Help me get through nap refusals for 15 month old - eek!

[EloysH]

Hi 

I thought we finally had K's sleep cracked.  We have been through everything and anything. Failed meds wean, extended sicknesses, all wreakign havoc on his sleep.  He has been indpendently sleeping for a few months now.  We have finally kicked the months on end of long NW's with cutting back on foods in his diet. We had finally got rid of the 3 month long 5am wakings.  We had two weeks of glorious sttn.  BUT.

The past three days he has refused his nap!  So he is sttn and waking at 6am, then refusing his nap -the one strong point of his sleep!  I am at the end of my tether today.   

I got him to sleep in the car one the days ( the first time I have done this) the other it took till 2pm to get to sleep.  Today no amount of crying or driving the car for an hour worked!   He is  most probably teething  with a molar or a canine.  He still only has 8 teeth, so this is the first of his painful teeth KWIM.  Today he was medicated on and off with neurofen and paracetemol as often as possible. I don't know what else I can do?

Routine:
6am wake
12:30pm nap time - no nap  tried for 45 mins.  Got him up at 1:15pm, let him play for 20 mins tried again no go.  Drive in car for 40 mins, he just looked out window or pointed at things or practiced his "words"  not even any yawning but clearly tired.  Tried again 3:15pm - 3:45pm - just angry crying the whole time saying " no way, I can't believe you expect me to sleep type of cry"

Bed 6:30pm

 usually he is in bed at 7pm  with  a 1.5 - 2 hour nap starting at 12:30pm.

Thanks for reading this, I'm just a tad exasperated!

.

[sianie]

Hey Eloise!

Sorry you're having a tough time again {{Hugs}}!

As you know if it's molars & or canines (which it could well be at K's age) then they tend to be the worst for throwing sleep off, all you can do is medicate & try & keep on top of OT as much as possible.

How are your nights? Is he still STTN despite the nap issues?

Looking at your routine I would probably think about pulling that nap forward (especially if it is teeth which makes them more tired). I guess he's probably OT too so it could be that you're missing his sleep window if he's been awake since 6am & you're putting him down at 12.30pm. I would try a 11.30/12pm nap & then do an earlier BT if necessary just to help get things back on track.

What do you think?

[Edesanja]

Heck Eloise, you K monkey sure keeps you on your toes doesn't he!

I would say the same as Sian - nap earlier if he'll have it because I'd say he might be past the window by 12.30 already too (J does a 12.30pm nap too, but he's virtually never awake before 7am).

[EloysH]

OK you guys were right!  thanks  I tried for a nap at 12pm and he went down ok! (I was actually trying for earlier but we got back late from park)

I know Jenny, he is such a reactive little person, his sleep goes right off with any changes to his consititution... I guess its also an indicator of how sensitive his immune system and everything else are. We just can't get rid of his running nose, he has had it for 5-6 weeks now.  He is on some serious immune system boosting vitamins at the moment 

I think we are going to be in for a long ride with this teething business. 

It's hard to read his sleepy signs at the moment as he is cranky and whingy all day anyway 

Jenny are you guys still meds free?

[Edesanja]

Yay for the nap.

We are still med free and fine. I gave him cheese yesterday though (he was begging for some after E was given some grated cheese) and he LOVED it - last time I tried him on it he hardly ate any at all. I gave him a slice today too. In the last 2 days he has had some AWFUL tantrums, like nothing we've had before - including the worst ones both days at dinner time. I don't know what to think - teeth?, my sweet boy being overcome by the toddler-monster now that he's turned 15months?, the cheese? or something else. His tummy was definitely hard though, but it wasn't his usual 'attack'. Just going to keep up with the cheese and ride it out for a while to see what happens. Ugh!

[sianie]

Glad you got a better nap!

I would stick to the earlier nap time for a few days to help him catch-up a bit.......FX!! 

[EloysH]

Thanks again ladies.  I am feeling a bit more human today 

Yay Jenny, to meds free  .  Now that is something to celebrate.   

[Buntybear]

Hi, glad the earlier nap tme worked for you!