Napping while at the parks

[kohlby]

I'm wondering if your babies would nap while at the park. My baby is 8 months old and we're headed to Orlando soon. Right now she takes two naps a day. She's never napped in a stroller, but she spends very little time in a stroller. (Only when I go for a run). We went to the parks when she was 2.5 months old and she would sleep in the sling. I'm still going to carry her in the sling, but I'm not optomistic that she'll sleep in it. We have a three year old non-napper with us too - so leaving the park and coming back isn't ideal. Both kids have fairly early bedtimes so we're going to keep their nighttime sleep times so our son's schedule doesn't change. But I'm worried bout my daughter not napping. We are taking a stroller for our 3 year old with the plan that we'll try the baby in it at nap time. It does recline all the way for sleeping.

 

[camdensmom]

Our son was 8 months when we last went. He was never a stroller-napper before that, but he adjusted quite well. What we did (and I would suggest doing) was buying a piece of brightly colored fabric at walmart. We simply tied the ends of the fabric to the handles of our Maclaren Umbrella Stroller and flipped it over the hood. It made almost a tent like atmoshphere, but helped him to sleep because it eliminated the visual stimulation and sun.

We also used the fabric when we were in restaurants and on rides as it helped to mark our stroller and prevented others from taking it (rather by accident or otherwise).

We also rented a car which was a godsend! It made getting around so much easier and helped us keep the baby on a schedule. Also, he slept well in the car.

 

[kohlby]

I'm glad it worked well for you! The stroller has a top, and I'll have my sling that I can use to block out more sun if needed. My daughter is the most active and distractable baby I've ever met - to the extent that she wasn't gaining enough since she wouldn't want to stop to eat often enough!

We are driving down, so we'll have a car. But we're staying on site so we hadn't planned on driving to the parks. Perhaps I'll have to give that another thought! Will they let you drive around the parking lot in circles? She will fall asleep in the car after 20 minutes of driving.

 

[kg66]

Good luck, don't know if they'll let you drive around though. Maybe all the fresh air will tire her out. And all your walking. Good luck.

 

[dsneygirl]

We took our DS at 3 months and he napped in his stroller all the time. I think the fresh air did play a large part in tiring him out.

 

[Nynaeve]

We just took my daughter, who turned 4 while we were there. She hasn't taken daily naps in over a year and half, but she would fall asleep in the stroller just about every day! The combo of waking up early every day, and the excitement of being at the parks ad seeing and doing all that stuff just wiped her out!

Even if you don't think your daughter will nap well, you might be surprized! And, the fabric idea is a great one! Particulary if she likes to watch things going be from in the stroller. Have a great trip!

 

[monorailsilver]

My 4 1/2 yo wasn't a napper for over a year but when we went in 2005 she took & needed a nap so we did go back to our room for her & our 22 month old. But then we always go back to the room/resort/pool mid-day.

I have a 8½ month old & she takes about 2 naps per day as long as no one bothers her (ie her brother or sister screaming for some unknown reason). I know she has fallen asleep in the stroller or the bjorn a few times but I try to avoid that as much as possible.

The last time she fell asleep (and probably one of the only times) in the stroller was at the beginning of November. We were at Thomas the train & it was past her am nap so as I was walking my kids around the rides she nodded off & stayed asleep until some kid walked by her talking (ie screaming) loudly so she only got in a 1/2 nap which was OK for an am nap but if she did that again in the pm she'd be miserable for the rest of the evening.

My kids bedtime is 7 but when in Disney we stretch it out since they like the fireworks so a nap is ideal for them (and us). If you really want to let her nap in the stroller see how she does on day one or even the am part & if she doesn't nap then I'd go back to your room or go some place quiet in the park & just sit there with her.

 

[SaraMc]

If your little one isnt sleeping in the parks try the hall of presidents DH falls asleep in it evertime

 

[MariDisney]

I'm glad it worked well for you! The stroller has a top, and I'll have my sling that I can use to block out more sun if needed. My daughter is the most active and distractable baby I've ever met - to the extent that she wasn't gaining enough since she wouldn't want to stop to eat often enough!

We are driving down, so we'll have a car. But we're staying on site so we hadn't planned on driving to the parks. Perhaps I'll have to give that another thought! Will they let you drive around the parking lot in circles? She will fall asleep in the car after 20 minutes of driving.

Because of the way the parking lots are set up it would be difficult to drive around in circles. However, if you leave the lot and make one circuit around the property and then come back to the lot you'll probably be right at about 20 minutes. Maybe that would work for you?

 

[skuttle]

Last December, our 2 1/2 year old DS took a nap in his stroller every day. Sometimes he fell asleep on his own, and other times we had to find a quiet place with few distractions to get him to fall asleep.

 

[Nanu57v]

DD at 8.5 months fell asleep in her stroller daily. It was great not having to take a break to go back to the hotels. However at 18 months we HAD to go back to the hotel due to excessive crankiness.

 

[kohlby]

Thanks all. I am certain my 3.5 year old will not take a nap. I know some kids do at Disney and was told that last time. We went 6 months ago and he should have been napping, but he didn't. He's a kid who could stay up to midnight if there was any stimulation. Also, he tried to drop his naps completely at 18 months and had dropped down to one nap by 7 months. The kid has always needed less sleep than others. I'm not sure how he does it.

Hmmm...Hall of Presidents...maybe I will try that one on DD! She's been napping poorly recently so maybe she's trying to drop down to one nap. I can hope since that would mean just once during the day to worry about! At least it gets dark earlier so maybe she'll fall asleep earlier at night.

The night plan is to go to the fireworks just one night since the kids are both asleep by 8pm. (We're currently trying to adjust the older child's bedtime to see if he'll wake later than 6 am!)

 

[Not so Dumbo]

I'm wondering the samething with DD6months. I'm also bringing her front pack carrier. I know she loves to sleep in that, so if not the stroller then I'll have to put her in there for naps eventhough after an hour my back and neck start to ache with lugging her around in it.