The No Cry Nap Solution (35 page)

your child and on you, too.

Many people fi nd that it is easier to wean from daytime bottles

before sleep-time bottles because of the distraction of daytime

activities and the available substitution of food and drinking cups.

It’s nearly impossible to wean your baby from his naptime bottle

unless you also wean him from his bedtime bottle, as the bottle is

a very strong aid for sleeping. The following tips may help when

weaning your child from sleep-time bottles:

Special Situations
221

• Add a little water to each bottle you give to your baby for

each nap and nighttime sleep over a period of weeks until it

becomes 100 percent water. The water is less enticing than

milk or juice, and your child will likely use it less, and when

he does use it, it will be fi ne; there won’t be any concern

about tooth decay.

• Substitute a smaller bottle by switching to a four-ounce ver-

sion or a fancy style that holds less fl uid. Once your child is

accustomed to the smaller bottle, fi ll it only three-quarters

full, then half.

• Replace the bottle with a pacifi er or teething toy.

• Try offering your child a cup at the times he normally

would have a bottle, or give him both—use the cup for

milk and the bottle for water.

• Provide your child with a snack and something to drink

right before he gets ready for bed. If his tummy is full, he

may be less interested in a bottle of milk or juice. Then at

bedtime, offer a bottle or sippy cup of water only.

• Revise your bedtime routine so that you avoid the usual

places and situations where your child usually has a bottle.

For example, read bedtime stories in a new location, such as

sitting on the sofa.

• Review the other sections in this book to be sure your

baby’s nap schedule is on target and for ideas on how to

make naptime more inviting to your child.

• Be patient. Some children take longer to wean from bottles

than others. It’s not worth the battle if your child isn’t tak-

ing naps and is suffering from this lack of sleep. If the issue

becomes a frustration for both of you, take a few weeks or

even a month off from the weaning effort and then try

again.

222 Solving Napping Problems

Wakes Up Crying

My son wakes up crying. It doesn’t matter how quickly I get

to him, he simply wakes up with a full cry—even when I’m in

the same room! He settles down as soon as I pick him up,

but I can’t seem to avoid the immediate crying when he

wakes up.

If your baby has a consistent nap schedule, sleeps a proper amount

of time, and calms down as soon as you pick him up, this is noth-

ing more than his sleep/wake personality. Some babies simply

wake up with a cry, no matter what. It’s their way of announcing

that they are done sleeping.

There are three times when crying upon wakening signals

something else:

• If your baby does not get enough sleep for nighttime or naps,

it is likely that he is still tired and craving more sleep. If he wakes

crying and is not easily comforted in your arms, he may be telling

you that he’s still tired. Try rocking him or using any of your usual

going-to-sleep actions to see if he will return to sleep. Analyze his

daily sleep compared to the sleep chart on page 8 and determine if

you need to make changes to his sleep schedule.

• If crying upon waking is unusual for your baby, he may be

telling you that he is hurting. An ear infection, diffi cult teeth-

ing, stomach pains, or other problem may cause him to wake up

crying. If the behavior persists, call your health care provider for

advice.

• If your baby wakes suddenly and lets out a panicky scream or

a fearful cry yet seems unaware that you are there, then he may

be experiencing a
night terror
. This is a state that exists between

sleep cycles where your child is still asleep and unaware of what’s

happening. He may thrash around, his eyes may be opened with

pupils dilated, but he won’t be seeing you. The best response to

Special Situations
223

a night terror is to hold your child and try a gentle touch along

with a series of comforting words and “shhh shhh” sounds. Your

child may not respond directly to your calming efforts, but usu-

ally these episodes are over quickly and your child will be back to

quiet sleep.

Vacations and Trips: Napping Away

from Home

Our baby is fi nally settling into a nap routine, but we’ll soon

be going on vacation. What should we do about napping

while we are gone?

There can be tremendous fun and memory-making when you

travel with your child, but routines are usually disrupted. It’s best

to organize as much as possible in advance but then try to stay

relaxed, accept changes, and go with the fl ow. You can get back to

your routine once you return home.

Be proactive in making your trip decisions in regard to all the

details, including sleep-related issues. Review the following ques-

tions to help make good sleep during your trip more likely.

• Does your child sleep well in the car? If yes, plan your travel

time to coincide with a nap or bedtime so your child can sleep

through part of the journey. If not, plan to leave immediately after

a nap or upon waking in the morning. Don’t fool yourself into

thinking your child will behave differently from the way he usu-

ally does. Dress him comfortably, take off his shoes, and give him

a blanket. He’ll likely fall asleep to the hum and vibration of the

ride. If you have a fi nicky sleeper, plan your trip during the day-

time hours and bring along plenty of toys and activities to keep

your child happy.

224 Solving Napping Problems

• Is it necessary to make the trip all at once, or can you break

it up with stops along the way? The longer your child is strapped

in her seat, the more likely she’ll become fussy, and the less likely

she’ll sleep when you need her to. Planning a few breaks can give

her the exercise necessary to bring on tiredness. If you’re on a long

airplane or train voyage, use the hallways for walks.

• Do you have everything you need to make sleep during the

trip possible? Items such as:

— window shades to create a darker, nap-inducing

atmosphere

— a cooler for cold drinks; a bottle warmer if needed

— your child’s favorite blanket, pillow, stuffed animals, and

pajamas

— music, lullabies, or white noise on tape or CD

— a rearview car mirror to keep on eye on your child (unless a

second person will be sitting with your little one)

— books to read to your child

— adult books on tape or quiet music to play during the times

when your child is sleeping

— a battery-operated night-light or fl ashlight if you’ll be travel-

ing in the dark

Once You Arrive: Sleeping in an Unfamiliar Place

Preparation is the key to the tricky issue of getting your child to

nap in an unfamiliar place. Obviously, you can’t use the exact rou-

tines that work for you at home, but you can follow much of your

usual routine and create a
similar
sleep setting for your child. If

your little one sleeps in a crib, for example, you may want to bring

along a portable folding crib. (Let your child sleep in it at home in

advance so that it’s familiar.) Bring along your child’s blanket, crib

sheets, pillow, stuffed animals, lullaby tape, or white noise clock.

Pack a night-light to make middle-of-the-night potty runs and dia-

per changes easier, and so you can avoid turning on bright lights

Special Situations
225

at night and disrupting sleep cycles. Your night-light can also be

using during the tucking-in process.

For co-sleepers, your fi rst order of business is to create a safe

sleeping place for your child. Check out the room where you will

be sleeping. If you know that pushing the bed against the wall or

replacing a fl uffy comforter with a blanket would make the situ-

ation safer, then politely explain that to your host. Let her know

that you’ll move things back before you leave (and then remember

to do so). If you’re staying in a hotel, the housekeeping staff will

often help with this if you ask.

Remember that many daily cues help keep sleep consistent.

Serving meals of familiar foods at regular times, exposing your

child to daylight in the morning while keeping things dimly lit at

night, and avoiding prebed wrestling matches can all help to keep

bedtime and sleep time more natural.

Traveling the Zones: What to Do About Jet Lag

Traveling with a child can be a challenge because of the disrup-

tion to the daily routine, the excitement of activity, plus anxi-

ety over meeting new people and adjusting to new surroundings.

When you add a leap across time zones, you complicate matters

even more, since your child’s biological clock, which tells him

when to feel awake and when to feel tired, is forced out of sync

with the clock on the wall. Because of this, the very fi rst and most

important rule is to be fl exible and patient! A few other tips may

help your child overcome jet lag more quickly.

• Keep your child well hydrated with plenty of water, milk,

juice, or breastfeeding sessions. Provide plenty of healthy,

nonsugar snacks.

• Don’t use any over-the-counter products designed for jet

lag without your doctor’s specifi c approval and instructions.

Many of these can be harmful to young children.

226 Solving Napping Problems

• Switch to the new time once you’ve arrived at your destina-

tion, or on the trip over. Powerful biological cues, such as

the timing of meals and naps, will help all of you adjust to

the change in time more quickly.

• Avoid letting your child take long naps at the wrong times.

This will prolong the adjustment. Keep naps to their regu-

lar length and wake your child gently. Typically, the excite-

ment of the new environment will ease him out of sleep.

• Watch the time. It’s easy to miss mealtimes, naptimes, and

bedtime when you’re on vacation. However, if you stick to

your child’s usual pattern, you’ll be able to avoid any major

meltdowns from a hungry, overtired child.