How Do I Get My Child to Nap in a Pack N' Play?

The pack-n-play is not really what he needs to get used to specifically-- it's a new environment overall. Even if you were able to snap your fingers and have his crib at your friend's house, the sounds, smells, temperature, and over all feeling of this place will be different. Your friend will just need to create her own routine for him for naptime-- let her in on anything you might be doing at home that will help him transition to nap time, like rocking or music or reading to him or whatever you do at home at bedtime (or his naptime on weekends). The first few days may be rough no matter what as he makes the transition, but if she has a loving, consistant way to put him down for nap and she does it while he is sleepy but not overtired, he'll be fine. Please be sure to report the daycare to as many agencies as you can so they can be checked out before another child is injured from their neglect.

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Wow!! That is so scary. As someone who used to work in childcare, and I have 2 kids, how could you forget to feed a child his/her bottles. What were they doing? I stay home with my kids now and I watch my friend's 12 month old. When she first started coming to my house it was a bit different but we adjusted well. She also sleeps in a pack-n-play, but I put it in my room where it is dark/quiet and I play lullaby music when she is sleeping. It's very much the same as she has at her home and she is comfy. Good luck to you!

My son has been with a private sitter since I went back to work. The transition is actually harder on us than on them. If you are concerned about the pack n play set it up now and start having him nap or sleep at night in the pack n play. You may put him in it to play but you have to be careful that he doesn't start thinking it's play time when the sitter puts him in it for naptime.

Hey K.,
He needs to become familiar with the packnplay before he'll actually sleep in it. If you want him to sleep in it and not play, then don't put any toys in there. You may want to have two of them, one he can play in and one just for sleep. You could start by putting it in your room or his room and let him just sit in it for awhile, first with you present and then with you not. Try this for a couple of days and then put him down for a nap in it. It's good to put a lovie in there such as a blanket. It sounds like you work during the day so you may want to take a weekend to transition him to sleeping in the packnplay. It won't happen overnight but hopefully, after a long weekend of him taking naps and finally sleeping in it, he'll be able to eventually sleep well at the sitters.

Good Luck!

My boys never gave me any trouble when going back and forth from the crib to the pack n play. Just make sure he has all the things that he naps with at home. Blanket, stuffed animal...whatever it may be. You may want to try letting him nap in it at home over the weekend to let him get used to it. I'm sure he'll do well!
R.

Most transition just fine to a pack-n-play, but I bought a thin port-a-crib mattress that I put in mine when my son's sleeping in his for an extended time. Mine also uses one at daycare and we found he wouldn't nap if he could see anything that could distract him, so we clipped blankets to the outside of the mesh to minimize that. He also sleeps to a sound machine so we plug that in close by when he goes down in his pack-n-play as well as his crib. Most important thing is the routine for nap/bedtime to stay the same so make sure it's consistent. Good luck! melissa

Since it's a new environment maybe you could leave some things at her house that he has at home in his sleeping environment (music, blankie, etc.). Maybe ask her to have a room with the curtains closed and some soft music to set the mood for sleeping.
Also, they have some fitted covers for the pack n play pad that are padded. I use it when i travel and it makes the pack n play a bit more cozy and cuddly like our crib at home. Sometimes I'll also put a blanket underneath the fitted cover to soften it up.

My son is of the same nature. We set it up at home at first and did it very gradually. First I let him take a couple of his shorter naps in it then we moved to a longer nap... then to an overnight sleep (although that doesn't sound it's necessary in this case). I put his exact same things in there that he had in his bed, including his mobile (which sounds unnecessary in this case too!).

My point is, just try to re-create his sleeping environment from his bed. I had to also drape a crib sheet over the side of his bed to keep him from looking out the windows (huge distraction for us).

It may take him a few days to warm up to it- try to stay patient & out of sight! Good luck!

--P. M.

Wow-you must be horrified with that day care!
My son only slept in his crib except when we went to my parents where he slept in his PnP (until he has very recently outgrown it).
As long as I left him alone in a quiet place he would sleep in it, but it always took one day of him crying for about 20-30 min for him to transition. Once he had that day he would be fine for the rest of the time he was there. Sometimes only fussing a few minutes and others not fussing at at. I'm sure it depends on the temperament of the child as how long it will take him to transition, but my son really only slept in his crib at our house, so he wasn't that "easy" when it came to sleeping in other locations.
So I think he will be fine after a few days of his new arrangement. It's will take a at least a few days to adjust to everything--since it's all new, but as long as your new day care provider is consistent with where and when he takes a nap--he'll be fine!
Does he sleep with a blankie or stuffed animal? If so, bringing something that is comforting and reminds him of his crib should help--even if it's a white noise machine or one of those music things--anything that will remind him of what he is used to at home should help.
Good luck!.

i have a small home daycare and each of the children I watch started with me around this age. They were in pack n plays until they totally understood nap time was naptime, no if ands or buts. It will take a little courage and perseverance. The first week will be miserable and the rest of his days will be great. I would make sure there is a steady routine. I put on Sesame street while i make lunch, then we eat lunch, then we wash hands, then we potty/diaper change and then we get our blankies or stuffed animals and get our beds ready. Then I put on soft music and they get in their beds,everytime, it's the same. He may scream and kick and throw a tantrum, for an hour, but eventually he will fall asleep. As long as your caregiver knows he has every need met and is safe, even if she has to put his pack n play in a room so he doesn't have an audience. If he cries, it is because he doesn't want to sleep this way and is trying to cry to get his way. It is sad and you wish everything could be peaceful, but understand that his frustration is because he is worried about what the boundaries are. As soon as he learns that this is the way it is, he will be so grateful to have a routine he can rely on. Each day will be less and less crying and he will eventually beg to go in his pack n play when he's tired. He will appreciate having his own space.

Just a thought, but do you think he would be okay napping on a mat on the floor? My son started day care at 12 months, and that is what they do with the little ones. They bring their favorite blankies from home (and sheet to cover the mat). It seems 11 months is pretty close, so maybe that's an idea. Now at 16 motnhs, my son still naps in his crib at home, but I think they pick up pretty quckly that when not at home they are supposed to nap on the floor.

Fiest call in anneglect report? How many more aren't being fed?If he refused to eat uou shouls have bee told the first and everyday he wouldn't eat
He doesn't need the pack and play, he may just become used to it.

As long as she tries to keep him on the same sort of schedule, he'll be fine napping in the pack'n play. It may take him longer to go to sleep because he'll be trying to see what new environment he's in, but he'll get there. The first couple days will possibly take longer than others.
I suggest you and your friend act as if it is completely normal to take a nap in there. They can sense your uneasiness and if you go in with the mindset of "this isn't going to work" it won't. Just be matter-of-fact about it and he'll catch on quickly.
Good luck!