HELP! Arm flapping when tired in 8-mo DD

[Galena]

Ok, so maybe this is common, maybe not, but I'm looking for help!

DD is 8.5mo, although was 3months premature, so is really 5 1/2 months. She's never been the world's best napper and before Christmas would only sleep in the day if I was holding her. At night she's not too bad - wakes once or twice for a bf and then back to sleep.

Since Christmas we've put her in her own room in a cot. She now naps in the cot pretty well (generally 3 naps per day of 45mins-an hour). However, she's got a cold and for the past few days has been coughing a bit. This means she hasn't been napping well.

However, in the last 2 days we've got a new problem: She has her first nap ok, but then doesn't want to go down again. When I put her down, she starts flapping her arms vigorously and screams. If I put her dummy in, she pulls it out and continues flapping/screaming. If I hold her arms down she screams. If I leave her to scream she gets into a real state. If I get her up, she is fine for a few minutes and then gets cross and grumpy because she's so tired. If I put her back down, she flaps/screams again. She seems very agitated and doesn't calm down.

What on earth can I do?! It's becoming awful because it means she's awful for the whole afternoon/evening.

Any advice? What's this flapping all about? How can I prevent it and get her to sleep? HELP!

Anyone?

i dont think the arm flapping in itself is a problem.

maybe delay the first nap and make the second one also a bit later and shorter so it doesnt affect her tiredness at bedtime?

Thanks for the reply.

Sorry, I didn't make it clear, she goes to bed fine at bedtime. The problem is when she's tired at naptime she flaps and won't go to sleep at all. This means she's overtired for the rest of the afternoon and just cries.

After dinner/bath/story/feed she goes down like a dream (almost beginning to think I should bath her to get her to nap!)

i meant make the second nap shorter so she's still tired enough at bedtime.

I mean maybe she doesnt need so much napping anymore?

I see what you mean... Might try this, although I only try putting her down when she shows signs of tiredness (rubbing eyes/face, being a bit grumpy) so she still seems as tired as before. Surely if she wasn't needing the nap she wouldn't be really grumpy until bedtime if she misses it? (Sorry, not trying to argue with everything you suggest, just really puzzled and very very frustrated!)

Hi Galena, another one from the 6m+ not sleeping through thread here. DS has been very "writhy" when I've been putting him down for naps, so I came on here hoping to get some tips. He has got his pincer grip, so does a nice line in pinching and biting me when I'm rocking him to sleep at naptime.

I wonder if it is just a phase? For my DS (10mo) I was beginning to wonder if he might soon be dropping from two to one naps. Why is this so confusing?!

I don't know, IsItMe! Children should come with instruction manuals - and meters on their tummies to let us know how much they're eating!

I knew parenting would be hard, but this is ridiculous!

Oh how stupid do I feel now?! I noticed a couple of days ago that the teddy DD has in bed usually with little blanket attached was grubby so I washed it. I noticed it on the radiator after lunch today so took it up with her when she went up for her second nap. Surprise, surprise, she settled almost immediately for it. And for nap number 3 just now.

Oh how silly do I feel! She just wanted her teddy (She has a couple of other soft toys in bed too, but obviously teddy is the key!)

Great news! At least you worked out what it was.

The only thing I can think with DS is that he sucked him thumb for naps a while back, then "lost" his thumb during his first bout of teething and has never rediscovered it. I miss his thumb!