Napping

I started in on changing Kaelyn's napping habits last week. I didn't really intend to start on Thursday because we had some friends coming over for dinner. So I rocked her to sleep in the afternoon and put her in bed but she woke immediately and started messing around. I patted her for awhile but that wasn't helping so I finally just left her in bed. The second I left the room I heard her roll over and sit up and start yelling. I went back in a few minutes later and the screaming escalated immensely. So I decided I was only making things worse. I stayed for a few minutes again and left her in bed. She yelled for probably 10 minutes then got quiet. Then every 30 seconds or so there would be one "wah!" Then silence again. After 10 minutes of those bursts there was a long silence. I sneaked in to look and she was out. She slept for well over an hour.

The next day we went to the zoo in the morning so she napped in her stroller for the morning snooze. In the afternoon I did the same thing only I never went back in because that upset her so much the day before. I don't really remember how long it took that time but I don't remember it being bad.

Saturday we were home for both naps. In the morning she only cried for maybe 5 minutes and then konked out. The afternoon was harder and took more like 25 but it was never a full force cry. More of a whine of complaint. Like a "hey mama, I don't WANT to go to sleep"! Not really an upset cry. Still it's hard for me to hear. I just don't know what else to do. She needs to learn!!

So our new routine is to go to her room, turn on her music, and sit in the chair and look at a few books. I then take off her shoes, sing Eagles Wings, and lay her back. We rock for a minute to relax and I put her in bed. I pat her a few times, sing Eagles Wings again, tell her to go to sleep and that mama loves her and high tail it out of there. At this point she immediately rolls over and sits up. But at some time she must lay back down because she's eventually gone to sleep every time.

I look forward to when she just stays laying down and happily coos herself to sleep. I hope that's coming eventually. All of this is leading up to the point where I stop nursing her at night. I want her to have the skill to go to sleep alone because I don't want to have to rock her to sleep after I stop letting her nurse herself to sleep. Guess we'll see how well that idea works, huh!