Author Topic: Nap dropping or sleep regression?  (Read 1894 times)

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Offline sszskristy

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Nap dropping or sleep regression?
« on: February 19, 2017, 07:46:17 am »
DD is 26 mth old now. When she was 22mth old, there was night waking and crying on and off for 6 weeks, which made me think as the 2 yrs old SR. But there was no drama when go to bed, just cried in the middle of night like had nightmare. Until now I suddenly realise that might not be 2 yrs old SR because now we are having a serious nap Problem. She has been refusing nap for 3 days in a row. And for the last 2 weeks, she didn't nap at daycare but she still nap at home so I didn't take it seriously. But for the last 3 days, she won't even lay down for a rest. I had to lay down with her and have quite time for 1.5 hrs, during the 1.5hrs she was singing talking rolling and didn't seem tired at all. And for the afternoon, there was still no tired sign, no crankiness. I put her down at 6:30PM and she fell sleep quickly on her own like usual. No night waking, wake up around 7:30am.

So I am confusing now. If it is a SR, why didn't she refuse bedtime and she doesn't tired at all. If it was nap dropping, oh no, I think it is still too early for her. And why can't she has a quite time by herself? She has been an independent sleeper for almost 2 years.

What should I do? Please help.

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Re: Nap dropping or sleep regression?
« Reply #1 on: February 19, 2017, 08:45:35 am »
Sounds like the nap drop to me.
If she has managed the day you describe I think you are doing brilliantly!  This could be the easiest nap-drop on record :)

Not sure what time you did BT when the nap was still there, or how long she napped for, so just make sure she goes to bed earlier to make up for the missed nap.  Quite often the night sleep might not seem long enough but over time they can lengthen the night a bit. I think mine did 11hr night when he dropped his nap but over time it gradually lengthened to 12hrs which he continued to do for a couple of years.
I would continue with the no nap days and just make sure her BT is suitable (some LOs extend the night better with earlier BT rather than expecting them to wake later in the morning).  If the tiredness builds up over a week or two you could offer a one-off nap one day and just see if she will take it (I wouldn't force it, just offer).

Mine never did quiet time on his own either. There was no way he was going to lay on his bed or just be quiet.  I know a lot of people don't like screen time for young children but I've also seen many who use the TV with a gentle kids programme on as a way to relax LOs who won't otherwise have a quiet time.  She might kind of calm down and zone out for a little while with a TV programme just to give her a bit of down time.  Depends how you feel about it and if you find TV over stimulating or not.  Reading books together can be a nice quiet time but for some LOs this is also very stimulating - mine would more easily get a rest watching TV where as books he just wanted to read and read, not relaxing at all.

Personally the nap drop was tiring for me. I felt I really needed that break from my DS but soon got used to it.  I also found an afternoon toddler ballet class to take him to which in a way felt like a short break for me, I could mostly just sit and watch.


Offline sszskristy

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Re: Nap dropping or sleep regression?
« Reply #2 on: February 20, 2017, 09:14:30 am »
Sounds like the nap drop to me.
If she has managed the day you describe I think you are doing brilliantly!  This could be the easiest nap-drop on record :)

Not sure what time you did BT when the nap was still there, or how long she napped for, so just make sure she goes to bed earlier to make up for the missed nap.  Quite often the night sleep might not seem long enough but over time they can lengthen the night a bit. I think mine did 11hr night when he dropped his nap but over time it gradually lengthened to 12hrs which he continued to do for a couple of years.
I would continue with the no nap days and just make sure her BT is suitable (some LOs extend the night better with earlier BT rather than expecting them to wake later in the morning).  If the tiredness builds up over a week or two you could offer a one-off nap one day and just see if she will take it (I wouldn't force it, just offer).

Mine never did quiet time on his own either. There was no way he was going to lay on his bed or just be quiet.  I know a lot of people don't like screen time for young children but I've also seen many who use the TV with a gentle kids programme on as a way to relax LOs who won't otherwise have a quiet time.  She might kind of calm down and zone out for a little while with a TV programme just to give her a bit of down time.  Depends how you feel about it and if you find TV over stimulating or not.  Reading books together can be a nice quiet time but for some LOs this is also very stimulating - mine would more easily get a rest watching TV where as books he just wanted to read and read, not relaxing at all.

Personally the nap drop was tiring for me. I felt I really needed that break from my DS but soon got used to it.  I also found an afternoon toddler ballet class to take him to which in a way felt like a short break for me, I could mostly just sit and watch.

Hi hun thanks for quick reply. Before these days, we have 1.5hrs nap, sleep from 7:30 to 7:30 (sleep about 11hrs, I just write down the time I put her down and pick her up)

Guess what, she had 1.5hrs nap today, but not as easy as usual, I lay down with her for 10 minutes and noticed her started to close her eyes, so I told her I had to go out for a while but would be back, she said yes. I left, she fell asleep in 10 minutes. So today's bedtime was 7:30 and it went well.

Well, it is more and more confusing right? But I think it is very hard to find out the answer now, just keep trying to do my best to keep a good routine. And for the past nap transition and nap dropping, I have to say it went smoothly everytime, BUT my girl did drop each nap earlier than other kids. And to be honest, personally I don't hope she drop this one so early because it really makes me a little bit frustrated...I am not ready to accept kid-free time during the day is gone...but just like you said, maybe I would get used to it very soon when it really happens. After all, I do have an excellent sleeper, what could I complain?

And for the quiet time, on the first no napping day, she lay down on the sofa in the living room, and I sat in another one with my book and iphone, she was totally fine with it. But I moved her back to her room and lay down with her because I still hoped she would sleep back then. Good news, the TV doesn't suite us because she just doesn't like watching TV and bad news is she doesn't like reading neither....But if she can lie down with me, that is fine.

Anyway, toddler, so tricky huh? I'll keep updating if you or somebody else are still interested..And again thank you so much, feel better just by talking to you:)

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Re: Nap dropping or sleep regression?
« Reply #3 on: February 20, 2017, 20:50:49 pm »
Well, that's great news that things are going so smoothly :)
And I am very jealous of your fabulous 7.30 - 7.30 nights! Mine didn't do a night like that until he was 2 years and several months old.

One positive aspect to no napping is that there is more freedom to go to activities as you don't need to be back home in time for the nap.

I'll be here for your updates :)


Offline sszskristy

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Re: Nap dropping or sleep regression?
« Reply #4 on: February 24, 2017, 02:17:23 am »
Well, that's great news that things are going so smoothly :)
And I am very jealous of your fabulous 7.30 - 7.30 nights! Mine didn't do a night like that until he was 2 years and several months old.

One positive aspect to no napping is that there is more freedom to go to activities as you don't need to be back home in time for the nap.

I'll be here for your updates :)

Hi hun, I think we come back to normal now:) For the past three days and today, she had naps including two days at daycare. For the past SR, it was always very typical and last at least a few weeks. So i am not sure what it was this time maybe sometimes they just need take a break from sleeping...? Well anyway, maybe it was also let me start to prepare the no napping days in the near future. I am still waiting for the 2.5 years old SR haha, let me enjoy some peaceful days now:)

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Re: Nap dropping or sleep regression?
« Reply #5 on: February 24, 2017, 11:17:09 am »
Good to hear things are back on track  :)
It's funny, mine also had a little phase of refusing his nap (25 months) but couldn't cope at all with not napping. After refusing for some time it was like he realised for himself that it wasn't working out and went back to napping every day.  He dropped his nap cold turkey 6 months later.

Hope you continue to have a settled routine :)