Is this going to go back to normal or do I need to do something?

[LoopyLoopsHulaHoops]

DD was a terrible sleeper as a baby, since being a bit older she has been great, with occasional slip ups.

This weekend we went to her grandparents. On the Saturday she went to bed later than usual, and wouldn't sleep. She finally went down at about 10. She then woke at about 3.30, and wouldn't sleep until DH took her into the spare bed with him, at about 5. She then woke at 8. Normally she wakes at 9.

Last night she wouldn't go to sleep, screamed and screamed, then finally went down at about 9.30. This morning she woke at 6 and wouldn't go back to sleep.

I'm just trying to figure out if I need to adjust something, or if the weekend excitement just put her off-kilter for a day or two.

DD is 20 months, routine as follows:

9am - wake, breakfast
11 am snack
11.45 stories before nap
1.45 wake
2pm lunch
4pm snack
6pm dinner
7.30 bath
8pm stories then bed

I know bath is quite late, but it has worked for us for a long time, and allows us to eat as a family, and for DH to do the bath an bed bit.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks. :)

Any ideas anyone?

Nothing specific to you, but I have two terrible sleepers and my rule is to wait for at least a week before panicking about behaviour.

My DD1 went through a similar stage at a similar age and we had to sit with her (ignoring her) while she went to sleep.

Thank you Floury, that does make me feel better. :)

oh good! any progress?

Yesterday was fine, she didn't want to go for her nap but did without too much hassle, then last night and this morning were fine...

Then today's nap has taken me two hours to get precisely nowhere, I have given up. Hmmph.

I can't help but get really cross with her. I hate myself for it, but after a while see red and can't snap out of it. Fine now, but so ggggggggrrrrrrrrrrr angry for a while! ARRGGH!

Thanks for your help. :)

I sat behind my DD1 when she was about 20 months and WEPT coz i couldn't get her to nap and ended up parking her and her red rimmed eyes in front of the TV so i could weep in silence. Its hard not to get worked up.

at 2.9 she now sleeps in her bed all night and comes in in the morning to tell me how proud she is of herself for staying in her bed all night!

her sister on the other hand...

Thanks Floury. :)

She might be transitioning out of her nap or she may need to be put down later. At that age my DD needed a nap around 1pm for 45 mins then by 24 months she gave up naps altogether. Night time sleep became much more solid and 7-7pm - that was the big bonus.

Sorry, should have said 2pm nap for 45 mins.

Thanks BsshBossh.

The thing is by 12 most days she's really tired. Is it possible that she is transitioning out of naps by only needing them on some days? (I hope not!)

Perhaps, Loopy. It's not unheard of for DC as young as 20 months to not want to nap. However, I think this is a period of change for your DD's sleep patterns so be flexible until the phase passes and she settles into a routine again.

I remember this period being one of flux for my DD, which I found difficult because I am the routine queen. When she stopped all her naps at 2yo then our days settled down properly (I replaced the nap with quiet time eg stories or TV).

Then again as a previous poster has said, this might simply be a phase and she may go back to normal napping in a few weeks. Just be flexible and take your cues from your DD. If she doesn't nap in a day put her to bed earlier eg 7.

If she continues to play up at bedtime for a few weeks then either put her to bed really early (as she may be overtied so can't settle at normal bedtime) or distract her from all naps.

Also, could it be teething?

I think she'll want her nap today, she's knackered, bless her!

Not teething right now I don't think, but things have changed a bit in her room (too big for sleeping bag so now has a duvet), I wonder if she's just taking a while to readjust, especially after going away at the weekend.

Thanks for all your help.