her to nap in her crib. For weeks I tried nursing her and then laying her down in the crib, but it wasn't working. She'd either wake right up, or she'd wake up after 20 minutes. I was spending 4 hours or more every day in her room, trying to get her to fall/stay asleep. I never thought I'd let her cry for more than a minute, but after weeks of awful sleep and naps, I decided to try and let her cry for a few minutes while I stayed with her and patted her and sang to her. It actually seems to be working. She's sleeping better at night and napping in her crib for up to 2 hours!

However, it's not very AP at all, and it upsets me that my expectations have changed and now I'm doing something I never thought I would do. On the other hand, she's sleeping so much better, it's hard not to feel like I've done the right thing.

She's still sleeping with us at night, but much more soundly now that she doesn't feel chained to the booby. She stirs a little but then falls right back asleep without crying at all. I still feed her once or twice a night.


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## Waterdog (Jun 1, 2005)

My 24mo ds still naps in my lap every day. If he falls asleep in the car, dh can sometimes get him out and lay him on the couch and he'll stay asleep and get a full 2-hr nap, but I've been unsuccessful at trying to lay him down, so for him to get a full nap, he sleeps in my lap.


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## mommajb (Mar 4, 2005)

ds doesn't nap well. Lately it has been two 15 minutes naps a day. I try the car (he is the youngest of 5, we go places), the stroller, the mt, the sling, the ergo. We have a twin mattress on the floor next to our queen. He is placed on either option, the couch, or just about anywhere but in general I do not disturb him if he is sleeping. If he falls asleep in the car I have a big kid sit in the car and read or what not (we homeschool) until he wakes up. Life goes on about him and he seems to think it is pretty darn exciting.


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## starsrmndmeofyou (Mar 1, 2008)

on my chest lol. she wont nap anywhere else


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## AoifesMom (Sep 7, 2007)

DD used to nap strictly on my lap, but lately there is too much to do. She naps on our bed now. She knows how to get down herself so I don't worry too much. I nurse her down and am able to quietly sneak out, if I don't fall asleep myself, after about 30 minutes. She will usually nap for about 3 hours.


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## zebaby (Nov 4, 2006)

We do everything under the sun! DS naps in his crib or while being worn. He sleeps in his crib the first part of the night then if he wakes, depending on what time it is, we may bring him up to co-sleep or we may co-sleep in his room. I think it's definitely possible for co-sleeping babes to sleep on their own. Sometimes, since DS sleeps a little lighter during the day, I find that he sleeps better alone, other times he sleeps better with me next to him. I kind of just go with the flow and try to read his cues to guess what will be best at the time.

Oh yeah, I forgot about the swing! Hated leaving him there for long but if he was having trouble sleeping it was pretty reliable. I was never more than 20 feet from him though.


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## Gnatty (Jan 10, 2008)

My 2 1/2 wk old naps on my chest (which is where he is now) or in the playpen (with the bassinet setting)-- I can usually gently put him down in there, on his side, and he'll stay asleep. If I put him on his back he usually wakes up. I don't feel safe leaving him on the bed unless I'm in the room or getting something from the next room, because he just started rolling from his stomach to his side, or vice versa. (Yes, I know, he isn't _supposed_ to do that yet... my mw said if she hadn't actually watched him be born she wouldn't believe how old he was...







)


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## AnalogWife (Sep 8, 2007)

Usually in the boppy on the couch. We pretty much always have him in the same room as one of us.


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## Evyan (Jul 17, 2007)

My son naps in bed when we're home. If we're out and about, then he'll nap for short periods in a carrier or, more recently, in the stroller now that he's getting too big for me to wear. I used to have to nap with him in bed for him to nap for any length of time. Then I used to leave my robe or sweater next to him, so he would smell me and sleep a bit longer. Eventually I didn't need to do that any longer. Now he'll sleep for an hour or two in bed with no trouble. It's amazing how these things evolve!


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## 3kidsclmr (Apr 7, 2007)

DD naps in the bed. I taught her how to climb down when she was 12 months old. She hasn't fallen out once, since there are bed rails on the sides.


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## Amina11 (Apr 16, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *isra1986* 
My daughter is 6 weeks and doesnt nap!!! She hasn't napped since she was 3 weeks.


Just wanted to send you salaams. Where did you get the Muslim mama icon







?

My baby girl, 4 months old, also is not much of a napper - napping 20 to 30 minutes about 3 times a day. She either falls asleep nursing in my lap, or after nursing as I lay next to her on the bed, or if our daily walk goes longer than 45 minutes she naps either in the sling or stroller.

From about 2 weeks to 8 weeks, it was a similar situation - no naps, just 12 hr sleep and awake cycles and constant nursing. Alhamdullila it got better.


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## GooeyRN (Apr 24, 2006)

DS naps in the swing. DD did also.


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## Artichokie (Jun 19, 2007)

My 3.5 mo old take two naps a day.

The morning nap is generally an hour long. She has a daybed in her room, and we sit in there and I read her a couple of books and nurse her to sleep. I lay her down once she is asleep and I sit next to her and read or play on the computer.

She takes her afternoon nap on my lap in the living room. It is generally an hour, and, again, I read or use the computer (this is what is happening chez moi right now). She nurses down for this nap, too.


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## Julilo (Apr 20, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *KurumiSophia* 
In my arms, in her mei tai, on our bed, on the floor, in her car seat. We're pretty varied. I'm a big believer in if the baby's sleeping, DO NOT DISTURB.

Hi KurumiSophia,

My big question would be: how do you get your baby asleep (and help him stay asleep) in the bed or floor?

I usually nurse my DD to sleep in bed and then gently get up once she is deep asleep, but she will then sleep less longer than if I stayed there with her...


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## Julilo (Apr 20, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *karin95* 
Our son still naps in his Amby hammock, at 14 months old. When he was little, he'd nap in the Moby wrap, or the hammock. He sleeps in a side-car crib at night, but still goes down easily in the hammock during the day.

It takes him 30-90 minutes at night to fall asleep, so we're hoping that by the time he outgrows the hammock that he'll fall asleep on the bed faster than that...

I was wondering about the Amby hammock. Is there any risk that a very active and strong baby can get out of it by himself?


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## daisyrock1 (Mar 14, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Turquesa* 
I need to try the mattress-on-floor thing, even though I don't have room! Dd is VERY active and can outsmart bedrails and pillow barricades. PPs have been lucky to avoid roll-offs. Unfortunately, it happened to us!





















:

and us....a couple of times ouch, but he just turned 12 mos and has been able to get off the bed by himself for the last few weeks (mattress & boxspring on the floor) prior to that I would just run to the bedroom as soon as I heard a peep, thank goodness for a small house







. He always nurses to sleep and usually naps for 2.5 to 3 hours give or take. we've been on this routine since he was about 6mos, prior to that I just held him as he would cry or wake if I tried to put him down. With 5yo and 3yo dds that need attention too it got hard for me to hold him for that long as he wouldn't sleep very long in our mei tai.


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## lawschoolmama (Mar 12, 2008)

Generally DD will nap in my arms, in my hotsling, or in her Granny's arms (she watches her while I'm at school). She definitely does not like to sleep alone


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## ians_mommy (Apr 5, 2008)

It depends on who my DS (5 mo) is napping for!

Daddy: Swing or Bouncy (after a bottle of EBM)
Mommy: Across my lap on a pillow or on the couch with me...both nursing
Nanny: In a sling


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