thread: Time to drop her morning nap? need some advice

  1. #1
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    Sep 2007
    South Gippsland
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    Angry Time to drop her morning nap? need some advice

    I am just about ready to do DD serious damage (not really just incredibly frustrated). I am sick to death of battling with her EVERY morning for her morning nap.

    It starts by getting her off to sleep usually within 10 mins, then I move her to her cot and AS SOON as I put her down, she wakes up and starts screaming. I continue to pull her blankets up and leave the room BUT she continues to scream and it gets worse. So then I go in and burp her which usually takes another 10 min, try to re settle her and sometimes we can repeat the process for up to 90 mins, by which time we are both exhausted and I am ready to just leave her for her father to manage by himself.

    This morning we have battled YET AGAIN over her nap. She is soooooooo tired and cranky that I am ready to lock her outside with the grizzling dogs.

    I am abouit at my wits end and I hate losing it and yelling at her because she is being so naughty but I am so damned frustrated by her.

    The thing is, we tried keeping her awake and giving her one nap after lunch but she was only down for an hour and was such a turd that night ...........

    I am at a loss, yes she had been cutting a tooth, thats through now, yes she has been a little sick but she is now on the mend its doing my head in.

    SO should I just suck it up and put up with a grizzling little turd and get her use to one nap OR should I continue to fight with her over the morning nap ... she wins either way and I am growing so tired of this cycle.

    Can someone please help?

    Nae x x x

  2. #2
    Registered User

    Dec 2007
    Sunny Qld
    14,682

    What does she do if you keep her up? What time are you currently putting her down? DD2 used to go down at around 9.30, and was getting difficult to put down, so now she goes between 10 and 10.30, and puts herself to sleep. She usually sleeps till 12/1pm, and we are just in the process of cutting out the arvo nap cos thats too hard to get her down for it.

  3. #3
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    Sep 2007
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    Right so its 11.30 and DD has JUST gone down ....... I have had a big cry so now what? do I let her sleep beyond 12? if I do then she won't want her arvo nap at 2.30 nor will she be tired enough by her regular bed time ....... what the hell is going on with this kid, seriously its every friggin day that we are battling over her naps and I don't think I can cope much longer

  4. #4
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    Sep 2007
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    she disintergrates if I keep her up Arimeh then refuses lunch then refuses arvo nap and then we have a really really bad night. Gah and don't get me started on her night sleeps she has gone from bad to worse there too Sheesh I hope its just a phase

  5. #5
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    Dec 2006
    In my own private paradise
    15,272

    Nae, E has weaned herself off having two day naps - she now goes down between 11 and 11.30 and will sleep for approx 2.5-3 hours. she gets a bit ratty in the arvo before dinner, but not enough to need a sleep. maybe Shae is trying to let you know she doesn't need two sleeps and just wants one long one... that transition period is painful (and we still have issues as my mum doesn't stick with our routine when E is there)...

  6. #6
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    Dec 2007
    Sunny Qld
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    I'd try putting her down at 10.30/11 and see what she does. There is an adjustment period (which we are going through, we've got the long nap figured out, just adjusting to dropping the second) but a few weeks and she should be fine.

    Hang in there

    She might be ready for just the one nap, and this is the only way she can show you. DD1 dropped down to one nap at 11 months, DD2 is getting close to 11 months, so I am thinking she will be the same.

  7. #7
    Registered User

    Feb 2006
    NSW Central Coast
    5,301

    I agree with the other girls, sounds to me like she's trying to drop a sleep. It's a tough time and some days she may still need two sleeps. Maybe if you can give her just the one sleep at about 11/11.30ish and then put her to bed at about 6/6.30 for the night? That's how we first started with DS when he dropped a day sleep. He now goes down at 12ish, sleeps til 1.30/2.30 then goes to bed at 7pm. He has just turned two though and we have adjusted the times a few times. Good luck dropping sleeps sucks! I hope she gets a new routine sorted ASAP!

  8. #8
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    Sep 2007
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    Thank you ladies mmwwaaaahhhaa

    I can't keep from crying today I am just a mess over these battles. I think you're both right perhaps she is letting me know she is no longer needing her morning nap, maybe its just too soon from waking for her (wakes 7ish then normally would go down 9-9.30) I think tomorrow if I will try 10-10.30 and if we still battle then we will just have to cut it out completely.

    I feel SOOOOOOOO bad about yelling at her, I even just sat her on the floor crying and went off and vaccumed I was so fed up and now I feel so guilty an dlike such a bad mum its horrible, I really hate it because I remind myself of my own mother when I get like that and I swore I would never parent the way she did

    NOW - what do I do - should I wake her or let her sleep?? we usually have lunch at 1 but she has only slept for 30 min??!1

  9. #9
    BellyBelly Life Subscriber

    Feb 2006
    melbourne
    11,462

    let her sleep darl if you dont think you'll get her down later

    DD2 dropped to one sleep at 12 months, she goes down every day at around 12pm she only sleeps for on average 75 mins, it can less, from 60-120 mins though, she goes down around 6.30 and up at 6.37am on the dot

  10. #10
    Registered User

    Oct 2008
    Victoria
    4,601

    Just before 12 months Moo was really battling the arvo nap (and I really wanted him to keep it!) and I was feeling very frustrated, so big hugs darl.
    In the end we just went with the flow. If he didn't have an arvo nap we put him to bed earlier that night. We found every few days he'd want an arvo nap for a couple of days while he transitioned. Now he just has 1 to 2 hours in the morning. Some days he still needs another sleep, I've actually just put him down as his morning nap was quite short today. Hoping he'll have a little kip otherwise it's going to be a very long afternoon!
    It's hard when they change things around on you! Hope she sorts herself out soon.

  11. #11
    Registered User

    Mar 2007
    Melbourne
    4,031

    I would let her sleep as long as she wants Nae.
    Perhaps you could try something like this
    Breakfast and BF when waking
    Snack at around 9-10
    Lunch at 11am then BF to sleep or if still awake put her down and see what she does.
    Afternoon snack around 3pm
    Dinner 5pm-6pm then bath feed and bed when she is ready.

    You probably have an extra BF or two in there.

    It's a tough transition from 2 sleeps to 1 sleep. I have followed Tess' lead. It helps that she has the distraction of her brother to keep her amused.
    Another thing to try is perhaps put a morning walk in around sleep time and see if she sleeps in the pram? You could either try and transfer her from the pram or let her sleep in the pram?

    It will get better Nae

  12. #12
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    Sep 2007
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    Thanks everyone,

    SHe was only down for her late morning nap for 40 min and took her sweet time with lunch so by the time we got back from the P.O it was three. She was so completely exhausted she was asleep in 5 min. Popped her in her cot and she woke and screamed for a few minutes but I left her and so far so good.
    I am trying to not BF her too much through the day now as its prevent my AF from visiting and I would like to wean her completely so mornings like today when she is on and off the breast for 2-3 hours its really frustrating. Espeically when we are still 5-7 feeds in a 24hr period.

    Tomorrow we are out at playgroup which will throw her out as well, thinking about keeping her home but I need the outing as much as she does.

    Enjoying the quiet now with the exception of the dogs barking at a stray!!