🚨 Advance warning 🚨 This forum will be closing on 1st May – please see our pinned thread for more information.
Options
......never posted in here before!!
HappyMummy
Regular
in Toddler
....only been a member for nearly three years!!!
Hi Ladies
I wonder if you have any advise for me?
My LO is 28 months old and wakes up about 7am each morning - he is sooooooo full of energy that I can not get him to take his afternoon nap till 2-3pm.
Despite being over 2 years old I still have to get him to sleep in my arms, he wont fall asleep by himself ( I have tried and tried many times but all he does is play in his cot/bed for an hour and a half before then getting upset ). When he has fallen asleep in my arms I then lay him on the sofa, or carry him up to bed.
Problem is........ he still has either an hour and a half, or a two hour nap @ about 2/3pm, which means he wakes up around 5pm. He is then grumpy, and crying sometimes for up to 2 hours and wont leave my lap. This means he wont eat his tea until he has got over his grumpiness........meaning tea can be nearly 7pm, which is too late!
I have tried getting him to sleep earlier than 2pm, but he is just not tired and wont go to sleep.
I have tried missing out his sleep all together, but he is so tierd, he just cries, and then wont eat his tea, or go to bed!
I have tried letting him sleep less in the afternoon, but that makes him more grumpy!
Any ladies in a similar situation?
I love my cuddles when getting him to sleep in the afternoon, but know I should stop this - but I also know if I just put him to bed, he wont fall asleep. I need to do something as my second baby is due two weeks today!!
I honestly can't cope with the daily struggle of having him crying for at least an hour a day when he wakes up - it's driving me nuts!!!
Any advice??
Sam
Hi Ladies
I wonder if you have any advise for me?
My LO is 28 months old and wakes up about 7am each morning - he is sooooooo full of energy that I can not get him to take his afternoon nap till 2-3pm.
Despite being over 2 years old I still have to get him to sleep in my arms, he wont fall asleep by himself ( I have tried and tried many times but all he does is play in his cot/bed for an hour and a half before then getting upset ). When he has fallen asleep in my arms I then lay him on the sofa, or carry him up to bed.
Problem is........ he still has either an hour and a half, or a two hour nap @ about 2/3pm, which means he wakes up around 5pm. He is then grumpy, and crying sometimes for up to 2 hours and wont leave my lap. This means he wont eat his tea until he has got over his grumpiness........meaning tea can be nearly 7pm, which is too late!
I have tried getting him to sleep earlier than 2pm, but he is just not tired and wont go to sleep.
I have tried missing out his sleep all together, but he is so tierd, he just cries, and then wont eat his tea, or go to bed!
I have tried letting him sleep less in the afternoon, but that makes him more grumpy!
Any ladies in a similar situation?
I love my cuddles when getting him to sleep in the afternoon, but know I should stop this - but I also know if I just put him to bed, he wont fall asleep. I need to do something as my second baby is due two weeks today!!
I honestly can't cope with the daily struggle of having him crying for at least an hour a day when he wakes up - it's driving me nuts!!!
Any advice??
Sam
0
Replies
Maybe stop naps, bring tea forward to 4pm, maybe a bit of supper (biscuit and milk or something) at 6pm then bed at 6.30pm... the food he has at 4pm will hopefully give him a boost of energy to get him through the afternoon before bedtime. I know its hard as it means you get no time to yourself but your not going to have time to rock him to sleep when you have a baby too (trust me i have a 23 month old and a 9 week old) Im sure after a week or so he will get use to the new routine and may even start sleeping a bit longer in the morning to compensate for loosing his nap but you will have to stick with it and he will probably be very tired for the first week or so.
My dd has her nap at 9.30-11.30/12ish and she goes bed at 6.30-7pm waking between 6.30-7am.
Good luck! xx
2 ways you could go, either totally cut out the nap, bring teatime forwards and supper, get him in bed for about 6pm, or earlier if need be. You can always gradually move bedtime to be later afterwards, but you need to get him to bed before he gets overtired.
Or you could give him his lunch a bit earlier, say 11.30, and at 12pm put him upstairs in his cot/bed for an hour. Don't even try cuddling him to get him to sleep, just pop him up and see how it goes. Even if he's awake up there he is still having a rest from the stimulation of the day. Let him have one toy/comforter. He will probably cry, esp as he's used to being cuddled off, but I think you'll just have to tough it out. Then get him up at 1 (regardless of whether he's slept) and consider earlier teatime and bedtime.
I hope you can find a way that works for you both hun. It'll be tough when the baby comes if you're still trying to cuddle your toddler to sleep so I really think you should nip that in the bud. He is old enough to go to sleep on his own, though it might be hard work getting him to realize it!
xxx
The other thing that may help is making sure he has lots of physical activity before his nap. A long walk, run around game or play in the park to tire him out! If my ds doesn't do enough physical activity I find it takes him ages to get to sleep and he sleeps badly. He may find it harder to fight sleep if he is worn out!
Perhaps you could introduce a special toy/comforter if he doesn't have one already so that he can learn to associate it with sleep instead of cuddles with you!
Good luck x
The idea of cutting out his nap and having an earlier tea and bed time does seem sensible, and I really should try that. Only problem is hubby is never home from work till around 8pm, so LO stays up till then, otherwise he wouldn't see his daddy for 5 days a week - even then when he goes to bed at about 8:15 he lies away chatting away to himeslf till nearly 10pm most nights ( he doesn't cry )
If I do put him in his bed in the day, he just gets out!!!
Other thing is, given I am so heavily pregnant - and also having a section in 2 weeks, selfishly I really need him to carry on having his naps - esp as I have no family near to help.
We go out every morning to either a playgroup or playdate so are never home really before 2pm, and if I try to give him lunch before 12pm, he simply wont eat it, as he is not hungry ( I don't even give him snacks throughout the day )
I really appreciate you taking the time to give me advice, and you have given me somethings to think about.
Thanks
Sam
P.S Katie hope your loving being a mum again, and that you DD is loving being a big sis to your DS Sam ( used to be MummyClyders)
I would try what the others have said and see how you get on. He might change his routine completely once your new baby is here so you could plod along as you are and see what happens in two weeks time (I know not ideal).
Hope our section goes ok.
good luck with the c-sec xx
Might try that Elaine! Might try getting him up earlier in the morning - I am usually awake anyway!
Thanks
Sam