baby and his naps?

Question

My son is 11 months old tomorrow and when i lie him down for his naps, he will try to play in his crib...when i hear him do that..I go in there ...lay him back down with a firm NO and close the door...By the 2nd or 3rd time of me doing this, he goes to sleep. Do other people do what i do?

He wikll not do it at night....yet just in the day when i lie him dwn for his nap. He is tired and if he does not take a nap...he is very cranky. My mother taught me to do this with my daughter and it works

Answer 1

Let him play until he falls asleep on his own.Babies need to learn how to settle THEMSELVES down and fall asleep,it is very important and that's why it's always good to put a baby in his crib when he is still awake.He is going to need you to do this his whole childhood instead of you just saying "time for bed" when he is six and he goes in his bed he will need some sort of interaction with you to fall asleep and he will most likely have you "laying" him down because that has become his ritual.I would much wrather have my kid go to bed play for a few minutes and realise he's sleepy on his own and fall asleep.I know i dont pass out the second im in bed i try and relax and wind down before i fall asleep and kids do the same by playing or talking to themseves.All my four kids are great sleepers and this was how i had the go to sleep.My 14 month old walks around in his crib,talks,throws out his blankets and bear and then he lays down and lets himself fall asleep.The fact that he is in his crib he is forced to slow down anyways and you should trust him to sleep when he is ready,I know i wouldnt like it if someone made me lay still and sleep...the older he gets the more likely this will become a power struggle and backfire on you big time.

Answer 2

There is no right or wrong way to get a baby to quiet himself to sleep. Some people just close the door and let them learn to fall asleep on their own, others nap with them.

I came from a large family when my dad had a day off and would put the younger ones down for naps (3-4 years old) he would pretend to be a Marine and order them still. "Don't wiggle, don't smile, don't scratch..." it worked and my mom got an hour or so of quiet time to herself too once my brothers were asleep.

Answer 3

I lay with my baby (#3 for me) for naps. There's no crying at naptime and I get a nap too. With my oldest, I'd put her in her crib and rub her back while she went to sleep.