Naptime misery, please help!

[fotheringhay]

I've (unfortunately) taken ds 24m out in his buggy to get him to sleep every naptime since he was a few months old. Ok, I realised this wasn't a great idea quite early on, but there was a lot of building work on the houses either side and I felt it wasn't quiet enough for him to drop off.

Now I'm 36 weeks pg and struggling to keep pushing the buggy through Braxton Hicks, also I realise this method isn't really going to be possible when the baby arrives.

Ds is in a proper bed now, so I can't confine him to the cot. I think he's old enough now to refuse to sleep (he's always been a reluctant sleeper), so I could just give up on his nap altogether, except he gets overtired without it and I could certainly do with the rest!

I think he's too young for reward charts or any sort of bribery. Does anyone know how I could convince him to nap in his bed?

If I were you I would spend every day until baby arrives sorting this out as that nap is going to be your respite.

With ds1 every nap time was a battle for a while then it just clicked. Have you tried telling him today will be nap in bed, taking him to room in plenty of time to have half an hour of calm time with a book or two, keep room dimly lit then dark, sit with him until he's sleepy then leave. I've also just sat in silence in the dark until he sleeps.

Ds2 is now 4 months old and it's bliss on the rare occasion when they both nap at the same time and I get some well needed peace.

That's great, thanks. I'll try it tomorrow. I really needed a kick up the bum to get this sorted!

Be prepared to sit it out and if it doesn't work tomorrow just stay calm and keep trying. I reckon starting chill out time at age 2 is a good thing anyway, even if it doesn't always end in a nap. Good luck