Need Wind Down Help!!! - Updated

[Mom to M&M]

Well I got a seemingly tired girl in her crib at 11 but she's getting really worked up now at 11:15. Guess will try again and if not take her in stroller so she's asleep by 12 and do transfer as she really needs the sleep and I need to get some work done (WAHM). I just don't understand why she's fighting falling asleep in her crib so much - her off switch seems to be broken LOL but she'll pass out in the stroller, even barely moving, within 2 minutes, half wake at the transfer and take a long nap.

If she wakes early/has less than 10 hours sleep again tonight should I try for an earlier nap in her crib - say 3.5 hours after waking, wake at an hour if she falls asleep, and then try for a stroller nap of 1-1.5 hours maybe 4 hours later? I really want her to be able to fall asleep in her crib again - this never used to be a problem.

Edited to say that she fell asleep in her crib, without crying or further upset at 11:30 or maybe just before. Really hope she can sleep at least 2 hours but either way glad she didn't need the stroller... Now I have to quickly run on the treadmill, shower and get some work done!

[Mom to M&M]

Stacy - I do think that was part of the problem last night - so tonight will do bath 25-30 minutes before bed and for at least 15 minutes before that will let her just sit at table with us or read books on floor, etc. But that doesn't seem to be the issue before naps - we only did quiet stuff for about an hour before I put her in. Strange... At least she's still sleeping now at 1 hour and 45 minutes in.

[Rachel's Mum]

Thought I'd stick my experiences in here - I'd love to be able to give you the answer, but nothing we're doing here seems to be working either.

My LO (18 months) is taking up to an hour to finally pass out when we get her into bed both before her nap and her bedtime.  I'm wondering whether it's partly because she's been at home with us all over Christmas, and I'm sure we don't exhaust her as much as a day in nursery does (it only really started a couple of weeks ago) but I suspect it's also largely to do with how active and alert she is, and how quickly her talking is coming along at the moment.

Current routine is wake at 8am (far too late for us to get ready to get out of the house to go to work/nursery) nap between 1.30 and 3pm (again too late a start really, but she won't sleep before half one, sometimes even two, regardless of when we start the routine) and sleep at 9pm (although right now (9.15pm) she is still awake, even with Daddy's best efforts!)

Believe it or not, we started getting her ready for bed at 7.15pm this evening, so we're currently been trying to get her to sleep for two hours!!

The thing that I really don't understand is that we tell her 'it's time for bed soon' a couple of times, and then when it is time, she makes her own way upstairs.  We have a bath, some milk, and a couple of books, and then we put her into her cot, and then she wriggles for up to an hour.  She never really screams, she never seems that upset - she just takes FOR EVER to finally pass out!!

Daddy has just come down, and she seems to have finally dropped off.  I'm glad to say that BW has helped me once again with this, even if I haven't got the ultimate solution.  Just knowing there are other people out there in the same situation, and that's it's not that my LO is insane, or I'm being a useless parent, has helped me immensely.  So thanks again to all you wonderful people who are willing to share their thoughts and experiences.

[Mom to M&M]

It sounds like your DD is getting enough sleep - just later than you'd like. If you wake her at 7:30 am will she take the nap sooner and thus be ready for bed earlier?

Rough night again. After a 2 hour 25 minute nap ending at 1:50, we were shooting for 7:30 bedtime. At 6:30 we slowed things way down - dim lights, only books, etc, she sat with us. At 7 we did her bath. To make a long story short, she finally passed out at 9pm... Any ideas why she is fighting bedtime even worse than the nap now? She seems tired but not sleepy at all, no matter what I do. Does it make any sense to offer her one nap earlier in the day and if she naps from say 10:30-12:45/1 maybe she'll be ready for bed by 7:30/before 8 instead of not until 9?

[Mum to cool dude]

Rachel's mom: I could have written your  post - my DS has exactly the same schedule. It is a pain when we have to leave the house in the morning and when we have things to do in the evenings plus I worry that he's not rested enough. If you have any ideas, they would be greatly appreciated. My New Year resolution is to get DS in bed earlier  TIA

And, NO, that does not mean that you are an inadequate mom, we just have LOs who find life too interesting to sleep

[Mom to M&M]

Grr. Well after going to bed at 9pm she woke at 6:45, so at least an improvement over yesterday. But I probably should have gotten her in for a nap at 10:30/10:45 as she seemed tired then but I tried to do an early lunch first and got her in at 11:30 and now she's wired. I'm trying again now - she's in there with a book, but if no go I'm going to have to do a stroller transfer - she needs the sleep and I need to get some stuff done.

Maybe tomorrow try 4 hours like you said before nap, let her go as long as she can, and then like 6.5 before bed?

[Mom to M&M]

Marisa's never been much for 11 hours night sleep, so I'd be happy with 8-6:30 and nap from 10:30/11-1/1:30, but we'll see I guess. Ended up taking her out in stroller and she was asleep within 2 minutes at 12:20 and I transferred her at 12:30 - so she's sleeping in crib now (half woke at transfer). Guess will let her sleep until 2:45 and try for 8:30 bedtime?

[Mom to M&M]

The only reason I'm hesitant to wake early is because the day last week that she only did a 1.5 hour nap she still fought bedtime but was more overtired and woke earlier the next morning. So I guess for today I'll wake by 2:45, maybe she'll be up sooner, and try for bedtime 8:30 unless she seems sleepy sooner. Work in progress i guess.

Teething blows goats - think that is part of the problem here, but who knows really?!

[Rachel's Mum]

Rachel did better tonight - she went upstairs for her bath at 7.10pm and dropped off at 8.35pm, but she was completely wired for about half an hour before she finally passed out!

And just to completely mess with your heads - she went back to nursery for the first time today in about 2 weeks.  We woke her up at 7.15pm, and she was bright and cheerful.  She had her nap between 12.05 and 1.40pm, and... get this... she dropped straight off to sleep after the nursery nurse said simply 'lie down Rachel' 

[Mom to M&M]

So Marisa woke on her own after 2 hours 10 minutes today at 2:35 and then wouldn't go to bed until 8:45 (think she fell asleep at 8:50). At least better than 9pm last night. Will see what tomorrow brings and maybe try earlier nap...

[Mom to M&M]

Interesting. After the 8:45 bedtime she slept until 7:15 today - a great improvement and honestly, I'd be happy with that every day (and 8:30 bedtime would be ideal). Today she fell asleep for her nap in her crib (no stroller needed) at 12 - hope she sleeps at least 2 hours.

[TDR'smom]

Yeh Marisa!!!  That is great Karen!!  Keeping my fingers crossed for you!!!

[Mom to M&M]

Drat - only took 1.5 hours. Not sure if her drippy cough (think from teething) woke her or wasn't tired enough - lately it seems like she'll fall asleep in crib easier with shorter A time (like 4.5-4.75 hours) but often then only take 1.5 hour nap whereas with 5-5.5 A time she often fights falling asleep, have to do stroller transfer and then she sleeps 2.25 hours. Also means that between last night and this afternoon she slept a total of 12 hours, which seems to be about her max lately - how odd is that?

[TDR'smom]

It's so hard to figure them out!!!!   

[Mom to M&M]

Isn't it? We're going to try to just go with the flow for now since she's happy for the most part and see. Will bath her early in case she wants a 7:30 bedtime but see how it seems and do later if she doesn't seem ready. And maybe tomorrow will try to get her in crib at 5 hours A time and see if that can split the difference and get at least a 2 hour nap...