16 m/o's naps up the creek

[Yarnie]

I've posted a form of this question in the Development section, prior to finding this section. Apologies for the duplication...

My 16 m/o boy used to nap at about 11.30am in his buggy, on the way back home from playgroup. I suspect he is no longer tired at this time and so does not fall asleep. He would sleep for 2 hours.

I am having a lot of trouble getting him to sleep when he is tired (12.30-1.30ish). I try and give him lunch around 11.30 and then let him play until he is tired. I then take him into his dark room and read him stories in bed before laying him down and singing to him.

He is pleased to be going to bed and can instigate it himself sometimes.

The problem we have is he just can't drop off (in bed, or in the buggy if I take him out). When he finds he is struggling to sleep. He gets v. upset, almost hysterical.

I have taken to BF him to sleep because he has been so wretchedly tired. He has been day weaned for at least 3 months, so this is a real step backwards.

Any tips, please?!

Have you tried putting him in his cot straight after his lunch? If you are letting him play and then trying it may be that he is too tired and then finds it difficult to settle. When my DD (17 months) dropped her morning nap a couple of months ago I did what they do at nursery (as she settled easily for sleep there) which is lunch at 11.30am and then straight in her cot for a sleep (usually about 12 noon). Touch wood this seems to work and she now expects to go straight to bed after lunch.
When she is past it and too tired to go to sleep easily then I will go in a couple of times to lie her back down but if she carries on crying then we have found that the only way she will settle is to leave her. She seems to need to have a cry and if you go in to her it just makes her more upset. It normally takes max 15 mins before she goes to sleep. However, I know that all babies are different so this approach won't work with all.
Good luck - I have to keep reminding myself that these are phases they seem to go to and it will all change again soon!

Thanks, Hannah. I will experiment with timings. That's a good suggestion. He is quite easy to read, but I can misjudge it sometimes. I'll give an earlier nap a go tomorrow.

He's never been left to cry, so I don't think it's fair on him to start now. He'd just find it confusing and upsetting.