Okay, so I am seriously about to lose my mind. I have been listening to my 11 1/2 month old cry for 40minutes now. He was doing great going to sleep on his own from about 7 months old. I Did the whole cry it out method and it worked. However, the past three weeks he WILL NOT nap. He sits in there and cries for an hour and won't go to sleep. I can even hold him until he falls asleep, wait 10 minutes and put him down, he pops up and screams. He is for sure tired, because he is so cranky and makes the day miserably long after these episodes. I have tried switching him to one nap and tried doing two. Didn't work.
Has anyone had these issues? If so, please give me any suggestions you might have! I am getting really nervous, because the next baby will be here in 3 1/2 months. I can not deal with no napping and a newborn.
p.s. he sleeps great at night. I don't get it!
Hi, everyone~
Thank you all so much for your responses. I tried a few different things to no avail. Then, I tried switching him to one nap. That was it! He was trying to cut out his two nap a day routine. He just turned one and I thought it was too early. However, he goes down so easy now that I keep him up longer and put hin down just after lunch. Sometimes he even sleeps two hours. WOW! He has never slept that long. Again, thanks for all your help!!
My 10 month old daughter does the same thing. What i have found that works for her is that i bought a cd from walmart that is nothing but calming, instrumental music AKA Elevator music and it puts her right out. She cries for a lil bit then she's out for the count.
HI K. I am so sorry to hear this. I know how hard it can be. My son did the same thing. Try making sure that there is nothing under the covers poking him. I had to change my sons nap time everytime he got a little older. So maybe that will work. Also he may need it really dark in there try hanging darker curtains. I don't know kids are all different, but also remember they have personalities just like us and like different things as well. I think we take for granted there age and don't relize that they like certain things as well as we do. Well I hope this helps. Good luck!!
Some children aren't big sleepers. Be grateful he is sleeping through the night. Have you tried putting him down for a nap and laying on the floor in his room near the door. Let him know everyone takes a nap. Maybe, if he can see you sleeping, he won't feel like he is missing out on something important. Try that for a few days. Actually, I would make it real comfy, maybe you will fall asleep too. If you don't fall asleep and he does, quietly slither out of the room (maybe a little difficult in your condition).
PS. I have 3 boys. They are not that close together though. Your life is going to change dramatically when the the 2nd boy arrives. Wonderful kaos. good luck!
Hi K.,
I agree with Tiffany, kids are their own little people who like what they like regardless of what we don't think of! So try some of those soothing types of ideas, and to be honest, the first thing I thought of when I read your story, is put him down an hour earlier than you are right now. It sounds like he is over tired, so maybe if you can start the process, lunch finished, booktime, etc. and have him down an hour earlier, he may just sleep like a log! Napping paterns constantly change, but it's the signs our kids are giving us that give us the answers as to what exactly is going on and what we can do to change it.
Best of luck, most all of these issues seem like they will be here forever and can feel sooo burdensome, but are ALWAYS quite short phases.
Take care,
S.
This might seem silly, but my son sleeps in the bed with us, and would not sleep in the crib, would wake up, I couldn't let him cry it out, I put my pillow in his crib, he curls up on top of it and goes to sleep on his own. Its amazing considering I nursed and rocked him to sleep and held him.
I'm a stay at home mom with a 2 year old and a 4 year old (both boys). It's been my experience that they won't nap when they have too much energy. You should try having him laugh a lot and stimulate his mind with all sorts of toys or music. Well, not all at once though!! Once he gets tired, he'll cry a little just because he wants his nap! Luke, my 2 year old, has just started this recently! It works! Trust me! You can also, try those little toys that require some sort of push button, like a piano or animal that makes noise! That keeps them entertained for a while! Good luck! I hope it works for you as it has for me!
K.,
With the new baby on the way, have you changed your routine with the toddler? Maybe, Mom could lie down at the same time as the baby, and rest and give him the assurance that you are nearby. This just might be an early sign of jealousy for the new sibling. The nap, if possible, would do you both good.
I never believed in letting my child cry it out. I couldn't stand to hear her cry like that. I would cuddle and rock her to sleep and then I would make her a cozy pallet on the floor with her favorite show on but volume down a little. It made her feel more secure during the day to be in the living room with us. I never tip toed around though. I let her get use to sleeping with a little noise around so that she sleep in the main room and I could still wash my dishes.
Sometimes I really didn't have to rock her. I would simply make her pallet with her fav stuffed baby's and a movie, (fantasia)
This worked well for me.
My son was the exact same way!! NO naps during the day but slept all night... I just had to get firm with schedule and feed and then turn on the music (or what ever calms him!)everyday at the same time every 4-5 hours. eventually he caught on! Although, at first it seemed impossible...be consistent and don't give!!! Hang in there! My sons schedule is now as follows: sleeps all night, wakes at 9-930, naps at 11-12, naps again about 4-5 and reamins in his room for about 3 hours at this point!!! I love it! and then its back to bed 930-10.
we bought a relaxing cd and put it on during our sons nap time. he used to scream for an hour before going to sleep...now he only cries for about 10 mins.
My daughter cried it out great, but my son won't- he'll cry until the end of time if I let him! Maybe you should change his nap time. Maybe he's getting overly tired and beyond the nap. When my daughter was 11 mos- she actually took her first nap only an hour after waking up! Then she took another one in the afternoon. (She also slept all night.) If she missed a nap time, she got "too" tired and then fought her nap- and even though she was exhausted and cranky, wouldn't nap. (That makes for a pretty depressing afternoon!) Also, try reading a book to him. This also might be a stage- it seems as soon as you have the whole thing figured out- they start going through a stage and you have to start all over! Good luck!
Hi K.,
Is your problem solved? If not, I have an idea. Let me know.
K.
my son stopped napping at this age, and the only thing i could do was take him for a stroller ride or short car ride and he would sleep for an hour or so after - but sometimes it isnt worth it.
if he sleeps at night he may be getting enough sleep - mine has just started sleeping through (not every night but most) at FIVE!!
i used to have to hold mine down to take naps also, but i decided it was not worth it so i stopped them altogether, some babies need less sleep.
maybe instead of a nap he could go in a baby swing, or in the playpen for an hour instead, as long as you have a little break it doesnt matter if they are asleep.
we have the baby channel on direct tv, which is great for distracting babies for an hour or so, its only 5$ a month
