Sleep/nap dilemma - to drop or not to drop...

[superfrizbee]

I will try to keep this brief, but I just don't know what to do about dd's sleep. She is 2.5 and has a nap of up to 2 hours daily. However she seems to be hitting her terrible twos in a big way at the moment (sigh) and she just fights and fights it, even though I still think she needs it and is rotten without it. She has also been waking early between 5-6am generally when she used to go to gone 7-7.30am, or occasionally later. For various reasons she is overtired (she'll get hyper like this), and nothing I have tried has helped, including earlier bedtime, shorter nap etc.

The other day it took me 2+ hours to get her to nap even though she could barely keep her eyes open (it took 40 minutes of driving around in the car in the end!). Today I decided not to fight her after 30 minutes. She's been horrible and has fallen asleep in the car within two minutes of being out with my husband. She already has downtime where we read books or watch a film.

I don't know whether to drop the nap at least some days and put up with her being overtired, plus early waking and risk her getting worse, or persevere - bearing in mind I have a newborn to look after who aside from the essentials doesn't get much of a look in.

What would you do? were anyone's LOs horrible for a while when they dropped naps? I thought she'd just kind of get to the stage when she didn't seem to need it

Sorry this turned out to be not so brief after all!

 

[sethsmummy]

my lil guy is horrid when he doesnt have a nap BUT he doesnt have one every day. I just leave it upto him.. but then again iv never tried to make him nap at certain times. But he is fab in the fact that if hes tired he gets his dummy and teddy and a pillow on the floor and just conks out. He wont cuddle to sleep or sleep ont he sofa or his bed.. has to be on his pillow on the floor xx

 

[Blu10]

This could be written about my DS who is now 3 and a half. He had just about dropped his naps untip he was ill a few weeks ago and now he seems to need them again. He is also waking between 5.30-6am rather than 7am regardless what time he goes to bed (usually 7.15-7.30pm). I dont encourage DS to nap anymore but try and distract him if he wants to nap after 3pm or I struggle to get him to bed x

 

[Zephram]

I think struggling with her to sleep for a couple of hours is a pretty good sign she doesn't need a nap at least some days. If my LO isn't asleep after 30 mins I'll get him up and either try again later or just give up for the day.

I know it affects their behaviour negatively when they get tired on a no nap day, but what I do for my LO is bring his bedtime forward by an hour and put him to bed early. You could also try moving what time of day you do quiet time to when she's usually most grumpy.

 

[Button#]

My LO has become hit or miss with his naps. If he doesn't nap he has quiet time instead and I've moved his bedtime forward and let him sleep later in the mornings so he's not as tired if he doesn't nap. He generally naps once a week but he had a busy weekend and has had 4 naps in 7 days.