April 14. As soon as I place her in the crib, the crying started. I walked out and within a couple of minutes she was asleep! I couldn’t believe it! The rest of the morning was so much easier than the previous mornings. I started feeling a little hopeful. Cried for entire nap attempt in afternoon. The rest of the afternoon was not as bad as I anticipated.

April 15. When I went to get her from her crib this morning, after she had cried the entire hour, she threw up as soon as I picked her up. For the afternoon, I let her sleep on me for an hour (Plan A).

April 16. Would it be possible to get her calmer before naps, more drowsy, by nursing her for a short period so that she is put down in her crib drowsy but awake? I do not view this as a “crutch” but simply a soothing to sleep technique. Yes, I did nurse her before her naps today. The only thing I haven’t been completely consistent about is the nursing but I will continue.

April 17. Take a break. Try to put her down drowsy but awake in a moving swing in a dark quiet room for a few days. After good naps in the moving swing, hopefully, we will try to turn off the swing after 20-25 minutes once she is in a deep sleep. The next step hopefully will be to try the morning nap in the crib again.

April 19. She slept in her swing for an hour and half this morning. She woke up at 10. I’m assuming I shouldn’t keep the 11:30 time for her next nap. I’m thinking around 1? Also, since she’s getting more sleep during the day should we keep the 5:30 bedtime? She is repaying her sleep debt.

Always remember that she was over-tired (sleep-deprived) from the combination of brief naps and a too late bedtime for many months. Therefore, do not, I repeat, do not try for later bedtimes for now. Additionally, and for the same reason to avoid a second wind, put her down for her second nap early, 11:30-12. Worse case scenario is that she lies around in the swing for a while before falling asleep or there is a little crying. For her morning nap, if she begins to cry when you turn off the swing or shortly thereafter, I suggest that you turn on the swing. Our goal is that she learns self-soothing for naps. By turning on the swing she is getting the minimal soothing from the rocking but I strongly suggest that you do not pick her up to do soothing. Leave her for an hour in the moving swing, even if she is crying. If you pick her up and give her more complex social soothing she will learn to cry for your social comfort. I put her in the swing and she woke up, but didn’t cry. I stayed next to her, making “shh” sounds and eventually she fell back asleep. The swing didn’t work that well, however, which is why I think her nap was only about 30 minutes. She woke up crying after 30 minutes and I went in and tried to soothe her back to sleep. She did fall back asleep but woke up when I tried putting her into the swing again.

Readers: What are your thoughts regarding consistency for this parent?

Marc