How to get my 2.4 year old to nap in day

[user1473602935]

My toddler goes to bed at night and sleeps through, no issue there

But, she has never been great at self settling for daytime naps, and because we've had builders in for past 6 months, I've been driving her to sleep for her lunchtime nap!

Oops. Now we can't break the habit. I've tried CC but she gets v upset and might even vomit. Should I just persist with CC? We have done this a couple of times for bedtime and it worked quickly, but when I've tried during day it seems harder

She clearly still needs her nap plus I'm pregnant so would quite like a rest too rather than driving her about

What happens if you go to bed together?

She will just muck around, excited that she's in my bed

Buggy? You'd still have to walk her until she falls asleep but once asleep you could head home and park her in the hall for the rest of the nap

It's a tough one as some children stop napping altogether at that age.
I've only ever been able to get my ds to nap by walking him in the buggy.
If driving is the only thing that's working you might need to just stick with that even though it's not ideal...

My dd was the same but she would transfer from the car asleep so I carried her up the stairs and put her to bed, or onto the sofa. However, both of my dc gave up their naps at around 2.5.

I used to give the option of do you want to nap in bed or on the sofa. Invariably chose the sofa and I'd explain that any messing & they'd be in bed.

Will she stay asleep if you stop the car? I used to sometimes take a thermos and a book and sit on our drive for an hour whilst dd slept!

Mine only ever slept in the car around this age unless ill

DS is 2.8 and still naps, although I'm beginning to think about stopping them...anyway. I used to bf him to sleep but since that stopped I just read stories to him quietly in bed until he nods off - and I wake him after 45-60 mins, or he takes too long to get to sleep in the evening. If he doesn't go to sleep with the stories I just bring him back downstairs, although he's pretty hard work by 4pm or so...I'm also pregnant and love the rest I get when he naps!

I'm afraid my eldest also gave up naps at that age - just used to mess around instead of going to sleep. By that age, she would also only go to sleep in the car. I was about to have DD2 so enforced a "quiet time" in her bedroom in the afternoons where she would listen to audio books.

It might be coincidence that she's stopped napping my ds same age seems to have recently too and I think my others did at this age too - unless we are out in car then he nods off - he does stay asleep though when I carry him in.
Today he had no nap and then tried to have one at 5pm I woke him up!!
Hard when you pregnant though and you need a rest! can't you resort to a bit of peppa pig on the iPad quietly and you have a lie down!!

I agree with PP...does she need a nap? How is she if she doesn't get one? My 2.4 year old is an absolute nightmare by bedtime if he doesn't nap, but takes ages to go to sleep at bedtime when he does nap. We're in the strange no mans land where we need to decide naps or not! A few weeks of no nap and he'll probably be grand at coping, but will I?! ;)

Both my boys had stooped naps by then. Most days they still needed them as were very tired but you just need to push through that phase. They often went to bed at 6pm around that time and slept right through!

Thanks for your posts everyone, very interesting

I'm glad to know I'm not the only one that drives them to sleep!

She can go without the nap but often gets very ratty and tantrummy

Im looking forward to dropping it tbh

My 2.5 year old went through a patch of refusing her nap but I was sure she still needed it. We rebranded it 'quiet time'; she lies on a mattress on the floor under a blanket (so similar to nursery) and after a story I put on audiobooks (invariably Peppa Pig argh) and nine times out of ten she will drop off and I have to wake her! Worth trying a different method if you think yours still needs it. I cannot cope without her nap as I have six month old too!

Beemay thank you - that's a great idea!

My 2.5 year old is trying to drop his day time naps, but clearly isn't ready (he passed out asleep on the sofa yesterday at 5pm after refusing to nap). I find sometimes putting him down earlier in the day seems to work.

He also LOVES his cot and if I need a nap (I'm 9 weeks pregnant and have had an awful cold the past week) I can put him in his bed, blinds open, put an audio CD on and he will either play in bed with his cars and books for an hour or play for a little while and then fall asleep.

I've also been known to let him go to bed with a snack and sometimes he just wants to eat some fruit and then fall asleep, I'm happy to sacrifice clean sheets if he sleeps! :D

Thank you - I mighr try the snack and audio book combo!