Are naps changing - 10 month old not settling for daytime naps!!!

[janethommo]

Hi Ladies

My (almost) 10 month old daughter has suddenly started to fight naps - mainly in her cot and the times have got erratic. Is this a growth spurt or do I need to change nap times?

She has always only needed a little sleep - and has had 2 x 30-40min naps per day max, and has only needed this for months. We had got a good routine of milk and nap at 10am and 3pm and this would be in the cot for one of the naps and the other would be in pushchair/car depending on what we were doing.

This week (since crawling) she will not sleep in her cot and doesn't want to sleep in the morning despite appearing tired - I've tried in the sleeping bag to restrict her movement but as soon as I put her down she rolls over, sits up/pulls herself up and screams with tears - I've tried leaving her screaming for 30mins before I give in and then she just wants to play!

She has refused morning naps and has had a nap at lunchtime instead one day this week but other days refused this and finally collapsed at 4pm for a sleep that I have to wake her from if too close to tea time.

So to summarise - old routine was:
Wake 6:30am
Naps 10am and 3pm
Bed 7pm

Current routine:
Wake 6:30am
Nap - either 12 or 4pm, but will not go in cot!

Should I try and change times? Leave her crying longer?

Thanks
Jane

I wouldn't personally leave her crying longer. I sit with DD anyway til she's asleep but I have a 30min tolerance - if she's still wriggling or screaming I take her out and do something else. Sometimes she will then nap a bit later. I'd be wary of assuming this pattern means your DD wants to drop a nap. Mine is 1 now, but we have had quite a few periods over the last few months where she's gone nuts for a few days then settled back to her normal pattern. I was hoping to move her to one nap, but actually I now think she should just get sleep when she wants it. Yours might be entering a new phase and needs some time to adjust. It's a PITA but I think you should just go with it for now. Wish I could follow my own advice...

Thanks fififrog - my little one seems to have moved back to two short naps a day but lots of odd goings on in the night so think its the age with lots going on in her head!