Nap nightmares with 13 month old Dd

[Baby2012]

Hello mums I'm hoping for some advice although I think I more just want to vent!

So my Dd has never been a great napper, always a better night sleeper. She sleeps 7am - 6/6:30am and goes to bed awake after a bath bottle and book. At nursery she usually has one nap a day for about 2 hours from 12:30-2:30. Sole days she has two shorter naps. She's been at nursery for 6 weeks and goes down awake with music.

At home she used to go down awake with music and would have two 45 mins/1 hour naps. Now at home she refused to go down awake and gets all worked up when going down. Most times I leave it for a while and then try her again after when she still puts up a fuss but is so tired she'll go down. It's such a chore and although she was never a great napper in term of the lengths it was never this had to get her down. What's so weird is that she goes down with ease at nursery! I feel like they're benefiting from all my hard nap work and now I'm suffering lol! Ok I'm being silly but you get the gist.

I think maybe she's just not as tired at home??? I dance, chase her tickle her all the things I can to make her tired and I followed the same routine as the nursery but still naps are a nightmare. Any advice?

Or maybe it'd help to hear how you get your similar age babies to sleep at nap time?

Thank you X

 

[struth]

Are you still putting (or trying!) to put her down for two naps? If so perhaps she has got used to just having the one at nursery. My LO was a nightmare at about 12-13 months. We battled at every nap time-he was transitioning to one nap but wasn't quite there yet so one nap wasn't enough but two was too many. Eventually we pushed him to one nap and he started going down better as he was shattered, however he was then very tired in the evenings! After two or three weeks he got used to it and now he is back to settling with no problems.

I found it a really tough few weeks. Some days he would still need two naps but he would then not be tired at bed time! Hang in there though-it is just another phase!

 

[Baby2012]

Thank you replying

I've tried doing two naps - she only slept for 30 mins both times & I've tried one & that was 45 mins. She wakes so tired & ratty but won't go back down. But yes you're right I should aim for consistency & go for one nap, with hope she'll extend it length (like she does at nursery) with time.

Wish me luck! Gosh so many phases - gah! X

 

[struth]

I found it a really hard time! At first Josh would only sleep for 45 minutes and it wild make for a difficult afternoon but he soon got there. He now has been an hour and twenty or two hours each day abs he handles it really well. It did take a little while but it is so much better now.

I hope you have similar success! Good luck xx

 

[charlie15]

oh i could have written your post word for word, except the nursery part!! my LO is 11 months and she too has never been a great napper either. She also would have naps by winding down and then sleeping to music, now not a chance. I can't leave her to nap now as she just screams! She fights naps like a trooper!! from what i know, it's the start of the transition from 2 naps to one. so what i am doing is still trying for 2 naps, but if she doesn't have that 1st nap, then i just try for a longer afternoon one, if i am lucky she will. if she has 2 naps (maybe only 20 min each!) she now has to have a later bedtime. 1 nap only and then she has an earlier bedtime. I have heard that this transition can go one for several months and the best way to be is flexible. I have found it really tough these last 2 weeks as she had a great little routine going, that had worked for so long. But i guess these thing always change and we just have to adapt to it, easier said than done!

 

[Baby2012]

Thanks so much for replying ladies! It's so funny I was on this site so much when ttc who would have thought that I would still be seeking advice once the bouncing baby was here

Yeah I've heard this transition can be tough and she's currently teething again but I'm hoping for some success today and I will def be flexible - good advice when dealing wigh toddlers. I'll be sure to update you X

 

[Baby2012]

Just thought I'd update you and say that I think we've finally turned a corner WOW THAT WAS A HARD ONE!! babies eh! Guess the advice is hang in there. She now has an hour to two hour nap at home now too and although she gets a little cranky she's down very quickly yay x

 

[charlie15]

We have just turned a corner too. A nap from 12 to 2 seems to be working well for us. Good to have got to the end of that!

 

[struth]

Brilliant news! So glad you got through it..... on to the next phase! I wonder what it will bring!

 

[Baby2012]

Yup we're on 12-2 too. Coffee & catch up on recordings time. I guess next phase is dealing with terrible twos eeeekkkkk!!! Thanks again ladies. Your support kept me sane! X