daytime naps cont...

[Green]

oh. my. god. for those that helped me last week with how to get my 19 month old son to go to sleep for me in the day (as he does for everyone else) - i am currently 'sitting it out'. He has now been crying for one hour and 12 minutes. feeling very very stressed. Good Lord Above - he is absolutely knackered - why oh why oh why will he not just lie down and go to bed? May just ramble on here for hours in order to occupy myself, and to stop myself giving up.....

HELP!!!!! Is there anybody out there????

Stick it out Green....It'll be worth it in the end. If you can last for 1.5 hours I think that's a fair time....I would say that 12 o'clock may be a little early for an 19 month old though...Maybe try 1pm tomorrow....
You can do it girl....

Hi Green, I'm here if you need your mind occupied!

Hi Green
I bet you must be so stressed. I hope he drops off eventually. When you say you are "sitting it out" do you mean just leaving him completely or controlled crying? I found that controlled crying worked better for my son. I would go back every 10/15 mins, whatever I felt I could tolerate and calm him (not taking him out of the cot), tell him it was time for sleep/night-night etc and then leave again (max 2 mins in the room).
Somehow that seemed less stressful all around. However, each time I've used it, I have found it takes 3 days to crack the problem completely, with successively less crying each day.
Turn the radio on for a bit or go out in the garden. If you can just get away from the crying for a few minutes you'll find your blood pressure drops a bit.
Good luck, I'm sure it will be worth it.

Green,
Are you OK now? Bet you're busy having big cuddles with your son......

Oh Green, my thoughts go out to you.

Don't do this if it goes against all the good advice you were given earlier but sometimes when my sons have cried for ages, they get thirsty and that makes them cry the more. Can you ofer him a drink to soothe him, then put him straight back in his cot? This has worked for me for me sometimes.

Have you picked him up at all? could the crying be making him feel sick? You risk him spewing up all over you, but at least you'll know what's up and he might stop feeling rotten, it this is the problem.

Oh dear. One way or the other he's got to sleep soon......

Hi Green, when ds was teensy we used to put a stereo in his room playing REM - mental blank as to album title - the one before Automatic for the People did the trick every time - we couldn't hear him and he took 10 minutes to go over. What does he like to listen to? He goes down for his long nap straight from lunch so is (hopefully!) sleepy from a full tummy. If he's in bed at 12 then he could just be hungry? Good luck!

thanks for all messages.

update: i went to collect him after one and a half hours (he will still shouting and crying). I had been checking on him every half hour -reassuring him (although for less than 1 minute every time) - any more often would have wound him up more. He was still standing up when i went in every time - he just will not allow himself to relax and go to sleep.

I acted very differently when i went in the last time - opened the curtains etc and said 'right, nap time over - shame you didn't sleep'. He was as happy as larry after that, but became progressively grumpy as the day went on - obviously. Fell asleep at 4 oclock ish on a short car journey back from out and about - which just messes up the night sleep so i only let him sleep for half an hour - very grumpy on waking.

We'll try again tomorrow and see what happens.

thanks for all support and advice - I put himn down at 12 as 12 oclock is the time he goes to sleep for his childminder on 2 days a week - he is really tired then i think - we had been at a drop in this am. I don't think he feels sick or is thirsty or is hungry - he has a snack at 11 (quite a big snack) and has some juice before bed. i think i will just have to stick it out- i really hope we do better tomorrow. may go on line again then if anyone is on at that time. If it really doesn't work, then i guess I will have to think about putting it back to 1 oclock.

Green, what does he drink before going to nap at his childminder ? Could the sugar (even if no sugar in it) of the juice be a stimulant on top of him not wanting to sleep ? - just a thought.
I think you were very good to stick it out... if you can do it again tomorrow, either he will fall asleep a few minutes later or he won't but he will have seen "a different" you...
Who puts him down at the WE ?

pupuce - he usually has water or watered down pure fruit juice, so I don't think it is that.

On the WE if dh is in the house on his own then he will put him down no probs. But, if I am around then ds won't be put down by his dad either. So, to date I have been engaging in the bad habits of either rocking or driving him to sleep.

keep your fingers crossed for me tomorrow.....

So what ever happens tomorrow will be worth it for the WE as well... I can't believe that he won't get the message "I can't mess with my mum!"... so even if he cries try to stick with it...
Keep us posted !

How are you doing Green ????? we're there for you !!

hiya

thanks for concern pupuce - fab news! He is asleep!!!!

Due to lack of sleep yesterday, he slept till 8 am today (hoorah) - so I delayed putting him down till 1 oclock - he cried for 5 mins and I haven't heard anything since.

I am overcome with joy. Hooray Hooray Hooray.

Green, you do realise that this a (unwanted) compliment to you. He doesn't want to be asleep when his mum is around, she's too much fun!

And now he knows you mean business... he will respect you for that. Way to go !
Keep at it....

Well done! Controlled crying is the terrible but it really does seem to work. Hopefully he's got the message now....and it'll just get easier and easier (with the odd hick up day of course!)