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Sunchimes 05:34 PM 04-23-2012
I know there are tons of threads on this, and I think I've read them all and tried most of the suggestions, but nothing is working.

My dcg is 20 mo old. Her mom just came back from 3 mo maternity leave saying that dcg was trying to give up morning naps. I didn't think much of it because she was starting to resist when she left.

But, now she is resisting all naps. She's been back 6 weeks and has taken maybe 3 or 4 morning naps. I can live with that. Many days she is my only toddler and even if the other toddler is here, I can put her in another room.

On days she doesn't sleep in the morning, she falls asleep in her high chair while I'm fixing lunch, and some days I have to keep waking her up to eat. But, as soon as I put her down to sleep, she goes into one of the best tantrums I've ever witnessed. She screams--no tears--or maybe a tear now and then. She has been in a pnp until last Thursday when she slung her leg over the top and was starting out. She's on a mat now, still screaming. I am at the end of my rope with her. I've always rocked her to sleep, or nearly asleep, but now, as soon as I put her down she wakes up screaming. I will not rock her for 2 hours. (I know you are shaking your head at the rocking, but her mom is ok with it and I only have 3 kids-the other is a Champion Napper!)

And of course, she won't stay on the mat--today, she screamed and fought to get off the mat for a solid hour. After about 45 min or an hour, she gives up, curls up, and goes to sleep--sleeping 1 1/2 or 2 hours, even on the rare days she takes 2 naps. Mom says she does the same at home and she just puts her on the couch and puts her leg across the kids legs to hold her still. Once she gets still, she goes right to sleep, like when I'm rocking her. It's just when she isn't being held still. I can't sit and throw my leg over her until she sleeps.

The other dcg is still taking 2 naps. Ideally, I would like to get both to take 2 naps and I want this one to quit screaming. I'm completely out of ideas.
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KBCsMommy 06:42 PM 04-23-2012
I dont know if this is any help but I have an 18 mo dcg who is a champion napper. Every day she sleeps from 9-10am then from 1-3pm EVERY DAY!! Goes right to sleep, wakes up right on the button!

Out of the blue, I mean Friday napped normal then Monday was a nightmare, she started throwing huge tantrums. The first Monday she screamed all through her morning naptime. The same at her afternoon nap. She eventually fell asleep in the daycare playroom right before her dad picked her up.

She did that for an entire week, even though I kept her nap schedule the same she kept throwing tantrums. I finally asked dcm what was going on and she said "Oh we decided to only give her one nap a day on the weekends so we can see her more!". Ok, makes sense, but you have totally thrown off my schedule. I decide to try the one nap thing....no way is not happening. By 10 am this poor child was so cranky and whiney there was no way she would have made it to lunch time.

So I kept her on my schedule and what do you know. Today she went right to sleep! I think she finally figured out I wasn't going to let her stay up and she needed to sleep.

What I do with her is at 8:50am I tell her its nap time, change her diaper, walk her to her crib, tuck her in tell her night-night, lights out and fan on, close the door. I do the same at lunch nap at 12:50. I do the same thing everyday. She knows what to expect so she just goes to sleep. I think being extremely consistant is key, and no rocking, let the kids go to sleep by themselves!!

I hope this helps!
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Sunchimes 08:08 PM 04-23-2012
I do all that. Well, her nap time changes by 30 minutes or so because of the way our schedules work (odd hours). But, I tell her in advance, do our routine, dim lights, fan, etc. Her mom says "Oh, I hated naps too." Funny, but I can remember doing the exact same thing when I was a bit older. I always hated naps.

She does know how to put herself to sleep. Her mom doesn't rock, and I don't do it every day. But, since she started here at 6 months, I've rocked most days. Sometimes I can't, when the other kids are here or the baby needs me, and she was always fine either way---until this new phase. The rocking is just something we both enjoy when we can work it in.
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Tags:falling asleep, nap - disruptions, nap issues
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