screaming instead of napping!

[Myszka]

Anyone got any advice for getting my 1 year old to nap? If she doesn't have 2 naps a day she's just exhausted and will just sit and cry but getting her to sleep is an absolute nightmare and it's killing me. I'm losing 3-4 hours a day to just her screaming and crying fighting her sleep she's still up 2 hourly in the night, even now I've stopped night time breastfeeds. I won't cry it out or "controlled crying" because it doesn't work for us, and when I have tried it with the health visitor she just cried for almost 3 hours and was so distressed. I've got black out blinds, ewan the dream sheep, a very good routine and a good diet for her. Just nap times involve her having breast milk then crying for an hour until she eventually passes out in my arms
Our routine is up at 6am after breast feed, breakfast at 8, snack at 10, up to bed at 1030, scream for an hour+ then an hours sleep, lunch at 130, snack at 3, bed at 330, scream for hour+ and short nap, dinner at 530, bath, bottle and bed at 7pm, scream for another half hour to hour or more then up 2 hourly like clockwork all night if I cut either nap or make them later she just is too tired to function, cries, lies on the floor crying won't walk or play or anything. Or just claws at my chest saying "Boo " because she wants her breastfeed

 

[stripeycat5]

Have you tried going for a walk or to the park for a bit before you put her down for her nap? I always found that if I physically tired DS out when he was this game he would nap really nicely. Otherwise we would have a fight on our hands! He also dropped one nap about this age but your DD may not be ready for that yet. Also has you tried moving the nap times? So instead of half ten maybe try half eleven instead? Sorry if you have said you have tried these things trying to answer with a newborn on my boob and a toddler running round like a looney 😆 x

 

[Tricks26]

Can you not tweak your routine a bit my daughter changed from having two naps to one long nap after lunch so we were able to wake up have breakfast etc get ready go out do something walk, groups , visits wear her out come back lunch then down at 12 for a few hours and then same after nap doing something together at home help sort washing ( lol ) play invite people over etc then tea wind down bath and bed milk and story sleep etc ..
I found that my daughter liked the security of knowing what order we did things . Jus t a thought

 

[Tricks26]

She may cat nap if you go out in car/buggy but that's fine as long as not longer than 20 mins

 

[Myszka]

It takes a good 45 minutes of walking to get her to sleep and she often screams through that too!

I'm considering moving the morning nap and having it after lunxh the problem is by 11 she's clawing at my chest for boob and her eyes are drooping, gets too tired to play or anything when we go to morning groups she gets so exhausted that by 1030 she just clings to me and won't participate any mOre.

I've also noticed she's tired all. The. TIme. Bags under her eyes and everything, even the teacher at baby class mentions how tired she is

 

[Button#]

Have you tried moving the naps earlier? Try a 10am nap maybe. At that age my LO had his first nap about an hour and a half after he woke up and his second nap straight after lunch.

 

[Myszka]

I am unsure whether to make it earlier or later to be honest. Tomorrow I'll try earlier, and maybe that will help. Maybe she's overtired?

 

[Myszka]

Thank you all for replying by the way

 

[stripeycat5]

I think it is a difficult time for bubbas because they are developing mentally as well as physically at such a rate. If she is still waking at such short intervals at night she probably still needs her two naps. Why not try earlier nap time and then if that doesn't work a bit later? You must be getting so frustrated with it bless you. What do you give her at nighttime when she wakes? I started giving DS water at night when I finished breastfeeding and he soon realised it wasn't worth waking up for lol 😝 x

 

[Myszka]

Thank you stripey cat it's really exhausting and I keep getting moments where I'm struggling with tiredness so much I could fall asleep at any moment. Not good with a climbing baby!

I'm just cuddling her back to sleep at the moment. I don't think she quite realises she can't have breast milk at night yet, she's had it so long. I got rid of her dummies when she turned 1 so can't/won't be giving her one instead to comfort her. I don't mind her cosleeping, I'd just prefer if she slept!! She wont take water in the night, or bottled milk which kind of proves to me she doesn't need breast so I'm trying so hard to persevere.