14 month old - suddenly NW after 45mins

[Mackjack]

Set times sound a good idea. I've got to get her back to some kind of normality before I do that though!

So today after going to bed at 7.25 last night (after a battle) she woke at 6am. She was with her gran and she tried from 11.20am but couldn't get her down to sleep at all. She took her out in the pram in the end and she slept for 30mins. Then when she got her home, she managed to get her to nap again from 1.30-2.30 and she woke v miserable. BT was a struggle. Gran tried from 6.25pm until I got home and finally got her down at 7.05.

She's just fighting sleep all the time. Either laying there crying or playing around. Throughout all this she has been sleeping through the  night which is the only positive. DOn't know what I'll do if she starts NW too.

I'm at a total loss. I think this is an OT  nightmare but I can't seem to break it as she's fighting sleep so much. There have  been just a couple of times during this period when she's had her normal 2hr45 nap but I can't see any pattern as to how that happened. I am right in thinking that at 15months she should still be having 2-3 hour naps, aren't I??  I'm not striving for something unachievable??

The only one slight thing I've noticed is that she is seeming a little tired sometimes in the morning around 9/10ish. I thought maybe I should try to get her to have a little nap then BUT if she fights that I'm going to be questioning myself as to whether she really wants to sleep and whether I should force her to or not. And I wouldn't know how long to let her sleep or when to let her nap again later in the day.

This has been going on 3 weeks now. I'm so sorry to keep asking for help, you are giving me great advice but I just can't seem to break this and it's getting me down. Especially as I'm back at work now so keep getting phone calls from her gran or dad saying 'help, she won't nap'!!!

[sianie]

{{Hugs}} it will get better! It's just a case of trying to work through all the possible reasons for her resisting sleep which are usually UT/OT/pain or discomfort/teething.

Is her Gran doing a similar wind-down etc to you at nap time?

I would stick with the 11.30am nap time, start wind-down at around 11am so that she is as calm as possible by the time she goes down or you could try an earlier nap time of 11am if you feel she's really tired to see if this makes a difference.

Yes, the average nap length at 14mths is around 2hrs or so, but of course some do sleep less.

Remind me, where is she at with any teeth coming through?

[Mackjack]

Thank you. It's nice to have a sympathetic ear.
Yes gran is very good at doing exactly the same routine, wind down etc as me!

Teeth-she only has two top ones and three bottom. They are all at the front.

[sianie]

I do wonder whether it could be her 1st yr molars starting to come through.....might be worth trying to take a peek if you can!

[Mackjack]

I kind of hope you are right just because I need an explanation!! Can molars commonly cause problems for three weeks?? She doesn't seem in pain- should I be giving her meds? And if it is teeth do you suggest the same tactics as you just said ie, nap at 11am?

[sianie]

Molars can take a few weeks to come through as they are blunt teeth & take longer to get through the gum, because of this they tend to bother LO's more than some other teeth. Don't forget that teething is also worse when LO's are lying down.....teething also tends to make LO's more tired.

If it is molars then it's really a case of riding it out the best you can, give meds before sleeps & maybe stick to an earlier nap time to stop OT building up. Give an 11am nap time a go for a few days to see if it helps!

[Mackjack]

After bt at 7.05 she woke this morning at 6.15. We put her down for a nap at 11. She played for quite a while then started crying. I  eventually went in and she was exhausted. Put my hand on her back and she went off in mins. She slept about 2hrs45!!hooray! Woke just after 2pm. When do you think I should do bt?

[sianie]

That's a good nap! I would probably aim for BT by 7.30pm.

[Mackjack]

Did bt at 7.30and she slept til 6.40-great. Nap at 11.45-she still messed about and played and whined a bit but slept 2hrs20. Put her to bed at 7.30. So hopefully e are getting back on track. I think you might be right about molars.i can't see anything but she does still seem tired during the day for no reason.

 Thank you so much for your advice-hopefully I won't need anymore for a while but I will see how we go!!

[sianie]

That sounds better! 

Molars are tough as they move around a lot in the gums on & off before you can see anything.

Good luck & keep me posted!