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SLEEP => Sleeping For Toddlers => Topic started by: Lemonthyme on October 24, 2011, 14:15:04 pm

Title: 17 month old resisting naps suddenly
Post by: Lemonthyme on October 24, 2011, 14:15:04 pm
My son is driving me nuts with his nap. He's 17 months old and over the past week, he's refusing to nap in his cot. Used to be I'd read to him, put him down, have a bit of putting in to lie him down but not too bad. Some days he'd be asleep immediately.

I'm probably going to jinx it now but in the evening things are fine. He eithe goes down immediately or with lying back down once or twice.

The annoying thing is nursery has no problems with him and say he goes to sleep easily.

I did that questionnaire when he was a baby and he came out angel / textbook(!) but I reckon he's spirited.

A normal day is:

Awake 5:30 - 6 (we've never been able to push it later)
Milk 6
Cuddles in our bed
Dressed / diprobase etc
Breakfast 7 ish
Play
Snack 9:30/10
Play
Lunch 11:30/11:45
Story
Nap attempted any time from around 12:10
Wake up if he sleeps beyond 2:15.
Play
Snack 2:30/3 ish (with a cup of milk which helps him get through to teatime which used to be earlier.)
Play
Teatime 4:45 ish
Play
6:30 bath
Milk & books
Bed 7:00

Nursery put him down for a nap around 12 / 12:30 ish and often say they struggle to keep him awake that long.

Things I've tried; his lunch and nap used to be earlier so I've moved it back (as he used to struggle to get there.)

He used to have a morning catnap (5 mins no more) as we were going down to 1 nap, we dropped that not that long ago, maybe 6 weeks but that doesn't seem to have helped.

Ap techniques I've used to get him off include taking him for a walk in the buggy, cuddling him then putting him down asleep (that even failed today) and going for a drive. I have tried pupd (ie lying him down at this age) but it doesn't work, it used to but now it just seems to wind him up.

I'm wondering if I should do a pre lunch nap (is he overtired?) Should I not worry and this is an inevitable part if him getting older? Is he trying to drop his daytime nap? His dentist said his 2nd set of molars will be through soon but I had a feel, nothing poking through. I might try painkillers on my next day with him just in case.
Title: Re: 17 month old resisting naps suddenly
Post by: brittanyalice on October 24, 2011, 17:21:39 pm
Hi this is totally normal for this age to regress esp with a parent, as they are just testing to see whats what. when you lay him back down at nap time how long have you tried repeating this? If you stick consistently with "no I am sorry it's nap time now" he will totally get the picture in a few days if not less/a bit more. What do you think?
Title: Re: 17 month old resisting naps suddenly
Post by: Lemonthyme on October 24, 2011, 17:31:35 pm
Tried for 30 minutes but he just got really worked up.  It started off well natured, typical shouts of "socks, uh-oh, socks!" which means he's pulled his socks off, stood up and thrown them out of the cot (it was cute the first time).  Gradually it got worse and worse until he was *really* crying which is when I give in tbh.  I tried cuddling him till he calmed down then putting him back down again, didn't work.

What do you suggest?  Going in, lying him back down and walking out was getting alarmingly close to CCing by the end.
Title: Re: 17 month old resisting naps suddenly
Post by: brittanyalice on October 24, 2011, 20:01:18 pm
I would go in and continue to lay him back down, its not CC because you are returning imedetely after you leave if he is still crying, where as CC is when you leave them for 5-10min periods and gradually work up to leaving them until they are asleep. Going in when he is crying has you meeting his need, even if he is crying. Your showing him that you understand that he does not really want a nap but that he needs one. Sleep at this age is crucial to development(physical and mental) you can even pick a phrase like "I know your frustrated but its nap time now" and repeat it every time you go in. In the end tho its up to you and you should pick something that you feel comfortable with so that you can stick to it :) Good luck and keep me posted.
Title: Re: 17 month old resisting naps suddenly
Post by: Lemonthyme on October 24, 2011, 20:07:11 pm
But the thing is he starts to fight me lying him down when he gets worked up like this and eventually it ends up with him crying but still lying down.  I can't explain.  It just feels like it's building rather than getting better which is how PUPD used to be.

I do want to stick to it because the alternative is no naps at home.  Not an option.
Title: Re: 17 month old resisting naps suddenly
Post by: clairebear79 on October 24, 2011, 20:15:47 pm
Could it be he's not ready to sleep at 12.10pm & the fighting is b/c he's a wee bit UT?  Just wondered if you'd tried shifting the nap out a touch, maybe to 12.30 & see if he goes down any easier for you?
Title: Re: 17 month old resisting naps suddenly
Post by: Lemonthyme on October 24, 2011, 20:20:27 pm
Yeah you're probably right, it might be worth a go.  I think I'm so worried it will take him 30 mins plus to get down I am more inclined to put him down earlier.  I will try 12:30 on Wednesday alongside some meds and see how that goes, if we still draw a blank, might have to look at doing something else.  He's been murmering a bit tonight though which makes me wonder if it is teeth.

How he can be UT when he's been awake since 5:30 though I have no idea.  That's what upset me so much, I was ready for a nap!!!!
Title: Re: 17 month old resisting naps suddenly
Post by: clairebear79 on October 24, 2011, 20:29:09 pm
How he can be UT when he's been awake since 5:30 though I have no idea
Oops - missed that bit!  Hmmm - I wouldn't think it was likely then.  Is he usually taking 30mins to settle at naptime?  Do you think he could be a tad OT rather than UT?  Maybe you will have to play around with the naptime a bit.  Try doing it a touch earlier first, if that doesn't help things then go the other way.
Title: Re: 17 month old resisting naps suddenly
Post by: Lemonthyme on October 24, 2011, 20:30:45 pm
Well I tried that.  He used to go down at 11:30 ish but he started resisting that so I put him down later.  Maybe I need to try lots earlier?  Oh who knows?  This is really getting me down though.  I don't want to be battling with my son.
Title: Re: 17 month old resisting naps suddenly
Post by: brittanyalice on October 24, 2011, 20:46:50 pm
I would try for 11:30 since thats 6hr from his wake up time! I know it can be really frustrating, but try not to look at it like a battle since its really not, he is disagreeing with you, but since your  the adult and do know a bit about babies your letting him know that it's still time to nap:) Deep breaths and stay calm with yourself, you wont be doing this for long if you stick it out now. If he is laying down and doing an "i need you cry" you can always go in and put your hand on his back/maybe rub his back a bit. Remember he goes down fine at day care so its not like he does not know what time it is right?
Title: Re: 17 month old resisting naps suddenly
Post by: Lemonthyme on October 24, 2011, 20:58:46 pm
Yeah but he normally goes down at 12:30 at daycare.
Title: Re: 17 month old resisting naps suddenly
Post by: Buntybear on October 24, 2011, 21:05:04 pm
Hi, have you tried pain meds before lunch to give them time to work? At 17 months I would really not think he was UT at 12.10. Most likely OT. And prob built up if he has 10.5 hour nights.

Having said that I don't really know what to suggest hun! I would hang in thre for a few more days, could well be 'a phase'. Does he respond if you sit on the floor by the cot and ssh/hold his hand etc??
Title: Re: 17 month old resisting naps suddenly
Post by: Lemonthyme on October 25, 2011, 03:47:24 am
If I stay in the room if anything he gets more insistent to come out.
Title: Re: 17 month old resisting naps suddenly
Post by: Lemonthyme on October 25, 2011, 04:24:24 am
Also 10.5 hours is completely normal for him.

He woke at 4:45 this morning and has been awake, crying on and off since. My oh has just gone in at 5:20 to give him a cuddle (we have a not allowed in our bed till 5:30 rule).  Last time he was like this it was teeth.  I'll give the painkillers a go.
Title: Re: 17 month old resisting naps suddenly
Post by: Buntybear on October 25, 2011, 05:39:10 am
Hi olly is getting up early too and the geneal consensus is teeth!
Title: Re: 17 month old resisting naps suddenly
Post by: Lemonthyme on October 25, 2011, 07:46:15 am
Yeah. Probably right. He's at nursery today and either they don't notice or he perks up for them so I'm sure he'll sleep there without meds. Maybe it's just coz he knows I'll give in!  The annoying thing, and we had this last time, is you can't give meds to last overnight so you get a bit stuck with the early waking and it's so difficult to tell when the teeth pain has ended and habit has taken over.
Title: Re: 17 month old resisting naps suddenly
Post by: Buntybear on October 27, 2011, 18:02:27 pm
Hi how did he do yesterday and today?? x
Title: Re: 17 month old resisting naps suddenly
Post by: Lemonthyme on October 27, 2011, 19:34:35 pm
He woke up early yesterday (4:15!)  Then he was falling asleep into his lunch so I put him straight down into his cot after his savoury, straight asleep.  Then he only has 45 mins!  Boo!

Anyway, this morning up at 5:30am, happier but as soon as I tried to give him breakfast, oh dear.  Normally nothing puts him off food.   He would only eat if he was sat on my lap being cuddled bless him.  No, I won't be fed but I will eat myself if there is a cuddle in it for me!

So, in some ways things are ok because there's a pattern.  In some ways, they're really bad because we'll probably get two of them through, have a respite then a couple more and frankly I could do without it (we're moving house at the moment) but bless him, when he's a monster and there's a reason for it, it's a bit easier to cope with, especially when there's baby nurofen...  Oh and he was in nursery today and tomorrow so that will help ;o)  (Of course he had a 1 hr 50 min nap at nursery...)
Title: Re: 17 month old resisting naps suddenly
Post by: Buntybear on October 27, 2011, 21:43:02 pm
Wow, 4.15? You poor things. Do you get a chance to rest in the day?

So does he STTN? Great nap at nursery! At least he has caught up a bit  :)
Title: Re: 17 month old resisting naps suddenly
Post by: Lemonthyme on October 28, 2011, 06:17:10 am
Nope, he only had a 45 min nap that day and now my body is conditioned to wake earlier again so I'm waking at 4:15 even though he woke at 5:45 this morning.

He woke once last night but probably because my OH disturbed him.  Generally he STTN.