1 year old, trouble settling at naptime

[Starfish007]

Hi all, ive been minding a gorgeous just turned 1 year old boy for about 2 months. The only problem is he is hard to settle at naptimes, when at home with mum and dad he is rocked to sleep and then placed very gently in his cot, which they say is really hard as he often wakes and they have to start again. When he first started with me I put him in the travel cot but he got so upset I gave up. I now rock him to sleep in the pram which takes about 15/20minutes and most of the time he has an unsettled sleep, wakin up upset.

I would really like him to fall asleep on his own so I can concentrate on the other children and so he feels more settled.

Any ideas? What would you do?

Thanks for reading
Linda Loo

[Mouse]

Could you try putting some music on? I had one little one who was hard to settle. I found he was actually better in the lie back pushchair than the travel cot.
I would put some music on (a CD or the radio) and turn it up just a little louder than he would cry. As he quietened down I would turn the music down, but would leave it on all the time he slept.

He'll sleep through anything now!

[The Juggler]

have you tried controlled crying in the travel cot. I had a lo like this. I used to ignore her but say sshh and put my hand on her back and leave it until she slept. Then I just placed my hand on cot after a few weeks. Then I just sat next to cot.

Have to say biggest breakthrough was when parents 'cracked' it with controlled crying at home. Now she waves me nite-nite.

Some leaflets for the parents might do the trick - if he settles at home, he should start settling for you;)

[miffy]

I would use a lie back buggy - sometimes just being near you is enough for them to settle.

Miffy xx

[karensmart4]

Have they got a comforter, dummy/blanket/toy?

We've got a lo that just was not sleeping but getting really ratty. We got lots of info from Mum before she started, sleep patterns being part of it. Well since she started Mum has confessed that she doesn't sleep much, just cat naps :eek:

One day one of the little boys must have had enough, bless him he got his blanky out of his drawer and gave it to her, she put it over her eyes and went straight to sleep AND slept for 40mins YAY :clapping: :clapping:

Worth a try, you can get some lovely little comforters cheaply from ADSA etc