10 month old dropping nap? Say it ain't so!

[CoveredInWit]

Would love some opinions. DD has my heart broken for the last few days. I used to love my evening faff on mumsnet and it's under threat!

She's an arch catnapper who I thought was reforming since turning 10 months, as she suddenly started having 90 min naps (hallelujah!). One at 9.30/10, the other at 2.30/3pm. Sometimes while out walking in buggy, mainly in her cot. No issues getting her down for these. Bed is at 7 and she was sleeping till 5ish, quick BF and back till 6.30ish. Hurrah, I thought, FINALLY CRACKED IT!

Hollow laugh.

For the past week morning nap has been fine but come pm nap and the usual tired signs there is epic nap refusal- arched back in the cut, roaring, throwing soother away, reaching for me, pushing me away when I pick her up, directing me around the room frantically with pointed finger and then bawling some more. I've ended up bringing her back down for a bit/BFing her to sleep/singing to her till she eventually sleeps. If I take her out in the buggy there's similar crying, may eventually fall asleep as we get in the door to home. Pleasant strolls they are not?

Nights have gone a bit nuts too. She went down with a manic fight tonight at 6.30- exhausted as no pm nap. Crying, laughing crazily, chattering, crying some more. Gah!! Used to settle with soother if needed at all having nightweaned at 9 months, then I'd BF around 5/6 and she'd go back again. Now waking 3 times per night and losing the plot when I go in to her. Only settles with BF so that's the night weaning out the window. Not into CC or CIO so I'm happy to feed/cuddle as much as needed but she doesn't seem to want cuddles!

No teeth appearing from what I can see, not ill, eats really well during day, playing loads, just started furniture/hand held walking so lots going on.

I'd love some insight from more experienced mums. Is this nap dropping behaviour or something developmental? Should I just drop the pm nap and roll with the night wakenings till things hopefully settle?

Wisdom gratefully received. Sorry if this is really long. I'm a chronic waffler and on the iPhone app so can't tell the real length! Also I may have inadvertently posted this about 10 times because my internet connection is shite.

Cot, not cut. (Stealth bump).

Try cutting the morning nap? Can't remember when my dc dropped theirs, but do remember the afternoon nap suffering being a sign that the morning nap had to go....

Hmmm. Hadn't thought of that. She's with CM for mornings so I was cursing my luck that it seemed to be the evening nap she was dropping! Might try to get CM to push the morning nap back as far as she can tomorrow and see where that gets us. Thanks for the suggestion and possibly saving my precious after-lunch MN faffage time!

my daughter is the same age and after a similar nightmare to you i have got dd onto one nap.

she wakes around 6am and we have breakfast and play. she's lovely in the mine bing, like you lots going on with nearly walking etc, however around 9am/ 9:30 she starts really struggling and so I have to change the morning up, do my hair and make up so she can play with my things, do washing etc and the around 10am (so being awake between 31/2 to 4 hours) we take the dogs for a walk and she falls asleep almost immediately. once home i lift her to her cot and she sleeps for around2-21/2 hours. once awake we have lunch and then generally do an activity in the afternoon (swimming/ music class etc) to make the day exciting! we then play in garden etc and play around keeping busy. she'll get tired around 4:30/5 and so I'll offer her dinner to give her another wind of energy.

bath is 6/6:30 and bedtime by7. my daughter doesn't sleep through the night (never has but for health reasons than feeding etc) and we start again the next day. if she sleeps in the afternoon on the rare occasion i find she won't sleep at night too well.

hope that helps!

When they do go to one nap it's the morning one that goes and the afternoon one might come forward by an hour or so. Try making the morning nap shorter before dropping it. Ds slept for 45-60 mins at that age and then 90 for his late nap.

morning not mine bing! ruddy iphone!

Aw thanks a million guys. This is really helpful.

I like your layout Robin. I'm the same with her in the mornings till I go to work- play, brekkie, "oh look mummy's drying her hair! Here you hold this tube of mascara wand etc etc" but I think I need to mix it up more for her in the evenings so she doesn't flag. I got her an apron smocky thing today so might try water/messy play or bring her swimming. Ooh I'm excited now!

Lorelei thanks for the advice- a bit stupidly I'd thought the evening nap would go but of course she'd never last till bedtime that way. Will try the suggestions and see how she goes

God I'm totally self-absorbed- I meant to say I hope your DD is okay Robin and her health issues aren't serious. She sounds fabulous and they're so fun at this age really. DD attempted to sweep the floor right after the nap meltdown so we made up immediately. Giant brush, tiny giddy child, parent attempting to balance both brush and wobbly baby. Who am I to resist such cuteness?