How to Make Naps Work With 2 Under 2
I might sound like a crazy specific individual for admitting this, nevertheless one amongst my largest worries about having 2 beneath 2 was the best way to get a baby to nap with a toddler spherical.
There are a number of various points I could have burdened about – points like, as an illustration – how on earth I’d get out of the house in 6 inches of snow when neither baby might stroll on their very personal… nevertheless no, for me, the important thing stressor was naps.
(THIS POST PROBABLY CONTAINS AFFILIATE LINKS. OUR FULL DISCLOSURE POLICY IS REALLY BORING, BUT YOU CAN FIND IT HERE.)
For those who occur to’re proper right here trying to find the large fast reply to the 2 beneath 2 nap battle, it’s this:
Consistency with naps, a lot of loud sound machinesgiving your toddler your consideration, and car -naps for the decided days.
For additional particulars on how I make it work, be taught on!
From the day my first was born, he’d been a bit of little bit of a sleep disaster.
I was awake so normally with him, the first 9 months of his life felt like one giant sleep regression – loads so that we took up co-sleeping at 6 months in a bid for sanity (and that did work)!
I had labored so so so exhausting on getting him to nap repeatedly. I am a company believer that naps are SO important for youngsters of their first two years (and possibly longer). I contemplate well-rested youngsters are happy youngsters… so I WORKED for these naps.
Typically spending hours on daily basis – for over a yr – putting him to sleep.
TEACHING him to nap.
And by the purpose his sister was born (when he was 17 months outdated), he was a champion napper… occurring on daily basis for two hours with out a fight.
I couldn’t help nevertheless shock… HOW will I get the model new baby to nap with a toddler spherical!? And How will I get my toddler to nap with a BABY spherical?! (I nonetheless laid down with him to position him to sleep.)
I knew I wouldn’t have the equivalent luxurious of spending hours putting her to sleep again and again – on account of HE was there, within the dwelling… making noise and needing my consideration.
How would I ever prepare the toddler to nap?
What if my toddler wakes up the toddler on operate?
What if neither of my youngsters nap and I merely lose my ideas on account of naps are so important for my sanity?
(I’d want to fake that I didn’t have precise panic assaults about this, nevertheless being honest is always the best protection.)
It’s humorous wanting once more on this now, on account of a yr and a half has handed – as I type this I can hear my almost-three-year-old rolling spherical on his mattress as he starting transitioning away from a every day nap… and his sister is napping in her mattress.
I’ve had two beneath two effectively napping (98% of the time) for 18 months.
For those who occur to’re combating the whole idea of the best way to get a baby to nap with a toddler within the dwelling, and even frightened that the toddler will wake the toddler at all times, proper right here’s my best concepts for the sleep situation with two beneath two!
the best way to get a baby to nap with a toddler spherical
MOST infants are easy-ish to position to sleep once they’re new.
And the additional you encourage good new baby sleep habits, the upper they WILL sleep in the long run.
I really assume that certainly one of many largest points I did incorrect with my first was that I didn’t put him to sleep ENOUGH. In case your new baby needs to sleep 20 hours per day, LET THEM.
So the model new baby did quite a lot of sleeping.
I stayed at dwelling as loads as doable so our sleep routines had been properly established. I didn’t want to be solely nap trapped, so I wiggled our schedule spherical until I had certainly one of many baby’s naps overlapping the toddler’s nap – after which I was CONSISTENT with that schedule.
I was conscious from the start that I didn’t want her inside the habits of being held ALL THE TIME to sleep, so I made sure to place her down in her mattress after she nursed to sleep.
For a lot of tiny infants inside the first few weeks, they’ll nurse to sleep and sleep by the use of one thing and the whole “getting the toddler to nap with a toddler within the dwelling” simply is not such a large deal.
It’s after the four-month sleep regression that points get troublesome!
Whenever you uncover your baby waking as a lot as noises or having a more durable time occurring, that’s what we do to make sleepy-time for two youngsters beneath two happen:
1. TALK to your toddler
I do assume that the success or failure of naps for 2 youngsters beneath 2 hinges principally (sadly) on the angle of your toddler.
For those who occur to make your toddler actually really feel included, and enable them to “help” with the toddlerlikelihood is excessive loads higher that they acquired’t act out to get your consideration.
Make sure that they understand that they are HELPING you by being quiet and letting you set the toddler down.
It will not be very easy within the occasion you’re in a season of “horrible twos”, nevertheless I contemplate the horrible twos are sometimes a reflection of some points that must be modified in your toddler’s world – so in case your toddler is deliberately sabotaging naptime, you might must be taking steps in course of coping along with your toddler’s perspective.
Nevertheless, hopefully, that’s not the case for you, and it will principally merely be a matter of getting fixed and establishing a routine and investing in these sound machines!
2. Arrange a routine
I am primarily probably the most anti-routine specific individual I do know… nevertheless our day revolves throughout the 1:30 pm nap.
Every day spherical “sleepy time” I announce that we’re going to have a snack and put together for sleepy-time, and remind them that sleepy time is coming every 3-5 minutes for the whole quarter-hour. I don’t spring a nap on anyone, ever!
(In actual fact, initially all the converse was additional for the toddler’s revenue, nevertheless as a result of the kid has grown it’s become important for her too.)
3. Take the toddler to a particular room to position them to sleep.
This was REALLY nerve-wracking for me on account of my toddler was solely about 20 months outdated after I wanted to start leaving him alone to position his sister to mattress. Nevertheless baby wasn’t nursing to sleep anymore, and this was principally my solely choice.
Create a safe home to go away your toddler – this suggests child-proofing appropriately, and pondering critically about what they may get into when left alone for a few minutes. It could transcend the basics of outlets and bogs and drawers inside the kitchen.
In the event that they’re climbers, don’t be afraid to area them in a room with a baby gate! For those who occur to don’t want to arrange a eternal gate, use a compression gate. (And make it doable for tall furnishings is mounted to the wall.)
TALK frequently in regards to the points that are dangerous, and be company with “no”. Your toddler simply is not too youthful to know tips! (I’m not saying you presumably can depend upon all youngsters to adjust to the ideas, nevertheless for a lot of, determining boundaries will help.)
TALK about why you are leaving them alone for a few minutes – mommy has to position the toddler to sleep! – and what they should do within the occasion that they need you.
I say “I’m taking sister to position her to sleep. You watch the current for quarter-hour, after which mommy will come and put you to sleep. For those who occur to need mommy, merely title for me. I’m correct in that room. Try and be very quiet besides you really need mommy!”
4. Use the TV or a tablet/phone in child-mode to entertain your toddler
(I do know so many dad and mother are anti-screen, nevertheless I contemplate life is about compromises, and the screens are a compromise I make!)
For those who occur to DON’T use screens the least bit in addition to presently, it will work REALLY properly!
The TV current will even become part of your toddler’s”routine”- which is principally important when it comes to getting your TODDLER to sleep.
After a lot of weeks of this, after I’d come out from putting his sister down, my oldest would see me and say “sleepy-time!”
There have been a handful of cases over the earlier yr the place my toddler yelled for me, or acquired right here in to get me.
There have been no precise emergencies, presumably as quickly as he wanted to pee and a few occasions his current stopped (was on the end of a netflix series- now I study for this haha).
5. If YOU assume it’s safe to take motion, ponder giving your toddler a snack
And I DON’T suggest one factor like grapes or something which will make you assume “choking hazard”.
These melt-in-your-mouth type baby snacks actually really feel safe to me, and as soon as extra, save these as a specific part of this routine – DON’T convey them out at completely different cases!
Now that my toddler is older, he eats a granola bar whereas I put his sister to sleep.
6. Sound machines are your best pal
Now now we have a sound machine inside the room with each baby, AND a further one between the rooms inside the hallway.
This helps muffle sharp sounds from the alternative side of the door – and positive, it was properly properly worth the extra money I wanted to spend to buy the extra sound machine.
Nevertheless not merely any sound machine between the rooms – this tiny travel-sized one – on account of it is critically louder than you may even want it to be! (You can flip it down.)
We run them at night too, after which we don’t have to stress about baby waking up siblings, or the toddler waking the toddler when he excitedly stomps down the hall (you acknowledge.)
7. As quickly because the toddler is asleep, take the toddler to nap
After I get once more from putting the toddler to sleep, my toddler is conscious of the next step in our routine is nap!
I lay down with him for a while, and he goes to sleep – when the toddler was really little, I took the video monitor in with me and saved it on silent so I might even see her if she awoke. (If the room wasn’t shut by, I’d most likely go away it on the underside stage.)
8. When all else fails, have your once more up plan ready
Some days points merely don’t WORK like they’re imagined to.
And it’s irritating, but it surely absolutely’s moreover merely sooner or later.
9 cases out of ten, the above works for me to get my youngsters napping… nevertheless in the midst of the sleep regressions, or all through notably harmful bouts of teething, or when anyone rings the doorbell and ruins all of the items – when the nap merely isn’t happening the best way wherein I want it to, we do have a backup plan.
For us, that’s going for a drive.
My baby can’t preserve awake inside the car even when she needs to, and he or she conks correct out.
There have been troublesome seasons the place we’ve wanted to take a number of drives per week, nevertheless for primarily probably the most half, it’s a very unusual issue.
By this degree, we have our “routine” for drive-naps too.
My toddler is conscious of exactly what to anticipate – and it doesn’t mess with our system.
For those who occur to don’t drive, the back-up plan might very nicely be a stroll in a double stroller, or cuddling up collectively to watch a movie until the kids cross out.
An essential issue is to understand that it’s merely sooner or later – and maintain per the routine tomorrow.
Related: Getting ready For a New Little one With a Toddler
Related: Why Our Toddler Goes to Mattress at 10pm
Do you might need another good concepts for getting a baby to nap with a toddler within the dwelling?