I'm having a problem with naps....

[Carmela's Mom]

Can someone please help me.

I think right now Carmela is teething.  Most nights she is up each hour, if not 3 or 4 times an hour.  She cries, settles herself and goes right back to bed.  The problem is in the morning she is not fully rested and is really cranky.  Most mornings she wants to nap at 10:00 a.m. which means a 1.5 hour nap and an overtired child by 6:30 or 7 when its bedtime.  I try to make her go until noon but sometimes then she can't settle into a nap.  Before the teething, we had the perfect schedule and I just can't find it again. 

What do you do with teething and bad nights?  Do you make naps earlier or keep them the same time?  She was going in at 12:45 and now today I put her in at 12:15 and she's just not wanting to sleep.

Suggestions?

[Carmela's Mom]

I think I have my own answer....today she's not napping and I think its because I put her in too early.  I can't figure her out.  Why do they yawn/rub eyes, etc., yet not really want to sleep?  I don't get it!!!!!!!!!!!  And then on some days I put her in earlier and she goes right to sleep. 

I just can't figure this out at all

[jessica and emilys mummy]

Hi
With regards to the naps,I would put her down for a nap when she needs it,probably 10.30am,may seem early to you,but if she's been up and down all night then she'll be dog tired.
I really think it's time to start some sleep training,either in and out or PD (I'm sorry I don't know how old she is)
If she can get back to the sleeping all night,she will be less cranky during the day and her naps will sort themselves out.
I PROMISE you I had severe sleep problems from the time Em was 10 months (also severe sep anxiety) and it took me months to find this site and the help I needed.
I then became a sleep moderator and have managed to help a few people.
Please look at my pm again with the counting to 10 and try it for a week to see how you go.

If anyone else has had success with the counting to 10 please post here.

I hope you don't feel I'm pushy or harsh and I think you sound like a fantastic caring mum
 :wink:

[Carmela's Mom]

There really is no reason to sleep train at this point.  She wakes up several times an hour BUT she's literally crying out for maybe 5 seconds TOPS and rolling over and going back to sleep.  I really think its due to her teeth.  Once she starts her waking for HOURS, I'm going to take your advice.

[Katet]

My 2.5yo often wants to nap at about 11am, just he is an early napper, he copes with the long afternoons now but not when he was younger.

When he was younger & did early naps & refused a second one, we used to have a "rest" I was preg, so I put him in his cot with books & toys at 3.30pm & I had a whole pile of pillows on the floor & I snuggled down there & had some calming music on & we "chilled" for 1/2 hour, that got him through to bed time. I took a few days for him not to protest, but I stuck with it & now he often goes to his room to "rest" when he is overwhelemed.

On the crying out for a few seconds then back to sleep, my thought is that she may not even actually wake up, but just be a 'sleep talker' my ds#1 is like that... it is sooo annoying, but I have got used to it now.

[Carmela's Mom]

Kate -- My ped asked me if I thought it was night talking.  I don't think so because it usually comes in spurts...does your son's go in spurts? 

I have a feeling she's getting her molars.  She has all the signs but I can't see in her mouth to see if I'm right.

[Khyan & Sahria's mum]

Are you giving any pain meds? and if so does it make a difference?

I found that about 1 week ago Khyan started waking at night again but he was staying awake for 1 hour at a time  :shock: any way I had 3 nights like that and then I gave pain meds the following night and he slept thru again  now it's just a matter of me working out which nights he needs it and which ones he doesn't  :roll:

But those molars are HORRIBLE so if you haven't tried the pain meds I'd give it a go

Good luck

[lulah'smum]

We're having the exact same issues here right now... quite literally now  :?  It's 12.15, Lulah had lunch at 11.30am, I tried to put her down for a nap at 12 but she cried and cried so I got her up again. She seriously seems tired as she's getting clumsy, falling over, rubbing her eyes etc. I'll try to put her down again in 15 mins, fingers crossed.

The same thing has been happening for the last 3 days. She'll eventually have a nap but only for an hour or so, as opposed to the usual 2hrs. She's waking at night too.

I think you're right about the teeth. She has her first 4 molars (which were hell for all of us :wink: ) - maybe more are on their way?? How do I know when she won't let me check her mouth??  :roll:  :lol:

[Katet]

Yes the crying out used to come in spurts... now it is actual talking, Aiden rarely crys in his sleep now & if he does I KNOW there is a problem. He mostly talks about "things that happened" he might say "jump in the pool" when he has been swimming or "train no stop" if we went to the railway station... but it hasn't happened in the last week or 2.

[Carys' mom]

Hi,

We're also having these issues right now with my 11 month dd. I believe she's getting her first molars. She wakes at night several times crying, and putting her down for naps has become a real challenge. She'll only take one nap now, but she gets tired at different times. Today, she fell asleep in the car at around 10:15am on the way back from her baby gym class - I put her to bed and she slept for an hour and 10 minutes. I tried repeatedly to put her down for another nap this afternoon, but she wouldn't and didn't seem tired until past 4pm. From that time until her bedtime, she of course was weepy and grouchy. I don't know what to do for her. We've been giving her pain meds, but it doesn't seem to help. Is there anything stronger than Tylenol or Motrin that we can give? The nightwakings are killing me...

Thanks...

[lulah'smum]

Melanie - molars are VICIOUS so I would say if that's what's happening just try to be patient with her and ride it out. Also, it does take a few weeks to get the 'one nap' thing happening properly. Early naps are common and then no nap in the afternoon, with perhaps an earlier bedtime. My advice would be to ease her SLOWLY into staying awake longer in the morning (eg, make the nap time later by 5 mins each day).

Well, Tallulah didn't fall asleep until 1pm just now, she was crying for 30 mins  :cry:  I haven't had to let her cry herself to sleep for a long time and I'd forgotten how heartbreaking it is. I went in to reassure her 3 times and each time she clung to me like she wanted to get up but I knew how tired she was so I wasn't going to cave.

Goodluck everyone  :wink:

[Keren]

Hi Lucinda

We are going through something similar but I know ours isn't molar related. Josh only has 6 teeth so far!

But for the past week he has been crying and protesting when I have been trying to put him down for a nap around the 6-6.5hr. Now I put him down around 7-7.5hrs and he is out. He will give tired signs from 5 hours on but I know if I even try and go into his room before 7 hours he will protest.

Maybe she needs a longer awake time?

Cheers
Keren

[Carmela's Mom]

We tried the longer wake times and normally they work great for us too.  Today was the same except worst.  At 9:00 she started becoming a nightmare and I knew she was up a lot last night.  The problem is that she isn't crying for extended periods of time and if I go in there, she will. 

We think one of two things...1) molars or 2) lactose intollerant.  We removed cheese, yogurt and milk from her diet two weeks ago and she did great without them.  I re-introduced them and she started waking again.  I'm not sure if its a coincidence so we're taking them back out and going to see if there is a difference.  I wish I just had an answer.

From 9 a.m. I managed to get her out of the house until 11.  I just put her in now.  I am hoping I made the right choice but I am really doubting it.  But if she has tired signs, I keep her up until 12:30 as long as she isn't being a terror.  Today she was a terror....8 temper tantrums in 30 minutes!  That was a major sign that she needs rest.

[lulah'smum]

Hi Keren, thanks for the advice, I'm going to give it a go today  . It did cross my mind that she might be happy to stay awake for longer these days but you know how it is... you don't want to keep them up too long incase you make them overtired and then they'll never sleep!! It's hard work huh?

I really applaud you guys with 1 year olds and another on the way! We're considering TTC # 2 towards the end of the year but I'm really scared!!!

[Nicole-Momtomegan]

HI Lucinda, how old is Tallulah? Meg is 16mo's on the 22nd. she is also fighting naps right now. so strange.
Hey, Keren, don't be surprised if josh IS getting molars'.
Meg only has 4 teeth on the bottom, 2 on top and last friday i FOUND a molar in her mouth!!! I was in disbelief! i have NO IDEA when it came in. superstrange. she is just getting one of her other two top teeth now.

anyway, would love to chat with you ladies more as our children are same age.
I'm totally scared about #2 as well Lucinda....but i think we will ttc in June of this year.


Nicole