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Original poster

20mo old will NOT nap, am I evil for giving him Calpol???

32 replies

katyt1 · 17/01/2008 12:36

AAARRRGGGHHH!!!!

He has decided he will NOT sleep during the day, I feel he's not grown out of it just got of the habit at home (at nursery he sleeps 'no problem' for 45mins-ish twice a week).
He's in a bed and just gets out all the time, opens his door and stands at the gate crying, talking, sometimes just sits there, looks at books (which I should probably be grateful for), etc. but will NOT sleep.
this can go for up to 1.5hrs (longest I felt I could stick it for so far!).
Tues & Wed he's at nursery so thought he might be back in the habit, so hopeful for today but no go.
So, I've given him Calpol to try and make him sleepier. Am i evil??? god i feel bad but in my defence, i am 39wks pg with no 2 and really really need some downtime in the day as well as wanting him to have a nap once baby is here, so (hopefully) they can both nap at the same time (fingers crossed for inrealistic dream i know!).

what would others with small gap and stubborn toddler do????

don't yell at me about the calpol too much tho cos i'm feeling like crying today already

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SoupDragon · 17/01/2008 12:38

Calpol is paracetamol. It is not a sedative in any way and will not make him sleepier.

SueBaroo · 17/01/2008 12:39

Yes, not evil, just misinformed..

NAB3wishesfor2008 · 17/01/2008 12:39

Giving medicine to a child who isn't ill is always wrong imho. It also won't make him sleep. Try some warm milk and a cuddle.

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SueBaroo · 17/01/2008 12:39

But ((you)) for having such a rough time.

Original poster

katyt1 · 17/01/2008 12:39

it has made him sleepy in the past tho ?

OP posts:

morningpaper · 17/01/2008 12:40

you can only really put him down for a daytime nap if he NEEDS it

It sounds like he's grown out of it - they tend to at about this age

Paracetamol won't help

RubySlippers · 17/01/2008 12:41

calpol won't make your LO sleep

if he won't settle he is likely to be over-tired

perhaps putting him down for his nap earlier will help

ConnorTraceptive · 17/01/2008 12:43

Ah I'm 34 weeks and my two year old has dropped his nap recently - I feel your pain.

Although have to say there has been several occossions over the past year that he has dropped his nap for a week or so and then gone back to having one everyday.

Original poster

katyt1 · 17/01/2008 12:45

morningpaper - i really hope not.

i can feel myself starting to lose it with him so am keeping away for a bit.

i just feel that i won't be able to cope with newborn and a toddler that won't give me a break all day. and he was doing so well with naps up until recently that maybe i was naively optimistic about getting a 'household siesta' with 2 kids.

i don't normally let it get me down like this, just think ah well no sleep today then, but today i just can't help myself. too many hormones i guess plus a dh who's away too much for my liking.

OP posts:

morningpaper · 17/01/2008 12:45

... I also found that mine would still nap at nursery after they had dropped their naps at home - which I think is partly due to peer pressure and partly because nursery tire them out far more than I do.

OverMyDeadBody · 17/01/2008 12:45

But maybe he's not tired? You can't force a child to sleep. Why not start encouraging some quiet time to replace nap time, where he plays in his room for 20 minutes alone so you can have a break? You could make a little den in a corner with blankets and cushions and soft toys to encourage him to stay there.

Sorry you're having a hard time, but as others said, calpol won't make him sleep if he doesn't want to

Original poster

katyt1 · 17/01/2008 12:47

oh CT, that gives me some hope.

realistically i suppose i just have to come up with someway to have the 'quiet time' thing and forget about putting him in bed or getting him to sleep.

thing is the days he doesn't nap, he is exhausted by about 4.30/5 but of course i won't let him sleep then.

OP posts:

morningpaper · 17/01/2008 12:47

It's REALLY shit when they give up their naps - it's SO HARD to adjust to a full day without that break. Nightmare. Both of mine stopped daytime naps at about this age.

Original poster

katyt1 · 17/01/2008 12:48

x-posting sorry.

morningpaper - you are most likely right.

OMDB - you are right too, think i have to rethink the whole thing from now on.

and i am lucky, he will do some quiet time stuff with books, etc.

OP posts:

morningpaper · 17/01/2008 12:48

I found I could 'prolong' the naps if I tired them out with physical/fresh air exercise in the morning, and then lay down with them at 'nap time'

sometimes that worked for a bit

OverMyDeadBody · 17/01/2008 12:49

You know katy, I used to take my toddler for naptime in my bed and have a nap with him. He would always go to sleep with me there and I loved having a nap in the afternoon too! Maybe this will work when baby comes? and a nap for you mihgt be just what you need! (or maybe I'm just a lazy arse who likes her sleep too much!)

Original poster

katyt1 · 17/01/2008 12:51

i know I would be happy with the nap in fact i was using it up until he stopped as my recharge session for the afternoon.

think it would just be me snoring in his bed as he ran around

he has been out at an active toddler group all morning which is also why i was hopeful today...

ah well, think i am just going to have to face facts and bring him downstairs...

OP posts:

meemar · 17/01/2008 12:51

katy - if it's worked in the past maybe it was teething or other discomfort keeping him awake and the calpol helped that IYSWIM.

Sorry you are having such a tough time, but really don't give him medicine if he doesn't need it - it's not totally harmless.

Will he watch TV? If that keeps him quiet so you can get a rest then it's a godsend! My DS2 doesn't go for naps anymore but will sometimes drift off in front of the telly for half an hour.

elesbells · 17/01/2008 12:51

Some do start to grow out of it at around this age - He may not be tired. If he is then I second the warm milk and a cuddle option. Quiet time - in his room sit and read or sing to him. It works with my dd (22 months and sleeping as i type)

QuintessentialShadow · 17/01/2008 12:53

I think naptime is too unreliable for you to bank on for when the new baby arrives. I incresed the days at nursery for my oldest a mont or so before the new baby. I rather do it before than after so DS1 should not feel pushed out.

Mercy · 17/01/2008 12:55

My dd dropped her naps at 20 months I'm afraid.

I got pregnant with ds 5 months later - I remember how tiring it was. Is there anyone who can look after ds while you try to get some sleep? Tbh all I could do was snooze on the sofa while dd watched Cbeebies or a video - and then have a very early night.

Lomond · 17/01/2008 12:59

I feel for you I really do but giving meds is not the answer. Sit him in his cot for half an hour with some toys while you put your feet up, even sit him in front of c-beebies but please don't use meds when not needed.

If he is fighting it then keep him up and he will hopefully go down earlier at night.

wb · 17/01/2008 13:23

I've only read the opening post

but as Calpol is not a sedative but a painkiller, then, if it is helping him sleep then you are right to give it cause it would seem that the non-sleeping is caused by pain (iyswim).

But if this pain goes on more than a few days I should take him to the doctor to get it checked out (unless its really obvious what is causing it - such as molars coming through).

Carnival · 17/01/2008 13:27

Can a relative/friendly neighbour come over and give you some naptime?

Dropdeadfred · 17/01/2008 13:39

Sofa, blanket, cbeebies and cuddles. You can relax and he will feel loved and happy..if he wants to get down then get things he can do quietly while you relax..colouring, duplo, threading beads etc etc

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