From 3 hrs to fighting it!!!! Help

My 25 month old has been a fabulous sleeper since we went to sleep training at 8 onths. She sleeps 11-12 hours at night and until 3 days ago, had an afternoon sleep of at least 2 hours, but often 3 hours. Now she just fights it, and screams for me from her bedroom ( which has a gate on it so she can't get out).

I have a 3 month old and not willing to let go of the arvo sleeps until I absolutely have to. She went to sleep yesterday for 2 hours but I had to pat her. It only took 10 mins but I had to help and I really dont want to get into that again as it might affect her self settling at night too. She is sooooooo grumpy without a sleep and it feels like i fight with her alllllll afternoon if she doesn't have one.

Ive tried the cranky approach and the nice approach and the silent but actions approach too. Any suggestions????

PS - Please dont tell me arvo sleeps are on their way out!!! I might have to cry!!! :pray:

Ok I won't say it :p

But my DS gave up his day sleeps last christmas - and that was just before he turned 2. now its VERY rare that he has one - even if he's sick he still doesn't have one. They do get better at handling it though.

Good luck - I hope its not on the way out.

I won't say it either ;) But we only get one and a half hours here and I get the feeling that will be gone before ds is 2...

Do you find that she goes to sleep easier if she has had an active morning - like playing at the park, or running around outside? Maybe she needs to burn up a little more energy now she's getting older. If we've had a quiet morning at home, I always take my dd3 outside for a jump on the trampoline, or a game of chasey - and i often find she is then showing signs of being sleepy.
I really hope it's just a phase for you, and that she goes back to settling beautifully for her daytime naps. It's time we mummies need to stay sane ;)

We are really active most mornings, swimming, playgroup, etc. She seems to be fighting it because she can see that it really gets to me. I cant pretend it doesnt because it really does. I cant rest and find that really difficult. Im still up at least 2 times during the night to DS to feed and am with both kids from 7.30 am - 5.30pm.

Just need it for my sanity......grumpy mummy + grumpy toddler = ahhhhhhhhh

ide say shes dropping that sleep. Your lucky to get away with it this long ;) Mayb she can have an earlier bed time to make up for not sleeping during the day??

I don't know that I can be much help other than to totally sympathise. My DD will be 2 next week and up until 4 weeks ago always had a 2-3 hour day sleep. I put her in a big bed and for the first week or so she was fine with day sleeps then she discovered she could get up and play around and hasn't slept since. By 3:00 in the afternoon she is so overtired she is either crying or finding delibratly naughty things to do and then crying.

As her parent I feel that even if she thinks she is ready to give up her day sleep I can see that she still needs it. I have never been one for controlled crying with her but today I set up the porta-cot in the spare room. So when she got out of her big bed she got put in the porta-cot, where she will stay till she has a sleep. She has been in there 20 minutes and can still here her talking but its getting quiter...

Sorry I couldn't be more help. Goodluck :D

its about consistancy hun. If it's only been happening for 3 days, yet you've tried 3 aproaches, you haven't given any of them a chance to work. Each thing should be tried for AT LEAST a week, possibly longer. The silent one works the best in my experience with older babies. However this time I just cuddle or pat

Sorry double post :)

I'm going to say it too...sorry! My dd1 gave up her day sleep around 21months old. I was adement she wasnt coz dd2 was only 6 weeks old and I wanted sleep. It made things worse by forsing it on her ( i would take her in the car til she fell asleep)....if she slept during the day she wouldnt go down til 1030...and we still have that problem on the rare occassion she does sleep.

Good luck and hugs