Thanks Haribo, she settles for her sleep in less than 10 minutes but more like 5, she really is ready for the nap.
I thought I'd try the next step in the gw today at her lunch nap and it was simply awful!!
After her 2 days at daycare she is usually pretty tired so I thought I be safe to try and put her down early. We did the normal wind down but she asked to lie down mid song. I popped her in the cot and sat beside on the stool and finished the song, leaned in and gave her a kiss and lifted the side. I sat down and she immediately started to fuss asking for a cuddle (this is her asking to be touched). So I started "shush baby, sleepy time". She was tired as she was fussing while still lying down. This went on for a few minutes but just got worse from there, initially her cry started to amp up but then changed to an attention cry so I just said the same thing. She was up on her knees and giving a good cry now so I changed to "shush baby, lie down, sleepy time" she did listen but was getting pretty wound up, started to hiccup with the crying and twisting her body (tired sign) eyes rolling but she is too upset now, I'm raising my voice a bit but she can't really hear me.
15 minutes and I pick her up as she is too upset. I wipe her face and give her a cuddle. She is having trouble talking but I manage to figure out she is asking me to sing. So I tell her I'm going to pop her back into bed and she can cuddle Niki (cudley) and mummy will sing. So I sang like 5 verses of her song with intermittent humming and the occasional "shush you cant hear me if your crying". I'm not touching her at all, but my face is right beside the cot.
Eyes rolling everywhere and she finally managed to nod off, but is making that horrible gasping sound in her sleep she was so upset. Not sure if I will get my usual 90 minutes today.
Now I can't stop crying and I feel absolutely awful. I didn't expect her to get so upset so quickly. If I had of stroked her head or rubbed her back she would have been asleep in seconds. I know its important to be consistent but she was just too upset and needed a cuddle. How do I do this again let alone at bedtime?