Author Topic: 16 m.o. hates NAPS and BEDTIME!  (Read 745 times)

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Offline CarolinaGirl

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16 m.o. hates NAPS and BEDTIME!
« on: August 14, 2006, 19:27:04 pm »
My 16 m.o. has been on EASY from day 1 and a great sleeper. We moved 6 wks ago and then I stopped the bottle at night a few weeks later (didn't seem to care for it). Now, he hates naps and bedtime!! His usual routine is like:
830-900  Awake (If he isn't up by 9, I wake him)
2-4         Nap
8            Bath, Milk Cup, Read, Sit in Room with him
830-900  Bedtime

I usually hold him in the rocker with the lights off and his paci and talk quietly or sing (as always). Now, for nap and bedtime, when the light goes off, he becomes combative, hitting and climbing and yelling and crying. I try to just put him in the crib and shhh, pat and I have tried walk out, walk in. He just stands up and screams. He quiets down when I go back in but then screams when I leave. He has such a hard time turning off his motor!!  I leave out of there at 10 PM feeling like I have been attacked by wolves!!!  Any ideas would be appreciated!!  TIA, Heather

Offline imsmum

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Re: 16 m.o. hates NAPS and BEDTIME!
« Reply #1 on: August 15, 2006, 13:36:58 pm »
I started going through episodes like this with Margot when she was around that age.    So it is likely partly an age thing and partly due to some of the recent changes in your lo's life.  What I found worked well for us was to start the bedtime routine a bit earlier since it seemed very hard for my dd to let go if she was actually tired!  Like you I would hold her in the rocker etc. but if she was too tired she wouldn't want me to let her go into the crib.  So if I started a bit earlier and moved her into the crib before she was really tired and then just talk to her when she was in the crib for a little bit it was better.  Also I can't say "night-night" when I go to leave her in the crib or she'll get up and want me to stay!  I just say "ok have a good sleep" and quietly move away from the crib while she chatters with her babies.

Your ds may not have been that interested in the bottle but he may still be having a bit of a hard time adjusting to the change(s), and need that extra soothing time.  Otherwise it sounds like you are doing the right thing by reinforcing that it is sleeptime.

Offline imsmum

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Re: 16 m.o. hates NAPS and BEDTIME!
« Reply #2 on: August 15, 2006, 14:03:31 pm »
Sorry I just read in one of your other posts that you would hold onto ds until he got that "stare".  I used to do the same thing but  I did find it to be counterproductive at this age because they get really tired and then you disturb them by trying to move them when they are too far along in the sleep cycle.  Maybe start a bit earlier and transfer before that point--I found that really helped Margot, although she would still chat away for 30 minutesor so, contentedly to herself. 

Offline Florencia

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Re: 16 m.o. hates NAPS and BEDTIME!
« Reply #3 on: August 15, 2006, 18:17:33 pm »
Hi Heather! sorry i couldn't help but jiggle at the thought of you attacked by wolves! what a smart and funny way to describe it! ;D

I think Caroline has (as usual) the right input on this. At that age, I found ds to be clingy and cranky when we were in the process of bedtime so of course, making it early saved us hours of crying and overtiredness episodes. Also, I would stay by his crib, at first holding his hand, then just really quietly shshing or reassuring i was there it was night time. Eventually i could leave the room after 5 mins of that. Ds was also extra moody when he was teething, so you might want to check if molars are on its way. IF that's the case, talk to your ped about the meds that he'd suggest and the dosages (usually it's motrin or tylenol).

Take care and keep us posted if you notice anything else! Good luck.
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