Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Sleep

Join our Sleep forum for tips on creating a sleep routine for your baby or toddler. Need more advice on your childs development? Sign up to our Ages and Stages newsletter here.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

How do you get your toddler to nap?

27 replies

Haz1516 · 26/08/2019 06:41

Hi,

I'm looking for any tips about naptime, because what I'm doing at the moment is clearly not working! My 14 month old seems to hate nap time and it's such a miserable struggle, no matter how tired they are. We had a lovely stage from about to 7 to 10 months where he could just be laid down awake in his bed and would go to sleep with little fuss, but since then it's become progressively more difficult. Now the moment I try to take him upstairs or go to his room he is generally hysterical. I end up pacing up and down for ages often with him screaming until he dozes off, then he still usually cries when I put him down but only for a couple of minutes until he then goes to sleep.

So, I feel like I need help! How do other people get their toddlers to take a nap without a meltdown? He has no dummy but a comforter who he is very attached to.

Thank you

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Original poster

Haz1516 · 26/08/2019 06:42

Also to add, bedtime is fine, I can put him down with no fuss and he goes to sleep by himself. Wakes up very early though, and very very rarely does more than 10 hours.

OP posts:

HalyardHitch · 26/08/2019 06:45

My youngest was awful. We did a gradual retreat type thing. In his cot with a hand on his back, in his cot with five fingers, four fingers...a finger. By his cot no touching, a step away, a foot, a metre, across the room, out the door (and gone!). Although we started this at about ten months. It took ages though - maybe six weeks or more. Although he was a really attached sleeper so we went pretty slowly

Original poster

Haz1516 · 26/08/2019 06:52

Thank you! I feel like he's worse if I stay in there longer in a way, as he gets more upset that I'm not picking him up when he can see me. All the crying is just so stressful and horrible.

OP posts:

Strugglingtodomybest · 26/08/2019 06:53

Ds1 was exactly like you describe. I could only get him to nap by lying down on the bed with him and basically holding him down in a 'cuddle'. He'd struggle and cry, but then drop off into a deep sleep and I could move him into his cot.

littlestrawby · 26/08/2019 07:19

Urgh, my toddler is terrible at all sleep related things, for naps we just have to use the pram. It's the only thing that works!

HalyardHitch · 26/08/2019 08:00

I guess you need to make the decision whether you want to remain and comfort him or leave him to it. Unless you're happy to rock and cuddle. But are you still able to continue that in 12 months time for every nap?

Original poster

Haz1516 · 26/08/2019 08:37

Thank you all for the reassurance, at least I’m not the only one who struggles. The problem with the prom or car is that he never does more than 45 minutes in either.

@halyardhitch do you think there’s any chance of him growing out of it? Like as he gets older understanding that it’s nap time and happily going down? I used to be able to put him down, and he’d maybe cry for 5minutes max, then fall asleep (or sometimes with no fuss at all) but he’s been like this for a while now. If I just put him down now then he would be hysterical, even when he’s totally exhausted.

OP posts:

Northernsoullover · 26/08/2019 08:39

My eldest was awful at napping. At 14 months it might be easier to just arrange a walk or drive at nap time.

Original poster

Haz1516 · 27/08/2019 09:03

Thanks. Like I said, the problem is that we only get 45 mins from car/pram. Any more ideas?

OP posts:

GenevaMaybe · 30/08/2019 07:58

What time is the nap?

MrsSiba · 30/08/2019 08:03

At that age a 45 minute nap might be long enough anyway? If he is tired he will stay asleep a bit longer.

My 13 month old is bf to nap or will go in the pram/car. He only ever sleeps for an hour now, maybe 1h15 tops. I'm worried how he will sleep when he starts nursery 😳

Sipperskipper · 30/08/2019 08:03

Is he on one nap or two? What’s his usual routine?

whenweallfallasleep · 30/08/2019 08:05

I walk my 2yo DS in the pram, as soon as he is asleep bring him back inside and lift him gently from pram to my shoulder, and then to blanket on the sofa. He will sleep for 1-3 hours normally! Might be worth a try? I sit next to him and read or watch tele so if he stirs he sees me and goes back to sleep.

Original poster

Haz1516 · 30/08/2019 08:16

I usually try and put him down after an early lunch - about 12. Once he is down he will sleep for 2 hours, but it's just such a fight getting him to sleep. He definitely needs the sleep. On only 45 minutes he is exhausted and grumpy by early evening.

Thank you for all the responses. I'm starting to think it's just something he needs to grow out of, but I wish he'd realise that naps are nice and they make him feel better!

OP posts:

Sipperskipper · 30/08/2019 08:19

And what time does he wake up in the morning?

Seeline · 30/08/2019 08:30

Both mine stopped napping completely at 18 months so maybe he is just starting to give up on them.

One of mine fought for a couple of months, until we gave up. The other was napping 3 hours each afternoon until the next day she said no, and that was the end of naps. I used to go out in the car every few days as they would nap then, just to let them catch up a bit on sleep.

How about just having a quiet time after lunch for a couple of days? Sit on he sofa, reading a few books, perhaps a couple of sings, maybe a quiet TV programme, just so that he is calm and relaxed. He may drop off then. Try the bed again after a couple of days,.

Original poster

Haz1516 · 30/08/2019 08:50

@sipperskipper He wakes up early, usually about 5:30. He very rarely sleeps more than 10.5 hours at night as a maximum it seems.

Thanks @Seeline, the problem is though that he really does need to sleep, he gets very tired, but fights sleep with every inch of his life. He's never just fallen asleep without being actively put down for sleep (since newborn days at least).

OP posts:

Sipperskipper · 30/08/2019 08:55

Yes he definitely sounds like he needs it. Perhaps he is a bit overtired by the time he goes down? That’s a long time awake at 14 months (even for my DD who can stay awake for England!). Perhaps you could try putting him down 15 mins / 30mins earlier? If that’s too early for lunch you could do a mini lunch or snack with milk, and proper lunch after.

Skyejuly · 30/08/2019 08:56

Just cuddle up and watch tv. Shes usually asleep in 5 minute and so much less stress.

zofloraexplora · 30/08/2019 09:18

Routines not doable for everyone but it works for me, I'm a mum of three girls and my youngest is 2. I do the same thing every morning as I'm a stay at home mother for now while my partner works so I'm lucky to have the time for now untill I start collage. I get up have breakfast play with kids then around 11 I snuggle up with my 2 year old with a bottle of milk. She nods off beautifuly and that gives me time to catch up with chores and such. Like I said routine isn't for everyone especially if your a working mum or dad but this works for me

Spoonsmum · 30/08/2019 09:23

Maybe don’t put him in the bedroom if that’s possible. My kids all napped in the lounge in the day. After lunch, sat down in sofa they lay down with toy or blanket or whichever with no tv or anything distracting then I’d read them a few books, then I’d sit with them for a bit and they fell asleep there. I didn’t necessarily stick to an exact time just a window. Maybe it’s the cot he’s objecting to? Like he knows he’s gonna be missing out on what’s going on downstairs?

Original poster

Haz1516 · 30/08/2019 15:40

Thanks, all good ideas.

I can't imagine him ever just cuddling up to me on the sofa while watching tv and falling asleep, but maybe one day eh.

The only thing about downstairs on the sofa etc is that he likes to roll around so much, I'd have to construct some kind of barrier.

OP posts:

Sipperskipper · 31/08/2019 05:38

OP he sounds like my DD (2 and a bit). Any car naps would be 40 mins max, not ever possible to transfer her. Cot naps a very decent couple of hours!

She would still never fall asleep on the sofa or anything. Drove 8 hours to holiday last week, got up at 4am. She slept for all of 40 mins in the car and when we got there I tried to get her to nap in a bed for a bit - no chance! Just bouncing around.

I don’t really mind though as she has always reliably slept in her cot (after occasional protests!)

EssentialHummus · 31/08/2019 05:44

We had this recently with dd (bit older). I took to singing a calming song as I carried her to her cot, and carried on singing while putting her down and retreating. Works well.

Embracethechaos · 31/08/2019 05:55

I smiled at that Tv cuddle too. I have a 14 month old. Once she fell asleep cuddling me on the sofa watching TV, it was glorious, but she's not so into long cuddles unless I'm walking. I wouldn't worry about nursery, mine naps far better at childminder than home. They have their meaths plus nursery is tiering. No advice I'm afraid, I tend to do breastfeed/car/ buggy then trans her to the cot 90% time.

Flip

1 2