Toddler and day sleeping

My DD1 is just shy of turning 2 and for the last few weeks has been refusing her day sleeps however is sooooo over tired by the evenings. What age did your toddlers give up their day time naps?? I've tried putting her to bed an hour earlier if she doesnt have a sleep or making her have a sleep and putting her to bed at night a bit later but no matter what time she goes down at night (generally 6 or 7pm) she will be up by about 7am which is fine but from 4pm onward without a sleep she is a terror. I put her in her room after lunch for her nap and she will play or scream but never sleep and the last 2 days has been taking her nappy off and pooing and on my carpet :wall: Should i just give up with the day sleep even though she still acts like she needs it? I have a 3 month old also and really appreciated my hours peace when she used to nap. Now everyday from 4pm its horrible to be in our house with a tired tantruming tot and unsettled bub.

Hey Hoody, we just went through this with our DD too, although she is a bit older, she's turned 3 in January so in the end we decided that it was better for the sanity of the household to let her day sleep go.

However, I think at your DD's age, she probably does still need it. If it were me, I would persevere as long as sanity allows you to! Sometimes toddlers will go through phases of not wanting to sleep only to return to it a few weeks/days later. I tried with DD for about 3 months before finally letting it go (during this time she would sleep some days, not others. When we got to the point where she was in her room every day for 2 hours, for about 2 weeks straight without sleeping, we gave up). I spoke to our MCHN who said that at about 3 onwards they start dropping their day sleeps and there isn't much you can do about it. Obviously some kids will drop it sooner and others will have a day sleep until they start school (lucky mums!)

The other big difference is that our DD seems to cope OK without it. Yes, she's a lot more tired at the end of the day, especially on preschool days, but she's in bed by 7pm so it's not too bad.

I feel for you, we've been having issues at night here this week with DD waking up and with a baby as well, it doesn't take long before you're pretty exhausted!

Hello:

I dont know your tactics or how firm you are but you do need to be really firm with your daughter as she is still obviously needs her sleep and so do you lol
For example:
I have a DS 7 yrs old and he still get MADE to sleep in the afternoon if i thinks he needs it...(.especilally on the weekends after a long week at school )like not listening and excessively talking nonsense. I tell you no lie he still reluctantly goes to bed and sometime sleeps 2 hours and then still in bed at 7 30 pm no matter!

I have alway just told DS to sleep even as a little one .... i remember i had the 'three time mum goes in room' thing happening. first time just to put him back to bed and adjust dummy 2nd time told him it is sleep time and 3rd i kind of growled to sleep and 9/10 he was a sleep when i snuck in to check.

when he was about 3yrs i remember my in laws said ds didnt need a sleep anymore and i said and why not.... he is a wee child a needs to grow so intern need to sleep!

I hope that helped.

Ainsley

My DS is 2.5 and he dropped his regular day sleeps for me just before he turned 2. Saying that, he will always have a day sleep for his daycare mum (up to 2 hours). So maybe it's me... LOL. Today though, he has had a sleep for me (:pray:) so I don't know what I did today that is any different to any other day :lol:

I would just say go with the flow. I also have a 5 month old and know how nice it is to have that bit of quiet time while your toddler has a sleep. Have you maybe tried having "quiet" time where your toddler goes and plays in the bedroom or watch a DVD or lie on the lounge for 1/2 hour - just being quiet - not necessarily a sleep.

Good luck xxoo

Seth has been doing the same and he's a few days older than your DD1.

I just persevere and some days it will take 20 mins to get him to sleep other days 45 mins. But I keep persisting because I know he NEEDS his sleep. My daughter did this at this age, and continued to have naps (after this phase) till about kinder age, and even now will ask for a rest if she's tired. So I think for us perseverance was the key, but obviously everyone is different.

My boys have a morning sleep around 9.30/10am for about 1 to 2 hrs then I put them back to bed at 7.30pm . ( they wake in the morning around 5 / 5.30 am)

Thanks all i will keep persevering (sp?) today she went down after me having to go in 3 times. I just cant stand to have her carry on screaming like she does and there is no way she will go down without a fight some days it just feels easier to keep her up but i know she still needs her sleep iykwim. I have no probs getting her to go to bed at night so i dont know what the prob is. Today she almost fell asleep in the car so i tried to put her down as soon as i got home at 1pm its 2.30 and she's only jsut asleep. I am firm with her but i dont like to yell in order to get her to stay in her room and her crying really gets to me as she doesnt just cry she screams and has big tantrums. Thanks for the advice i will keep trying and hope this phase will pass. :pray: