When I was pregnant, I swore up and down that my baby would be sleep trained by 2 months old. I bought a sleep training course and watched the entire thing in bed while 40 weeks pregnant. Had the bassinet and crib all set up, swaddles washed and ready to put my baby to sleep.
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Well then, my daughter was born and I got to eat a nice warm piece of humbling pie… I used absolutely zero of the information I learned from my sleep training course. All babies are made different and have unique needs. My daughter refused to sleep apart from me, day or night. So, this is when I discovered the beauty of contact naps and co-sleeping. I emerged myself deep into research on how to do these things safely and what the risk were for my daughter. I’ll list some of these resources at the end of this post!
I learned a lot, and it made me a whole lot more confident in my decision and how I care for my daughter. I would encourage you to do your own research, so when you lay your head down at night, you can sleep peacefully knowing you are doing what’s best for you and your child.
Contact naps literally changed my life. My daughter is 10 months old, and she sadly does not contact nap anymore, but she chose that. Obviously not with words, but with her body language and cues. She has never been on a strict schedule, since the day she was born, I have watched her cues and followed her lead when it comes to sleeping and eating! This has been the most peaceful and gentle path for us, and may not be for everyone. For the first 4 months of her life, she almost strictly contact napped!
The most important thing to remember is that a sleeping baby is a happy baby. No matter how you get there, that’s the goal! You have to do what’s best for you and your family! Contact naps may be the path for you guys but it may not. I would love to share some tips and tricks I have learned from contact napping with my daughter for the last 10 months.
Contact Naps
Contact naps literally changed my life. My daughter is 10 months old, and she sadly does not contact nap very often, but she chose that. Obviously not with words, but with her body language and cues. She has never been on a strict schedule, since the day she was born, I have watched her cues and followed her lead when it comes to sleeping and eating! This has been the most peaceful and gentle path for us, and may not be for everyone.
The most important thing to remember is that a sleeping baby is a happy baby. No matter how you get there, that’s the goal! You have to do what’s best for you and your family! Contact naps may be the path for you but it may not. I would love to share some tips and tricks I have learned from contact napping with my daughter for the last 10 months.
Baby Wearing
Baby wearing was one of the first ways I learned how to contact nap! It was incredible, I could literally be anywhere and instantly get her to sleep by baby wearing. No matter how loud or bright it was, she would knock out and sleep for hours.
The first four months of her life, we strictly used our Solly Baby Wrap! It was so easy to use and was so incredibly comfortable! Honestly, it felt like the softest and coziest blanket that kept us as one. Could not recommend this product more! I bought mine second hand from a consignment sale but I’ve also linked the website!
As she got older and heavier, I needed a little more support. This is when we switched to a more structured carrier. It honestly took me awhile to find a structured carrier that was still comfortable and cozy. I felt like a lot of carriers were too tight in some areas and falling off in others. Then we found Wildbird Aerial Carrier and it was everything and more! Absolutely worth the investment!
Nursing/Rocking to sleep
Although baby wearing was probably our main source for contact naps, I also cherished nursing and rocking her to sleep. When I would baby wear, I couldn’t necessary sit down because I think it was just uncomfortable for my daughter and she typically would wake within minutes of me sitting. So, I spent many hours on my feet…
If I had a couple free hours, I definitely opted for nursing her to sleep in the rocker!
I always made sure to set myself up for success and tried to have everything i would need or want on the table next to me! Grabbing my water, coffee, snack, and sometimes my chapstick. Having this within arm’s reach made our contact nap just that much sweeter. Oh, and I always tried to grab a book or my cell phone!
What’s Best for You & Your Baby
Contact naps are magical, but no matter how you get your sweet babe to sleep, you’re doing a great job mama! Go with your gut and what feels right in the moment: and never be afraid of changing your mind when presented with new information! Contact naps are just for a season, so soak them up while they’re available. Your sweet baby will never stop growing and changing, and all us mamas are just trying to keep up!
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