Waking at night - would daytime naps help?

[MrsNoggin]

DD is 2.4 and has never really slept the night through. I can count on one hand the full nights sleep I have had since she was born. And two of those were on holiday!

Have finally stopped her climbing into our bed at all hours and only let her in after 6am for a cuddle, but no sleeping allowed (it's been the only way)!

Anyway, she wakes anywhere between 3-20 times a night, often just needs help finding dummy, or a cuddle and a kiss and lying back down.

Talking to a friend recently, they were shocked when I said DD has no nap. Has not had since about 18 months, when she suddenly refused to sleep in daytime (used to have 2hrs). Happily stayed awake in cot for half an hour, but then complained. So I gave up after a week or so and never looked back. After asking more people, have realised DD is the only one her age who does not nap. Also the only one who does not sleep through the night! Should I consider trying to train her to nap again (if possible)? She sometimes seems tired at about 4ish, but I think it is far too late for a nap when bedtime is 7.

I'm now pregnant with DC2 and cant bear the thought of getting up to both of them! Sorry for length - I'm a bit tired and wittery!

she is the same age as my dd2 who only naps 50% of the time.

I dont think napping has a huge amount to do with it. The problem is that her wake ups are being reinforced by you going in and giving her what she wants.

I would ditch the dummy ( will be worse for first week) set up a sytem of reward charts and explain to her that if she wakes up in the night she will have a kiss the first time but then the contact should get less and less with each wake up ( ike gradual withdrawal) a reward chart will reinforce this.

It is very difficult to have a sleepless toddler and a newborn - I have been there! Try to sort it out before baby comes along.

Some babies do go on temporary 'napping strike', and it's easy to think they've given up naps when in fact they still need them. (It's particularly likely to happen around developmental spurts - of which 18 months is one).

Does she ever drop off in the car during the day? That can be an indication of still needing a nap.

I'd try for a nap after lunch - around 12 / 1pm. You could do it as 'quiet play' in her cot - give her the dummy, then if she falls asleep, great, if not, then she's at least had a rest.

The No-Cry Nap Solution by Elizabeth Pantley has some ideas (including the one above). She reckons that the majority of children need naps at least some days until around 3.