Is it unreasonable to think my 14 month old can’t have a bad association with naps and not bedtime?

[CursesAndMagic]

My 14 month old for two days has fought naps to the point where yesterday and today she didn’t nap at all. Last night she slept 6:20pm-6:50am I tried for her nap at 1pm (nap time is usually 12pm). She’s going into her room and having her pre nap water fine but then is screaming and screaming when we start doing our settle and wind down routine. She usually self settles to sleep every night and nap but these two days she isn’t stopping screaming to calm down just getting herself worked up to the point she’s sweating and her face is red from all the crying and screaming. She resists being held but is fine out of her room.

Am I being unreasonable to think she can have no bad time going down for bed and no fight and self settling then but not for naps? I know she’s tired enough at 1pm and even 11 showing major signs of tiredness. Today I tried nap at 1pm and 3pm when she started showing slight sleepy signs but wasn’t exhausted and she fought and fought no matter what I did. This morning 50 minutes and still no sleep. I’m so confused. Are we giving up naps all together at 14 months?

She only has ONE nap a day usually. I emphasises this because I know this is the age they usually transition.

@Dinosauratemydaffodils she won’t sleep in the car pram anywhere she just wants to see everything and is constantly on the move. She doesn’t stay still and surprisingly I don’t have tv on in the day but will let her have ten minutes if she’s really badly cranky but she’s never interested for more than a few seconds. She’s fully walking so it’s not that affecting her I don’t even know what to do. Wish she’d nap though she’s tired when she wakes at the minute after 12-13 hours overnight so she does still need the nap but two days now and she’s so so upset by it I don’t wanna force it.

Wish she’d nap though she’s tired when she wakes at the minute after 12-13 hours overnight so she does still need the nap but two days now and she’s so so upset by it I don’t wanna force it.

Very like my dc. Have you tried the hv? Ours referred us to the sleep clinic.

What did the sleep clinic say to you?

@Dinosauratemydaffodils are you still having struggles?

@CursesAndMagic yep, unfortunately! I think my eldest was 16 months but youngest was 14 months. They were never great nappers used to get 1 or 2 20-30 minute naps out of them(never at consistent times and usually only in the buggy or on me!) but they consistently slept 13-14 hours through the night by 6 weeks old so I never complained!

Do you have a sling? What happens if you go for a walk with her in it? (Front or back might work). It sounds like she’s resisting the idea of the nap - could be developmental, that the world is just too interesting. It’s a bit early to drop sleep completely but it might be a sign that she doesn’t want to nap in her bed (many children nap on the go, or on the sofa). Failing that, will she snuggle up with you on the sofa and sleep in front of the telly perhaps?

She could also be teething, which affects everything in my experience!

I think they just go through phases. They suddenly realise that you are still up and having fun when they're asleep and they are missing out! I'd just keep trying and maybe try and switch it up a bit eg get something new for nap time like a blanket or teddy or let her choose if she wants to nap in your bed for a change or something. Mine refused naps at home but always requested naps at nursery so sometimes just depends on the setting and what they think everyone else is doing! Could you lie down on the floor next to her then sneak out once she has dropped off. She might be too little to understand but when my sligtly older ones went through periods of not wanting to go to sleep I told one of them it didn't matter if she didnt sleep and she could just look at a book and have a rest in bed and that helped as it took away the pressure to sleep. It took her a while to drop off but there were less tantrums.

My little girl never napped and had to be forced to sleep through the day even as a young baby I would need to hold her tight and let her sleep on me or in the car BUT she always went down to bed no problem fed through the night and went back down again no problem so it's definitely possible.

No she doesn’t stay still enough to sleep with me or on the couch. I’ve tried laying on the floor and she just thinks it’s play time. I don’t know what to do in regards to naps. I could take her out in car but I don’t drive and he’s not off a lot. She slept 6:20pm woke at 4:50am and was unsettled for a while but got herself back to sleep until 6:40. Woke up still tired and cranky wouldn’t have morning nap at all so I’m at a loss.

This is the third day in a row