Hi there
My DD is 14 months. She started refusing the PM nap at about 10 months. I tried shortening the AM nap to 45 mins, 30 mins etc, but it only worked for a few days then she’d refuse it again. I ended up driving her around in the car for the PM nap etc etc. I tried just one nap, and I chopped and changed, I got so frustrated. On 2 naps she just wouldn’t go down at night, it took ages. She would be hyper. Yet on one nap she’d go straight to sleep. So a couple of weeks ago I decided to go with one nap and see what happened. The naps were often only 1hr or 1:15. I gather that means she’s overtired. But she went straight to sleep at nap time and bedtime. No fuss. Woke at night 2-3x but she does that anyway and I feed if she won’t resettle. (AP I know, but I’m planning to wean that
). I did a really early bedtime – asleep by 6pm.
Well my problem is that now that she’s started doing a longer nap – (1:25, 1:40, 2 hrs) I’m really confused about when to put her down at night. I thought she could stay up a bit later so was aiming for asleep by 6.30 or 7 at latest. But she seems wired. Earlier or later, still not interested in going to sleep. I can’t figure out if she’s OT or not tired enough. She’s not interested in reading books, wants to climb all over the bed where we sit etc. I ended up breastfeeding her again the other night just to get her to sleep (AP I know). I was annoyed at myself so got DH to put her down the last few nights but she’s still insisting on a feed again before sleep!! So I end up going in again. If he or I try to put her down she just cries, reaches up wanting a feed. It seems as if she’s now got a “feed to sleep” association!! How can this have happened so quickly? Before all this hassle, I could put her down and walk out. Even those times when she had 2 naps and wouldn’t settle, she would roll around in the cot, I stayed in the room and she eventually went to sleep. She did have SA quite badly, esp after learning to walk, but I think it’s disappearing.
I’m wondering if I’m putting her down too early or too late? Does anyone have guidelines on ‘A’ time after one nap? She wakes at 7, down for nap about 12.
I gather that 1:15 hr means they’re overtired. What’s the cut-off point when it means they’re not overtired? Is any nap length considered undertired? DD just won’t go down these days if she’s not tired though.
I’m so frustrated. This feed to sleep thing is got me worried. I’ve avoided that so far. I know I’ve AP’d and done it out of desperation some nights when she just wouldn’t settle, but never fed her all the way to sleep. And the next night I could always go back to our normal way of going to sleep. She’s never “asked” for it as such until now.
Any suggestions welcome!
