Toddler sleep

Godslilgirl225 · 10-06-2014, 12:20 PM

I wasn't sure where else to ask this but I'm feeling frustrated. Our 18 month old little guy has always been rocked to sleep. (He does naps and the first few hours at night in his own bed.) lately however he's been taking so long to fall asleep that I feel myself getting angry at him. But he won't fall asleep on his own unless we are in the car and then I can't move him bc he will wake up! 😕

I also haven't ever been able to just let him cry...

But what can I do? He has a pretty go with the flow routine with approx sleep times vs set in stone ones.

How can I keep from rocking for an hour to only have him sleep an hour? I don't like being angry or frustrated with him 😢 this new phase is wearing on me.

marbles · 10-06-2014, 12:37 PM

Have you tried just starting later? Maybe his sleep is changing so he needs less? For that age, if mine were not obviously tired or trying to go to sleep, I gave it 15 minutes. If they weren't settling down and getting heavy eyes after 15 minutes, we got up and tried again later.

Godslilgirl225 · 10-06-2014, 12:47 PM

I have tried something similar to this but then he will fight it all day long and have zero nap. Which results in him being a mess by the time daddy gets home

and if it's bedtime that he's fighting he has no problem staying up till 10 or more before passing out sometimes. Sigh. I keep repeating to myself it's just a phase it's just a phase. Maybe I need to b more diligent with him cutting down to one afternoon nap vs two short naps one am one pm? I was trying to help him w that a month ago but it resulted in one 1hr nap and a cranky kid so we went bk to the two 1hr naps

MegMarch · 10-06-2014, 01:03 PM

One 1-2 hr nap is more "normal" at that age. And generally at 1.5 and 2.5 sleep gets hard for a few months. I think because it's a transition time. From babyish to toddler and then to preschooler. Obviously they don't care about labels but their minds and bodies change a lot in that half year zone.

I found that if bedtime is a bust, we all do better letting her play very quietly alone in a dim room for about 20 minutes, and then trying again. Sometimes I can see she needs more time and allow it but 20's usually the minimum for us to get calm enough to attempt sleep.

esperanza · 10-06-2014, 05:54 PM

I toooootally get sleep problems. They are the worst. The worst! My son is 14 months. A couple weeks he practically overnight dropped from one nap to two. He gets up around 7, and then had been napping around 10 and 2. At first he took his one nap around 11, but it has slowly moved back to around 12 or 1. He sleeps for 1.5-2 hours, and then he goes to sleep a lot earlier at night than when he had been taking two naps. Honestly I prefer this way, since we don't have to worry about getting home for two naps a day and bedtime is easier.

It was a rough few days as he transitioned, since he was tired really early at night. But after a couple days, it got a lot easier. I'd try skipping the morning nap and having an earlier afternoon nap. I'd be that he isn't tired enough for two naps anymore. Hope you figure something out!

Godslilgirl225 · 10-06-2014, 05:59 PM

Thanks

my son's been doing the same up around 7 naps around 10 and 2

I hate to kill the am nap bc he ends up fussy and not wanting lunch but I'll give it a shot

esperanza · 10-06-2014, 06:19 PM

Yeah, I get it. The first couple days were hard, but after his late morning nap, he did not want to take an afternoon nap. I'd try to find something to do- get out of the house and go somewhere, go outside, something. At least my son is less likely to get crabby and fussy if we're out doing something fun. Then plan for an early lunch (or late lunch after nap) and have him nap around 11. It took about a week for nap to get moved back to around 12 or 12:30, which is more reasonable.

marbles · 10-06-2014, 06:24 PM

Yeah I would drop to one nap too. It sounds like he's just not tired. Transitions are hard to figure out sometimes, he'll get there. My kids are only 4 and 2 but if there's one thing I've learned about sleep it's this: relax about sleep.

I worried way too much about how much and when and how and by even 4 years old it doesn't really matter. Healthy sleep habits are important, yes. But sleep routines change so so so much in the first few years, most of the time if sleep is approached in a healthy way in the home, it'll work out.

Godslilgirl225 · 10-06-2014, 06:26 PM

Seriously, thank you! He only slept about 45 mins this am and refused a pm. We survived till after dinner thank you baby wearing! And he fell asleep nursing

---------- Post added at 09:26 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:24 PM ----------

The crazy thing is that he goes and gets his loveys and wants to nurse and is yawning at 10 am. We shall see how tomorrow goes!

esperanza · 10-06-2014, 07:00 PM

Sounds exactly how things went for us. He'll probably start taking a longer nap as he transitions to one. My ds also fell asleep nursing (which he never does) at bedtime when he went to one nap the first few nights. He was just so tired by the evening. Get him active and try to push a little past that 10 am nap time. And yes, what would we do without babyearing??!!

Godslilgirl225 · 10-06-2014, 07:02 PM

Nursing and babywearing have saved us so many times! Thanks again Esperanza

HuggaBuggaMommy · 10-07-2014, 06:30 AM

Just echoing the others - it does sound like he's transitioning from two naps to one. Yes, that transition can be a bear (as with transitioning from one nap to none). My ds2, who is 17 months, is going through the same thing. On days he has two naps, forget going to bed until about 10 p.m. His prime "one nap" time is around 11 a.m. - I just give him lunch afterwards. If it's a sorter nap, oh boy is he cranky that hour before bed, but I fill that time with play time, bath, snack, and other "distractions" until about 7:30 p.m., then it's right to sleep.

MegMarch · 10-07-2014, 07:09 AM

That 10am lovey tired business may be a good time for errands where he can relax in a carrier or stay in a cart, or for some cuddly book time at home. Alternatively, you may need to ramp up the fun around that time. Outside time or active fun inside to get him moving enough to keep going through lunch till nap.

HuggaBuggaMommy · 10-07-2014, 08:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MegMarch

That 10am lovey tired business may be a good time for errands where he can relax in a carrier or stay in a cart, or for some cuddly book time at home. Alternatively, you may need to ramp up the fun around that time. Outside time or active fun inside to get him moving enough to keep going through lunch till nap.

Yeah, we get the 10 a.m. tired time here, too. Either we do something fun or we get out of the house. It helps. If we're home doing nothing, ds2 just wants to nurse and fall asleep.

10-06-2014, 12:37 PM	#2
marbles Rose Garden Our Family Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: South Carolina Posts: 5,047	Re: Toddler sleep Have you tried just starting later? Maybe his sleep is changing so he needs less? For that age, if mine were not obviously tired or trying to go to sleep, I gave it 15 minutes. If they weren't settling down and getting heavy eyes after 15 minutes, we got up and tried again later. __________________ Mary K wife to Daniel for 16 years mom to 13 year old the Girl and 11 year old the Boy and 8 year old Tiny Almost always posting from my phone.

10-06-2014, 01:03 PM	#4
MegMarch Rose Garden Join Date: Jun 2012 Posts: 5,922	Re: Toddler sleep One 1-2 hr nap is more "normal" at that age. And generally at 1.5 and 2.5 sleep gets hard for a few months. I think because it's a transition time. From babyish to toddler and then to preschooler. Obviously they don't care about labels but their minds and bodies change a lot in that half year zone. I found that if bedtime is a bust, we all do better letting her play very quietly alone in a dim room for about 20 minutes, and then trying again. Sometimes I can see she needs more time and allow it but 20's usually the minimum for us to get calm enough to attempt sleep.

10-06-2014, 05:54 PM	#5
esperanza Rose Garden Join Date: Dec 2012 Posts: 5,240	Re: Toddler sleep I toooootally get sleep problems. They are the worst. The worst! My son is 14 months. A couple weeks he practically overnight dropped from one nap to two. He gets up around 7, and then had been napping around 10 and 2. At first he took his one nap around 11, but it has slowly moved back to around 12 or 1. He sleeps for 1.5-2 hours, and then he goes to sleep a lot earlier at night than when he had been taking two naps. Honestly I prefer this way, since we don't have to worry about getting home for two naps a day and bedtime is easier. It was a rough few days as he transitioned, since he was tired really early at night. But after a couple days, it got a lot easier. I'd try skipping the morning nap and having an earlier afternoon nap. I'd be that he isn't tired enough for two naps anymore. Hope you figure something out! __________________ Wife to mi amor Mama to my gift from the Lord (07/2013)

10-06-2014, 06:19 PM	#7
esperanza Rose Garden Join Date: Dec 2012 Posts: 5,240	Re: Toddler sleep Yeah, I get it. The first couple days were hard, but after his late morning nap, he did not want to take an afternoon nap. I'd try to find something to do- get out of the house and go somewhere, go outside, something. At least my son is less likely to get crabby and fussy if we're out doing something fun. Then plan for an early lunch (or late lunch after nap) and have him nap around 11. It took about a week for nap to get moved back to around 12 or 12:30, which is more reasonable. __________________ Wife to mi amor Mama to my gift from the Lord (07/2013)

10-06-2014, 06:24 PM	#8
marbles Rose Garden Our Family Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: South Carolina Posts: 5,047	Re: Toddler sleep Yeah I would drop to one nap too. It sounds like he's just not tired. Transitions are hard to figure out sometimes, he'll get there. My kids are only 4 and 2 but if there's one thing I've learned about sleep it's this: relax about sleep. I worried way too much about how much and when and how and by even 4 years old it doesn't really matter. Healthy sleep habits are important, yes. But sleep routines change so so so much in the first few years, most of the time if sleep is approached in a healthy way in the home, it'll work out. __________________ Mary K wife to Daniel for 16 years mom to 13 year old the Girl and 11 year old the Boy and 8 year old Tiny Almost always posting from my phone.

10-06-2014, 07:00 PM	#10
esperanza Rose Garden Join Date: Dec 2012 Posts: 5,240	Re: Toddler sleep Sounds exactly how things went for us. He'll probably start taking a longer nap as he transitions to one. My ds also fell asleep nursing (which he never does) at bedtime when he went to one nap the first few nights. He was just so tired by the evening. Get him active and try to push a little past that 10 am nap time. And yes, what would we do without babyearing??!! __________________ Wife to mi amor Mama to my gift from the Lord (07/2013)

10-07-2014, 06:30 AM	#12
HuggaBuggaMommy Administrator Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 12,267	Re: Toddler sleep Just echoing the others - it does sound like he's transitioning from two naps to one. Yes, that transition can be a bear (as with transitioning from one nap to none). My ds2, who is 17 months, is going through the same thing. On days he has two naps, forget going to bed until about 10 p.m. His prime "one nap" time is around 11 a.m. - I just give him lunch afterwards. If it's a sorter nap, oh boy is he cranky that hour before bed, but I fill that time with play time, bath, snack, and other "distractions" until about 7:30 p.m., then it's right to sleep. __________________ Christa Oldest, 22 Middlest, 13 Youngest, 10

10-07-2014, 07:09 AM	#13
MegMarch Rose Garden Join Date: Jun 2012 Posts: 5,922	Re: Toddler sleep That 10am lovey tired business may be a good time for errands where he can relax in a carrier or stay in a cart, or for some cuddly book time at home. Alternatively, you may need to ramp up the fun around that time. Outside time or active fun inside to get him moving enough to keep going through lunch till nap.

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