How to get an 11-month-old to nap better

Question

I need advice on how to get my baby to nap better. Lately, all she wants to do is stand up and walk around her crib. She needs to sleep, because she gets so cranky and whiny when she's tired. How do I get her to stay laying down and go to sleep? I am getting really edgy from all the whining that's been going on. All day long is just too much. If she wouldn't be so tired, it would be fine.

Answer 1

When my sister was a babay/toddler, we would often put on lullaby's and read her stories. If she is busy playing and stuff during the day, she will be more worn out by the afternoon and therefor go to sleep better. It is never good to get a baby into bad habbits by having to have the lights COMPLETELY out at night, or have no noise at all, so try to have some noise and some light while she is napping.

Answer 2

I just had this problem with my 11 month old and I ended it last week. This might really suck for a day or two but after that everything should run perfectly fine. You have to pick a nap-time that suits well with how long she stays awake and what time she needs to go to bed. Then you lay her down at that time, and if at the end of the nap, if she is still awake you just get her up and go on with the day. If she gets cranky/tired then DO NOT let her go to sleep. Then about 30 minutes before bedtime shut everything off, including most lights, then at bedtime lay her down and shut everything off, including night lights and she will go to sleep, then get her up at the time she is supposed to get up even if she didn't go to sleep until late. She might be cranky for a day or two but that's better than forever, and it really works for my daughter and I was told by a few people to do this because it worked for them. Good luck.

Answer 3

Napping schedules change as your baby grows. She may not be ready for the nap when you want her to. My daughter is a little over a year old and does not nap until 1pm now when she used to nap at 11am.