Mindee can only sleep in darkened room in travel cot. Feel trapped.

[Maza]

I have a mindee who has just turned 1. She is lovely and really easy to care for generally but the problem is her naps. She can only sleep in a dark room in the travel cot. Great if I only had her, but I don't. She arrives just after 9 and I have to give her breakfast and by 10 she is ready for her nap. She can then sleep until 12.30 ish, so that's our morning gone. I tried to get her to sleep in the buggy while we played in the garden a few months ago but she screamed and screamed and didn't sleep. I was paranoid about the neighbours. Today (after a few months) I gave it another go and she just screamed blue murder again, didn't sleep and basically our little trip out to the playground was far from fun with the background noise!

I really don't want DD to be stuck indoors all morning anymore while mindee naps and it is really getting us both down. Do I persevere in trying to train mindee to sleep in pushchair? Any tips on how to do it? I have tried rocking the buggy back and forth but she wasn't fooled!

[rachelle]

Id persevere. Has the buggy got a hood? If you put it up and drape a coat or similar over it it might calm her down. I have one who at home only sleeps in a darkened room and took ages to settle here but now sleeps anywhere I put her down (as in bed, buggy, cot at my house or minder friend) She was a screamer though - we had a few of those park visits too. Dont worry about the neighbours. I often ask myself 'would I be happy to do xyz with/to my own child' and the answer is always yes! :)

[sharonmanc]

I have a little one like this, he can sleep all morning, if at home I put him upstairs and take the baby mnitor in garden, and just check on him perodically, if out, he will scream to get to sleep, but he does this with parents too, but it has got less and less, and he is learning to settle, he is fine in the car though, just the buggy that is the problem

[Maza]

Thanks rachelle, that was what I wanted to hear! I can't bear to restrict DD any more. I'm not saying that mindee will never sleep in her travel cot again, as I do want her to be comfortable, I would just like a little flexibility occasionally.

[Maza]

Thanks Sharonmanc. We can't go into the garden whilst she is in the travel cot as we live in a first floor flat and so our chunk of the garden is too far away!

[Mouse]

Have you tried one of the blackout covers you can get for a buggy? It's like a rain cover, but black material.

It might be worth a try.

[Maza]

Thanks Mouse. I'll look into that. I should add that she also has an afternoon nap which we have to be at home for too!

[Rubybubbles]

:( I had the opposite! My lo will only sleep in pushchair when rocked, when I got her settling in info I was:panic: as said we rock her to sleep, we do not let her cry ect! But after 3 weeks I have cracked putting her in with the sunblind on (I have a phil and teds so the suncover covers the whole pushchair (and rain cover if needed lol) to make it dark and no rocking and she will sleep for up to 2 hours:) her mum was really pleased as she used to have to pound the streets to get her to sleep every day, she sleeps just outside my back door (into an enclosed garden) but if we are in the garden I pop her into the kitchen.

[bandlady]

Hi

As has already been suggested put a blanket or use black out cover over buggy and persevere. It may take a while (weeks)for child to get use to it but eventually they will sleep. Over the years I have had similar problems but it is not fair to stay in just because a child will not sleep in a buggy. I have spent many hours rocking a buggy to get a child to sleep but it is always worth it to get the end result of having the freedom to get out and about.

Sometimes it can be quite distressing for you and the child but if you are determined to overcome this problem you will get the result you want in the end.

Good luck

Denise

[fionamadcat]

I have a lo like this too, she only sleeps in the afternoon so it has never been a huge problem but there have been times (rare days when weather has been nice!), that I have wished that I had tried harder to get her to sleep elsewhere. Although her mum has tried, she is great sleeping here and at home but if granny and grandpa have her overnight they have a nightmare at bedtime and she screams the place down. She is now over 2 so the odd day with no nap now does her no harm if we want to go out for the day!

[Maza]

Thank you guys. Poor DD was becoming like a caged up butterfly. I feel better now after reading your comments. Mindee did eventually drop off today on a walk in the woods and DD and myself had a lovely hour playing with sticks etc. Mindee woke up and was very happy, no harm done. She then had a nice long sleep in the cot in the afternoon when the weather was yucky. Going to try and do similar tomorrow. x

[smurfette]

That sounds like you are getting there well done! Dont forget too that in a couple of months she will only want one longer afternoon sleep which wil make life easier too .. My 18 month old mindee has only had one nap most days for about 3 months so you are not so far off.., hang in there!!

[miffy]

Thank you guys. Poor DD was becoming like a caged up butterfly. I feel better now after reading your comments. Mindee did eventually drop off today on a walk in the woods and DD and myself had a lovely hour playing with sticks etc. Mindee woke up and was very happy, no harm done. She then had a nice long sleep in the cot in the afternoon when the weather was yucky. Going to try and do similar tomorrow. x

That sounds like a good compromise - if she doesn't get all her sleep in the morning she can catch up in the cot at home in the afternoon and at least you and your dd have managed to get out. I can't imagine how restricting having to be home for mindee to sleep in cot both morning and afternoon must have been.

Miffy xx