To let my baby stay up all day

[NapWhatNap]

I haven't actually done this and don't think I would. But I am so tired of the struggle to get my 9mo dd to nap, or have a decent nap.

There's always something- whether it's that she won't go down at all, or only stays asleep for 30 minutes at a time. She's just never been into the idea of a nap.

I worked so hard to help her nap in her cot and settle herself, I really thought we'd nearly cracked it. Now suddenly it's all gone tits up and we're back to half an hour of her battling sleep before I give up and sit rocking the pram with my foot or heading out into the rain again. Half an hour later she's up and still tired.

So I spend a good part of my day coaxing two or three incredibly measly sleeps out of her. I am a stranger to the mythical long lunchtime nap in which I might actually get something done. Coupled with the 5am starts it's all beginning to do my nut in.

I feel like saying fine, don't have a nap then. Stay up all day and see what that's like.

And then I feel awful for feeling cross, she can't help it after all, and she is such a lovely happy little soul.

But sometimes I do want to just give up trying to get her to nap.

Would that be an unreasonable thing to do?

(God reading this back I realise what a first world problem it is...)

It sounds as though she just doesn't need as much napping as you're expecting.

Two or three measly naps aren't going to do either of you any good. I would go with the flow, and let her stay up. If she's tired enough she'll sleep - honestly.

One of mine gave up day time naps totally by 12 months - babies are all different.

She probably doesnt need to nap much during the day. How is she during the night?

Sounds like she's overtired hence trouble getting her to nap and the 5am start. Try putting her down for a nap 90 mins after she wakes. Usually more successful.

Maybe try and structure your day so she has a chance to nap at around 9 and 1 ish after breakfast/lunch and some milk. Doesn't have to be cot and if it doesn't work, try not to stress. Then go for an early bedtime of 6ish?

Her sleep will probably settle down after 9 months - my DS's certainly did.

Some kids don't need much sleep, neither of mine did. I can't remember back to this exact age, but I don't think I would bother trying to make her sleep, particularly 2 or 3 times. I would go for once at a maximum, but would have no worries about letting her stay up all day.

Thanks everyone, feels better just to have voices of support!

She is generally fine at night- goes down at 7pm, might need settling once in the night but usually not at all. So she is going for 10-11 hours at a stretch, and part of me can't believe I am complaining about her sleep when it wasn't so long ago she was up twice a night...

At the moment I go for one nap around 2-3 hours after she wakes up, then one after lunch about 3-4 hours after that. But because of her early starts and short naps, she is tired by 4.30pm so I take her for a nap walk.

I have to say, she is rarely crotchety and seems happy with the amount of sleep she gets (which doesn't seem enough to me- 12ish out of every 24). So maybe I should stop stressing.

I am tempted to try just a lunchtime nap at say 12.15.

It is comforting to know that other babies gave up naps or dropped them significantly around this age. I always feel like she "should" be having 2 x 2 hour naps a day and worry that the current status quo is not good for her.

Maybe when I have another child I won't have time to be so obsessive!

Er, when I say "I go for one nap", I mean she does. Oh to be able to nap in the day!

I gave up all daytime naps on my first birthday apparently.

Luckily, DD doesn't follow in my footsteps and now that she's 18 months old She is napping better - suddenly a few months ago i was able to put her down in her cot, walk out and she would fall asleep for a nap. She sleeps for at least 40 minutes, but often between an hour and ninety mins. Sometimes when she's really tired or coming down with something she'll do over 2 hours!

It'll improve. Just do what works for now. Certainly by 9 months DD wasn't having 3 naps. If she has more than 1 nap now bedtime is horrible.

YANBU. We've always let DD (21 months) nap whenever she wants, if she wants. She's now a happy, healthy little thing with no sleep issues. Usually she would fall asleep after a meal/feed but if she doesn't it's no big deal. No one in my family is a big sleeper or keen on living to a set schedule so I don't expect her to be that different.

Unless your child is negatively affected by not napping, I wouldn't worry about it.