11mo started fighting naps and won't settle - any tips?

[cakeaddict]

Hi, I have an 11mo DS who has just recently started fighting his naps and it is getting extremely difficult to settle him down to sleep.
About a month ago he was being a dream baby and was taking 2 regular 1.5 hour naps, morning & afternoon and settling himself off to sleep - I really thought we had cracked it! (should have realised nothing ever lasts...) Then about a month ago, for no reason I can see, he stopped settling himself to sleep for naps and since then has been getting progressively more difficult to put down. He constantly stands up in his cot and when I do eventually settle him, it's only with me cuddling/holding him until he's gone to sleep.

Does anyone have any tips on how to get back on track? It's so frustrating because I know he CAN settle himself as he's done it in the past. I was also wondering if his sleep needs are changing now he's coming up to his first birthday - do 1yr olds still need 2 naps a day?

Any thoughts appreciated.

both ds and dd started going towards 1 nap a day by the time they were 1 year old. The morning nap got later and later and for a while they went to sleep around 11.30am for a couple of hours - I had to either give an early lunch or give a snack mid-morning and lunch when they woke up. From around 1 1/2 ds has had lunch and gone to sleep after that (around 12.30pm) and can sleep for 1 1/2 to 3 hours.

DS did exactly the same around 11mo. We dropped the morning nap and he has been fine going down for his lunchtime nap ever since.

Normal at this age. It's a combination of dropping a nap and his brain concentrating on learning to walk (hence why he stands straight up). Sleep is a developmental thing so at times of big development (walking's a biggie) sleep can go up the swanny as his attention/resources are diverted. Try moving towards one nap a day and don't worry if it takes a wee while.

Thanks for the comments - I was also wondering whether or not it was a bit of separation anxiety as often he seems tired enough to sleep but gets distressed when I try to put him in his cot... I go back to work next week so if this is the case then I guess it's going to get worse before it gets better.

At least I know I'm not alone though - will try dropping a nap and see if it helps.