My 27th month old won't sleep at lunchtime any more!

[Corky]

I know that my dd will be dropping this sleep at some point, and since xmas she won't sleep at lunchtime anymore. To make matters worse, she's moved into a big bed (No 2 baby due in 6 weeks) and for the last few nights has finally stopped waking at 3am to come into our bedroom. She used to sleep 12/13 hours every night before xmas with a sleep at lunchtime every day. Now she has 10 hours at that every night and no daytime nap, so she is knackered come bedtime. She is extremely irritable come 3/4pm and if I go out in the car she falls asleep instantly. I do try and put her in her bed at 1pm but she gets up and says 'not going to sleep now'. As she's been so restless at night, I have been going along with the no sleep at lunchtime as the tired she is the better for sleeping through the night. The trouble is I'm sure she would go to sleep at lunchtime if it wasn't in the bed. Anyone got any ideas on what to do? I get worried that the less sleep she has the worse she sleeps at night as they can get overtired.

Not my baby experience, but my sister now 7, stopped napping in bed/cot before age 2. My mum got fed up with her being irritable and let her have nap on the sofa with TV. Not sure whether that helps, maybe somebody here has personal experience.

Must add that my mum had a second child after me after 20 years at 40plus so may have been inclined for softer methods.

My ds2 (2yrs)has also recently stopped the after-lunch sleep - again it's when we moved him into a bed from a cot. I can't be bothered to fight, so am leaving him to it - he does make it through to bedtime OK though, so it's probably a bit easier for me.

He will sleep on the days he goes to nursery (as the other kids do too), and he'll sleep if we're out in the car. But if we're at home there's no way that I can get him to stay in bed.

No real advice to offer, other than it's not worth getting too worked up about it (especially in your condition ) - if your dd is anything like my ds then she'll do what she wants & nothing you can do will change it. Give her a bit more time & she'll hopefully settle back into her longer sleeps at night. That happened with us.

Mine stopped at about the same age. Bugger isn't it? Just when you need them to have it the most! I don't think there's much you can do about it. Mine went to a nap every 2 or 3 days and always after swimming but now he never does (he's just 3) although sometimes will sleep in the car after a few busy days. Theonly thing I could suggest is that you go for long drives when you think she needs a nap and let her fall asleep. Take a book with you and sit outside your house for a while if you can't move her from the car to the house!

It's the bed. My ds (2) won't stay in it during the day either. If he has no sleep at all he is prone to going to sleep at the table while eating his tea, which is very cute, but doesn't make for the happiest bath and bedtime. I use it as an excuse to sit on the sofa in the afternoon, holding him still until he gives in and goes to sleep. Once asleep he can easily be transferred to his bed if necessary, but I quite like the hot water bottle effect

Thanks all, I did think that it was the bed. I guess I should be grateful shes sleeping in it at night! I did try again today even getting into my bed with her, but even with her beloved Teddy she still said she didn't want to go. I don't think I mind really its just hard work keeping her awake late in the afternoon and she gets so irritable! I've put her in front of the telly now for a bit so I can have a rest!

Mine stopped this sleep just after 18 months. Nothing to do with the bed, they just grow out of it. She'll (now 27 months) go to sleep in the car but we don't tend to be out very long and it doesnt affect her night sleep whenever she has a doze.

Cant you get her to watch a vid/have quiet time for a bit instead?

It's a stage - she's not tired enough for a proper sleep, but too tired to get through to bedtime. I second Enids suggestion of quiet time - video under a blanket on the sofa with Mummy was a favourite here. And bring bedtime etc forward by an hour for a bit, and try to time it so you can have cuddles with books at her usual irritable time. It will get better as she gets more used to staying awake all day.

I know some children drop daytime naps before 2 or just after but it doesn't sound to me that's what's happening with your dd as you describe her as sleeping 12-13 hours plus nap up until Christmas. So I'd say it's the bed. She's now got an option to sleep or not as she sees it, because the bed's given her independence. My dd is also 27 months and sleeps 11 hours at night and 2 in the day. On the occasions she misses her day sleep she's exhausted by bedtime and sleeps dreadfully through the night. So no matter how anal MIL etc. think I am about day sleeps I try to insist on them. I've avoided getting a bed rather than cot because I doubt very much my dd would nap in a bed in the daytime. I'm going to wait until she's 3 unless she learns how to climb out by herself! Could you try putting your dd to bed very early on the days she doesn't have a sleep? I remember someone on a different thread did this with their dd who was 3.5 and dropping day sleeps. She ended up putting her to bed around 6pm or so and the dd slept until the same time in the morning as normal.