22 months - nap refusals / EW

[gb18]

Hi everyone. Hoping for a little bit of advice for my 22 month old.

We have had a pretty solid run of things recently with good naps (2hrs or more) and 11-12 hour nights but over the last few weeks things are up in the air!

Yesterday lo only had 1/2 hr nap in the car, not ideal but got a 12 hour night so can't complain. Today however he is up in his cot, playing totally refusing to sleep. He had been up there an hour. Cried and stood up initially but now just messing, pulled sleeping bag off etc.I know he won't sleep now as he will be totally past it but don't want to get him if he isn't crying.
Also recently we have had lots of EW whatever time he goes to sleep, nap length in the day does not seem to affect this unless its super short (like yesterday). For example, in nursery some days he sleeps 1hr 20. This makes no difference to EW, in fact can sometimes make it worse. Lots always happy the morning, no matter how little sleep he has had at night.

Anyway, my questions are is are nap refusals common at this age and am I dealing with them right but just leaving him? Need to transition to big bed and can't face it when he is not settling for naps or on a night time ( he will often stand up and cry a little initially at night too).
What shall I do about EW? Is it just a phase?

Rough guide to routine I try to follow would be 7-7.30 day with 2 hr nap at around d 1pm

Thanks everyone xxx

[jessmum46]

We started to hit nap refusals at this age for sure.  Made for some messy days!  The good news was right around 2nd birthday we had a huge, albeit temporary, increase in sleep needs with mega naps and long lie-ins.  Bliss for about two weeks before the 1-0 properly started.....

I think you are doing the right thing leaving him if he is happy.  I used to leave DD for 45 mins minimum if happy, maybe up to an hour and then get her up.  Often she would eventually sleep, but if not I'd try an APOP car nap in the afternoon to avoid OT meltdown, or failing that early bedtime. 

Consistent happy EWs make me wonder whether a cut in nap is due, we had to cut to about 1.5h at this age on days at home with naps at nursery 3x a week most typically being 1h-1h15.  So slightly less than 1.5h as an average.  Or if LO doesn't deal well with nap capping then pushing BT later would be another option. 

Is there a particular reason you need to transition to BBB?  Unless it's for safety or imminent arrival of sibling I would hold off as long as you can, often the move can be the death-knell for naptime.....

[Buntybear]

Agree with Katherine about the BBB - if you are struggling he naps no it will be even harder when they can escape! Also agree about leaving her if she is happy. I envy mums who have happy kids when they are UT! Olly would scream worse than if he was OT!

[gb18]

Right I will definitely hold off the BBB change then. No real need at the minute. Worried about reducing nap timing as often earliest wake up is Saturday which is after 3 days of shorter nursery naps. Often not super short maybe 1hr 20 min naps. Often Saturday wake up is not a happy one!! The others do tend to be though.
Thing is I know he can do it as sometimes at least once a week we have a 7am or slightly later wake up. Occasionally after no nap day, or sometimes after 2 hour nap!!
Do you think I need to stick to shorter naps to see what happens or do you think it is a phase?

[jessmum46]

I think if you make a change you do need to stick with it a good few days to see if it helps.  If you want you could log a few days here of what actually happens and we could see if anything jumps out?

[Buntybear]

Worried about reducing nap timing as often earliest wake up is Saturday which is after 3 days of shorter nursery naps.

Could you do an earlier BT on Friday night? That is likely a bit of OT building.

[gb18]

Thanks for the advice. Tried getting to bed early as only 50 min nursery nap but just takes him ages to settle. Not crying just not straight to sleep. Was in bed for ,  asleep around 7.35 ish. Woke at 6.30 am today so actually reasonable wu.
Will keep a log of what happens and get some hints hopefully!!
Just wondering,  did u only move to big bed as climbing out? Happy for lo to stay in cot, just wondering what general feeling was about when to move?

[gb18]

Well today was so weird! He woke between around 6 ( less than 10.25 hrs sleep) and was on/off whinging till 6.25 but then fell asleep till 8!!!!! No idea what was different!!
Nap refusal again today though. Upset initially in cot, pulling clothes off and then hyper. He often gets quite hyperactive with tiredness.

Will see what tonight brings xx

[Buntybear]

Oh yes Olly would refuse a nap on days when he would sleep in. Same even now at 5 years old - BT is pushed back if he has the odd lie in.

We moved to a BBB when he was right at the end of dropping naps (about age 3). I can't quite remember why, it may have been he was just out growing it as I don't recall him ever trying to climb out of it.