sleeping in stroller

manhattanmom

Thu, Aug 21 2008, 11:28 am

Has anyone ever had experience teaching at toddler (about 14 months old) to take a nap in the stroller??
It really bothers me that he won't sleep in the stroller under any circumstance for a few months already. If he's tired and we're out he'll scream and scream getting louder and louder until we run home and I put him in the crib--he's asleep in a second!! He sleeps nicely whenever we're away--in any pack and play in any new setting so it's not that he even needs his own crib!
I've tried just about everything I could think of--keeping his "security toy" with him, pacifier (which he can't sleep without, unbluckling him and letting him lay on his stomach and cuddle while laying the stroller flat....
The only reason I'm really concerned is that in about 2-3 weeks he's going to be spending 3-4 days a week with a babysitter and will likely HAVE to sleep in his stroller. He is also a toddler who really needs sleep--if he misses a nap, I'll come get him at 4:00, bring him home and he'll have to nap then! I don't really want that schedule and I don't want him to go for 3 days a week without a nap.

manhattanmom

Thu, Aug 21 2008, 11:33 am

happy2BaMommy wrote:

why does the babysitter HAVE to let him nap in the stroller. Why can't you instruct her about your son's napping schedule?

We may have to resort to a group babysitter in the building's playroom. All the babies nap in their strollers. There are no other options.

manhattanmom

Thu, Aug 21 2008, 11:39 am

Ima'la wrote:

Can you bring a pack-n-play to the babysitter? (If you don't own one you could probably borrow one for a few weeks.)

No, I can't. She doesn't babysit in her house. It's the building playroom and you can't bring your own "equipment"
That's why my initial post is to give me tips to teach him to take a nap in the stroller sometimes not to figure out ways we could get by without it.

RachelEve14

Thu, Aug 21 2008, 12:18 pm

I was in Manhatten for 6 months and I saw the type of situation you are talking about, but I agree with the PP I can't think of anything to "make" him sleep in the stroller. One of mine never did, and she dropped her nap at about 15 months old (becuase her big sisters needed a nap). Yes, it was difficult between 4 & 6pm for about 6 months while she adjusted, but she wouldn't nap (trust me we tried *everything* so there just wasn't much to do about it.

What kind of stroller do you have? Is your son used to sleeping on his stomach and the stroller is forcing him to sleep on his back? Is there a time when she is picking up older kids from school and maybe she could walk him with her and he will fall asleep in the stroller and stay asleep? I wish you luck. My ds wouldnt' sleep in the stroller today even with us moving around and he was exhausted. He's only 6 months old but he is a tummy sleeper and he just couldn't fall asleep in the stroller even being walked, so he was up from 11am until 5pm no nap.

Clarissa

Thu, Aug 21 2008, 12:25 pm

manhattanmom wrote:

Ima'la wrote:

Can you bring a pack-n-play to the babysitter? (If you don't own one you could probably borrow one for a few weeks.)

Is it a private playroom? If it's for everyone in the building, I don't see how she gets the kids to nap when there are kids running and playing who aren't part of the playgroup.

My toddler has never napped in the stroller, ever, not even as a baby. If we want him to nap, we have to go home.

manhattanmom

Thu, Aug 21 2008, 12:37 pm

Clarissa wrote:

manhattanmom wrote:

Ima'la wrote:

Can you bring a pack-n-play to the babysitter? (If you don't own one you could probably borrow one for a few weeks.)

I don't either see how she gets kids to nap when there are other kids running around and playing. Everyone has told me, "Oh, __________'s so amazing with the kids she even gets them all to nap. Kol Hakavod to her--I can't see how!! At least I'm positive that my son won't. If there's action he's in!
We may not have to use this set-up I'm just checking into some of my options in case our summer babysitting arrangement doesn't work out in September...
My son also never napped in the stroller as a baby. I remember once he was about 5 weeks old and we took him for a long evening nap in a bassinet stroller figuring he would certainly fall asleep. Of course, we walked around for THREE hours and he stayed up to look around and enjoy the summer air!