Do we just have to ride this one out? Dropping nap and grumpy girl

[munzle]

Hello all,

I am just about at the end of the tether with trying to make dd nap. I have tried everything but nothing works any more. Done 'quiet time', done audio tapes, done me lying with her, done me leaving her alone, done me shouting ( ), done me pleading, done me reasoning, done quiet activities preceding sleep, done relaxation activities. So... do I give up? The thing is... she is tired. Grumpy, whiny, tantrums, cries at drop of a hat, doesn't want to do anything, and now wake times are getting earlier. Only thing I've got left up my sleeve is very early BT - is that the way I'm going to have to go? Someone please help me here!

She is 2y10m. Last night was 11 hrs (I don't think that's long enough for her) 7.30 (struggled to fall asleep after a 12+hr day so I'm guessing OT) til 6.30am 

[sianie]

Hi there!

I don't necessarily have all the answers as we are going through a similar thing with DD  !

Have you seen the thread below? Might be worth having a look....

http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=185617.0

How long has she been refusing naps?
Can you please post your routine? (inc. what time you have been trying to get her to nap..)
Can you APOP a nap if all else fails (i.e. car/ buggy...?)

[munzle]

Hmm. Started refusing about 3 months ago I think. Got very tired over Xmas and I managed a week or so of naps in early Jan, but since then nothing much - maybe 1 nap a week, but don't think she's had one at all this week.

Can never APOP in pushchair and difficult even in car. She will go to sleep in car, but only if it's 4pm onwards.

Wakes 7ish (usually waits quietly until sun on clock comes up at 7.30pm so not sure exactly what time she wakes unless she shouts, which she does sometimes)

Have tried for a nap at 11am, 3pm and all times in between! Had a bit of success with 1.30pm last week (2 naps I think) but that hasn't worked this week.

Bedtime no later than 7pm, often 6.30pm if lots of grumps that day!

Just had a thought: If we let her sleep late in the afternoon (until 3.30pm, say) she isn't awake until 9pm as some others I've read on here are. So... maybe it's best to let her have a late nap, then a late bedtime and a short night. Will mean a shorter night but might make her tired enough for nap and will break up those long A times. Does that make sense?

[sianie]

That makes sense, but I would say that in may ways it would be preferable to have your LO have a longer stretch of sleep at night as night sleep is far more restorative that day-time sleep, if that makes sense? Especially as she is going through the process of dropping her nap so ultimately you want her to end up doing longer nights.

You could maybe do a later nap but I'd cap it so your BT doesn't end up too late.

How long were her naps when she was still taking them?

Unfortunately, transitioning to 1 nap can be a bit of a long process as your LO learns to adjust to OT. I would do BT by 6.30pm on days when she doesn't nap to cap OT.

Also, it might be worth trying the 1.30pm nap time again for a few days (do it as a set nap time rather than A time), so no matter what time she wakes, do a 1.30pm nap.....after a few days her body clock should adjust to this time & should trigger her into feeling tired if that makes sense?.

Some Mums alternate nap days with no nap days or do a few days with no nap & then add one in.

[munzle]

Thank you - good point about night time and wanting more sleep then. I wonder why she won't sleep in in the morning - guess she's just an early bird like Mummy!

Funnily enough, yesterday she napped at about 1pm. Unlike the rest of the week, she didn't say 'I don't feel sleepy' or 'I don't want to go to sleep' so maybe she just has to be tired enough to sleep. I had been assuming that she was just saying that even though she was tired, but maybe I should start listening to her?! She is in a lovely mood this morning - so different to the little girl of the last few days. She slept 1h40ish (not entirely sure as DH was home and he's never clear about what time things happen!) but will often have 2 hours once she does fall asleep, which makes me think it's just difficulty in falling asleep rather than not being tired.

Maybe you just really have to get the timing right for naps at this age - even if I'm really tired, I never normally nap until 2-3pm.

We will persevere with putting her down. Thanks for the advice.

[consmummy]

by your lo's age DS1 had dropped his nap pretty much. Started at 2yr 4mth when he wouldn't nap at nursery 3 days a week. Then he wouldn't always nap at home on a weekday and by the end he'd only fall asleep at the weekend on the sofa with Daddy.

[sianie]

I'd stick with the 1pm nap for a few days & see what happens! Keep us posted....