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Nightmare naps with two

5 replies

Tweedledumdedum · 18/12/2023 14:36

I desperately need some words of wisdom. I have a six month old baby and a 2.5 year old who has decided to go from sleeping two hours at lunch to no nap at all. Have left him in his room for "quiet time" but he is not quiet, so ends up coming downstairs again.
The big issue is that the baby also naps at lunch. She's too nosey to nap while he's down here playing around (or even reading a book) so now she's not getting a nap and is soo grumpy. We already go out for a carrier nap morning and afternoon - I can't also add in another two hours of walking.
Baby won't be put down to nap - she'll nap in the carrier, occasionally in the pram, or on me (what we used to do at lunch).
Any insight on how I get through the day without everybody crying?!

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Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
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LucyInTheParkWithDragons · 18/12/2023 14:42

CBeebies.

Sod any screen time angst, it’s necessary!

SeaToSki · 18/12/2023 14:46

So

you can enforce quiet time in bedroom using a stair gate

you can teach baby to nap without contact

you can use tv to keep toddler quiet

you can all try and nap together on your bed

I would suggest 1 and 2. They are both better for long term for both you and dc

Original poster
Tweedledumdedum · 18/12/2023 14:50

LucyInTheParkWithDragons · 18/12/2023 14:42

CBeebies.

Sod any screen time angst, it’s necessary!

TV is currently on, he's semi watching and being pretty quiet, baby is in the carrier (after trying feeding and playing) awake and grumpy. If we went out (in the rain, again) she would go to sleep but I don't want to be traipsing around for hours each day 😭

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creamcheeseandlox · 18/12/2023 15:00

I have a 2 yr age gap. When my ds was about 6 months my DD also stopped napping. I used to sit her in front of the TV and give her lunch and sometimes we would watch a film together etc. My ds always used to nap in his cot so he got a good block of sleep whilst it was DD quiet time. You need to aim to get the baby napping in the cot so everyone gets a break. I did controlled crying with both my two so they would not nap in the pram and sleep in the cot instead.

Original poster
Tweedledumdedum · 18/12/2023 15:14

creamcheeseandlox · 18/12/2023 15:00

I have a 2 yr age gap. When my ds was about 6 months my DD also stopped napping. I used to sit her in front of the TV and give her lunch and sometimes we would watch a film together etc. My ds always used to nap in his cot so he got a good block of sleep whilst it was DD quiet time. You need to aim to get the baby napping in the cot so everyone gets a break. I did controlled crying with both my two so they would not nap in the pram and sleep in the cot instead.

Thanks for taking the time to comment. It's so tricky isn't it! Controlled crying isn't for me, but thanks anyway. If she would stay in bed and let me roll away after feeding her to sleep that would maybe work (if it didn't take her too long to settle) but currently she wakes as soon as I try to leave

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