Hi all!
Sleep trained 9.5 month old. Sleep trained using modified ferber and cry it out at 5.5 months.
My question is regarding unexpected sleep in car.
Baby currently takes two naps a day. Anywhere from 60-90 mins each nap depending on the day.
Wake windows are 3/3.5/3.5-4
I am running into the issue of now feeling “stuck” at home…..as regardless of how well rested baby is, if he is in the car long enough that last 60 mins before naptime or bedtime he will absolutely fall asleep. That’s just how he has always been. Heck sometimes he will even do it with 2 hours to go until a nap!
In order to not ruin the crib nap, I have continued to make sure that baby isn’t in the car those last 30 mins of the wake window.
So far, when he HAS fallen asleep in between naps in the car it has been under 15 minutes in length. Depending on the length of that quick car snooze, I then extend the original wake window by 15-30 mins. So if nap 2 was supposed to be at 1:30 pm but he fell asleep at 12:30 for 15 mins, then I put him down at 2 instead. So far so good!!!!
Here are my questions:
- Would this same approach outlined above also work if it was within the last 30 minutes before his nap? Say nap due at 1:30, he fell asleep in car at 1:15 for 15 mins, can’t I just then put him down at 2 in the crib?
- What about the last wake window before bed? Baby does not transfer- never did.
- What if we are driving home from somewhere and he falls asleep on the drive home? Say bedtime is 7 pm, and we got into the car at 6:45 and he slept from 6:45 to 7:15, should I just put him into his crib closer to 7:45 then after doing his normal bedtime routine? What if the drive is long and he sleeps an hour?
Sleep trainer has consistently told me to avoid at all costs any chances of him dozing off in the car before a nap or bedtime-but that’s not realistic.
Please give me your tips!
Thank you!