HEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLPPPP!!! shift to one nap shocker!!

[wonderwoman_001]

My 1 yr old has recently been skipping her morning nap. I've read the advice in the FAQ's on doing it well but for the last 2 days my daughter has thrown an absolute screaming fit at nap time (first time she's thrown tantrums) and I''d love to nip it in the bud if not just to stop the headache it gives me!!

She was doing..

up & milk - 7am
E - 8 am
A - 8.15
S - 9.30 (getting progressively later)
A - 10.15/30 (")
E - 11 (snack)
A - 11.15
E - 12.30
A - 1pm
S - 2
E - 4 (snack)
A - 4.15
E - 6 (supper)
A - 6.30
S - 7.30

This has been thrown off kilter with a recent bad illness but also she's begun to play instead of sleep during the morning nap, so the last 2 days I've put her down at 12 (she got up at 8 both days, having skipped naps at the weekend too) and again she's played but then, as I said, begun to throw an absolute fit, proper screaming and everything. Yesterday it went on for 40 mins or so, I was attempting to do PD and in the end I whispered in her ear and she conked out. Today I did PD successfully and she got to sleep herself after 10/15 mins or so.

Another factor I'm concerned about is that I successfully used PD to wean her off cuddling to sleep just over 2 months ago but hadn't managed to leave the room before a string of teething and illness kicked in so she's still (I think) dependant on me being in the room and I think now that she's that bit older I'm more of a distraction than a help but she kicks off if I try and leave her. Her cot is (and has to be) close to the door so gradual leaving is not really poss and so I'm not sure how to do it, especially now! (I did post this in 'props' yesterday but no response yet).

I'm acutely aware that the poor thing is tired a lot of the time at the moment but I cannot seem to get her timing right at all.

Would LOVE some advice!!!!

Anna

[babybarr]

No real advice but we had major nap issues when going through the transition and the kicking off for us always indicated UT and not ready for bed.  If she wakes at 8 you could try giving lunch first then a marginally later nap and see what happens??

HTH a little!

[mmom]

Can you try putting her down at 4.5 hours A in the morning for a short nap and then a longer nap later?  It is different for me, because my LO wakes really early.   But he would never even go down for a cat nap until that amount of A.

[Mimi 2]

Transitioning naps can be so frustrating for us and for them as well.  They need 2 naps but there isn't enough time in the day for 2.  I think that it is better to incorporate a long nap and a short catnap than to go cold turkey with just one nap at midday.  As your lo increases her A, the long nap becomes the main mid day nap and the catnap disappears.  When that happens, you would have an early bedtime.

As your day begins at 7am then try for the long nap about 15 min later than usual. Let her sleep as long as she likes.  Offer a late afternoon catnap.  Give this a try for a week or so. 
 
Teething and illness can make it feel like your going backwards.  Are you giving anything for pain?

[MasynSpencerElliotte]

Just offering a different idea here...I know doing it gradually seem to work for most in regards to the 2-1 switch, but both my kids took to it cold turkey (Masyn at just over a year, Spencer at 10 months) I know they are the exception, but it's worth a thought. We do a morning A time for Spencer of 4.5 to 5 h and get a 2-3 h nap most days. 

HTH
Heidi

[wonderwoman_001]

Thanks so much for the advice and support guys, I haven't had a chance to check back in until now. Fortunately the tantrums have stopped (phew!) and she does seem now to be adjusting better to the cold turkey approach with an earlier bedtime but if she gets too tired I will certainly try the cat nap, i hadn't considered that you could do that so thanks so much for the tip!

I've just found two molars poking through the gum too so I think that's contributed to her outbursts of emotion...

[mimi1017]

I could've written this myself. So I'm curious to know what A times did it turn out to be?, and how long of a nap are you getting. My textbook dd seems to be going the cold turkey route because she goes hysterical if I attempt to put her down for another nap.  It has really been a struggle this week to get her nap and I need some direction.

[wonderwoman_001]

So sorry, my laptop broke soon after this so I haven't been able to log on, I imagine your dd has settled now mimi1017?

[mimi1017]

Oh it's ok, yes we have been on 1 nap for about a month now, it started out with her doing a nap after 3.5 hrs A in the am and then none later in the day, until I decided to go cold turkey and just keep it low key during her usual sleep times and that has worked out well..now she does one nap after 4.50-4.75 A time for about 1.25-2.25 hours..her pm A is 6-6.5 hours but she manages just fine (always managed longer pm A times), so I had a hard time for a month trying to figure it out but going cold turkey was the best way for us! hope you are doing well with your lo :-)