Help with One Year Old and Her Naps

Hi C.

Instead of a nap as such, why not make it a 'quiet time', so you can give her a book to look at, still in her cot, or a bottle of water to lie down with, or a story tape to listen to. As long as there is quiet time, and she stays quiet and occupied, you'll soon see if she's tired enough to sleep. If not, then perhaps change the time of her nap time, or reduce it, or abolish it?

My daughter has had 20 minute naps since she was a year old. She takes them after lunch, and that's all she needs for the day. I wish it was longer, but hey ho!

Good luck!
C. x

Have you tried a big girl bed? It sounds like she might be on the precocious side and is already ready for the challenge. I know my daughter was always ahead of the curve on things like this. I was dumb and bought a toddler bed, and she rolled out of it a lot. I got her a real bed then, and she loved it! Never once did she roll off of it. My sons were a little different but, they both loved it when their big boy bed time came! Make a big deal of it - how big she is getting and how important a big girl bed is etc... Good luck and God Bless!

It would be my suggestion to get her a youth bed. She obviously is seeing the difference between her and her sisters and wants what they have and do what they do. I find that 2nd and 3rd children mature much faster and do things much quicker then the first child does. We took our 4 yr old boy out of his crib at about that age as he would just climb out and we were afraid he would fall and get hurt. We bought the rail for the side of the bed to keep him from falling out, even though youth beds are very low to the ground. He was in bed like the big kids, but still had the security of knowing he couldn't fall out. Now that he is 4, he 'hates' his bed (even without the rail and with a regular box spring and matress) so I suggest buying one of those little plastic ones so you can then upgrade to a twin later.

Hi C.,

I had this issue with both of my kids and feel your pain. About this age it seems like they start to enter separation anxiety which means that they are starting to see themselves as separate from you and wanting to exercise their new found personal power (sometimes by protesting just to protest, and sometimes protesting because they are afraid to be separate from you) which you want them to have and you want to respect so they grow up believing in themselves. It is frustrating as a parent though because they aren't as 'easy' as they used to be, kind of going along with YOUR program. I would lean way away from letting them cry it out, because it is totally disrespectful to their desire to communicate a need to you. I really liked 'The No-Cry Sleep Solution' by Elizabeth Pantley (sp?). I used a flexible combination of a specific lullaby CD, asking them what else they needed to go nite-nite, and staying with them and rubbing their back or holding them or their hand. They both go to sleep easily now, although I probably spend more quiet time (10-15 min) with them helping them relax before they fall asleep then if I'd used the cry-it-out method. I love the time to reconnect with them though, although admittedly there are days I wish all I had to do was lay them in their beds and they'd go to sleep :-) Anyway, its what you need and what they need. Best wishes.

Maybe she is ready to switch to one nap per day

Let her cry, it won't hurt her and eventually she will fall asleep. The reason she cries and continues to do it is because she is getting the response from her tears that she want. Mommy!!!

Tomorrow put her in her crib, kiss her, tell her you love her , and that you will be in to get her as soon as nap time is over (she may not understand right away but eventually she will learn that you will), and walk out of the room. Close the door if you have too, but let her stay in there.

C.:

There is no magic time that children stop taking naps. I have three and one stopped taking naps about your daughters age. My middle one would take naps at will by the time he was one. My third would take naps in the late mornings until he was about two or two and a half. They all have their own clocks in them. My oldest one, I thought I would get him to nap for longer, but he just didn't need it. I would get frustrated and then we would both be cranky. At that time I was pregnant and needed naps myself, and it was a dificult one at that. I realized, after some time, that they will nap whenever and wherever, so I always had a stroller on hand and wasn't afraid to move them if needed. I also realized that his lack of naps meant that he wanted to go to bed earlier and that was a plus for my hubbie and I. When the other two came, I didn't insist so much. They will all stop at different times. Maybe she just doesn't need them as much anymore. Only you can be the judge of that. But maybe this will put a different perspective on things. Good luck.

i would push her nap back a little..and when my son fights naps, he's now almost26 months..and has fought them on and off..and when he does i will take a couple days where i take him to the park and then instead of going home i make sure he's in his stroller at naptime and i go window shop...he always falls asleep..i do this for 2 days..then his body gets used to falling asleep again and i have an easy time on the 3rd day getting him back into his crib.

My son has done the stand up thing ever since he learned how to stand. At 14 months, your daughter can figure out how to lay down by herself. I'm not sure what soothing method you use, but continue with whatever worked for you before. Just do your normal routine and leave the room with her standing up. She'll get it. If you can't stand her crying, try doing the Ferber method and going in to soothe her quietly and quickly at specific intervals (5, 10, 15, 20 minutes), picking her up after an hour if she still hasn't fallen asleep. It takes longer for them to catch on to this method than just CIO, but it's better for your nerves and gives you a chance to check to make sure she doesn't need something else like a diaper change or water.

Also, is she still taking two naps? My son is almost 15 months old and I've been trying my darndest to keep him on two naps, but I just recently gave in since he was doing poorly with two short naps (if I could get him to sleep in the morning at all) and started transitioning to one nap instead. At first, he could stay up for about four hours before pooping and only taking an hour or so. If I tried again in the late afternoon, he wouldn't sleep, so if he wakes up from his nap early, I just put him down earlier in the evening (even if he fights it). It's been about two weeks (some days were two nap days during that time) and now he's more adjusted and can stay awake about 5 hours, goes right down for his nap, and sometimes takes two + hour naps in the afternoon. He still seems tired a lot because he was sleeping less during the initial transition, but his disposition has been so much better with one longer nap than two shorter ones.

Just watch your daughter. She'll tell you when it's time to transition (assuming you haven't done so already). My friend's daughter is two and is still taking two naps (but she goes to bed late and only sleeps about 10 hours at night whereas my son usually does 12 hours so she probably needs more napping time). Good luck!

I love it when they turn one and everything changes. lol. Personally, my son is 14 months as well, and I experienced the same as you. The only things I have found to work is to play some music or turn a tv on. If it doesnt work.. and you know its time for bed... just let them cry it out. Sometimes they need to do that. Best of luck to you :)

Nicole

She definitely needs her naps. My kids (3 yr and almost 2) have typically been good sleepers but even they have gone through phases where they fight it. These phases have lasted anywhere from 2 weeks to 2 months. I believe the key is consistency. Have nap time and bed time at consistent times everyday - and that is non-negotiable no matter how much they protest. I wouldn't worry about her standing up after you lay her down. Both of my kids have done that - I just say good night, give hugs and kisses and tell them it's time to sleep. If they are going to protest, it usually lasts until about 2 seconds after I close the door. (your daughter may fuss longer than that at the beginning but she should get the picture before too long). Both of my kids have their own ways of getting themselves to sleep. My younger son went through a short phase where he liked to have a book in bed with him that he would look at before going to sleep. If she has any comfort items, like a special blanket or stuffed animal, make sure those are close to her. She's growing and changing everyday, so I believe these changes in behavior just go with the territory, but you continue to guide her and she will be just fine.

It's a phase. At this age, yes they are standing/walking and all kind of gross motor things. These developmental leaps WILL interrupt their sleep. You just have to keep putting them back down. At this age, they don't always "know" automatically HOW to put themselves back down into a sleep position as we would like.

It takes time. Patience. It's transitional.

KEEP UP with your SAME nap/sleep routines. Keep it consistent. It will pass.

Both my children did that too. I just kept at it, kept my sleep routine for them the same... and after the phase passed, they went back to their regular sleeping pattern.

Also see the other postings about sleep/nap problems...there are TONS of tips that would be repeated here.

Good luck,
~Susan
www.cafepress.com/littlegoogoo

I'm actually going throught the same issue with my 1 year old. I have mentally decided to let her "cry it out" when she wakes up in the middle of the night. (of course I check on her to make sure she has a clean diaper and that everything is ok) but after that, I tell her I love her and then leave the room. She always crys for a while, but, then eventually falls asleep on her own. I'm so proud of her! I think that I wasn't giving her enough credit to be a big girl and fall asleep on her own.
If you are consistant and stay out of her room, you will find that she will fall asleep....eventually. Then she will learn that when she goes into her crib....it's time to go to sleep. Of course it will take time, but it WILL work.
Right now, it has been 2 weeks and my daughter will still wake up once during the night. Last night she cried from 3:00am to 3:45am. I shut her door and my door so I can't hear her. It works every time!
Good luck!