The Last Nap? / O Sleep, Where Art Thou?
Please bloggers, help me. Ok, my plight isn't that bad, but I don't know if Buttons is done with naps, not feeling well or still messed up from our vacation with family. She seems to have a fear of us leaving the room during nap time and won't sleep unless we're in there. Sometimes she even lays down and watches us to make sure we don't leave.
You say you need more info to diagnose this issue? We started using this book about six weeks ago and things were going well. Nap times were still done with the rocking method until last weekend when sweet hubby was able to get her to fall asleep on her own in her crib. However, this has been the week of the "no-nap", the "crap-nap" and the "I'm going out of my freakin' mind if this is the end of her napping-nap". I've tried most everything I can think of and I'm not sure what else to do. If I rock her to sleep or if she falls asleep in the car and I try to put her into her crib, she wakes up, stands up and cries to be held. If I do the method from "the book" she can hold out for a very long time and it begins to feel like I'm hurting her as opposed to helping her. The best nap this week came after she was completely exhausted from the day and from trying to nap (well, not to nap) and I finally rocked her, put her in our bed, put a few pillows around her and kept her within earshot, so I was still able to do a few things while she slept. She will be 21 months on Monday, so is she just getting rid of that final nap or is there something I can do so she will nap but I won't feel like I'm breaking her spirit?
She is a wonderful, happy girl and is rarely in a bad mood. This week she has shown a significant increase in general unhappiness. Could it be...lack of naps?...illness of some sort?...let down from constant movement during a 2 week stint with relatives in Michigan?...just getting older and wanting to be more independent?...getting ready for a big milestone and/or right in the middle of the language explosion?... unknown origin, but it will just get better with time?...bad parenting? (ok, probably not too bad, but I start to wonder after a while and maybe I should say bad mothering, because my hubby is a great father). Whatever the answer, give it to me now, please! I'm hoping this isn't the last picture of her napping that I'll ever take. Speaking of napping, I'm up wayyyyy too late blogging, so time for bed. Maybe I'll be the one who needs a nap tomorrow!
posted by Katie J @ 1:17 AM
5 comments
5 Comments:
Oh man, I hope Buttons starts napping again. Naps benefit the munchkin & the Mommy. No advice, or assvice, to give - just crossing my fingers for you.
Take care & get some sleep!
BTW, you've been tagged. It's not bad luck to not participate, but fun to share. See my latest post & see what the list includes.
TTFN
From what I've read, 21 months is a bit young to be going completely napless. Buttons is precocious, to be sure, but chances are she still needs some sleep during the day. If she is indeed afraid to be left alone while napping, maybe you could try sitting with her during her naps (have some knitting handy!)--just in a chair next to the crib. Then over the course of several days, gradually move the chair closer to the door and into the hallway. I've read in several forums that this technique has worked for many people, so perhaps it could help you, too.
Oh--one more suggestion. This is something we've recently added to Sylvia's naptime and bedtime routines, and I think it helps her realize that going to sleep doesn't mean the world is ending. We say "night-night" to the trees outside each of her two windows as we pull the curtains closed before she goes to sleep, and when she wakes up we open the curtains and say hello to the trees. (She likes to wave at them. Heh.) Something you might want to try, if you aren't already doing something similar. YMMV, of course. :) Good luck!
Thanks Tammy and Marsha. One question...what does YMMV mean? Today, she did do a nap while I stayed in her room reading. I did leave the room after she fell asleep. We say good-night to the day, but maybe I'll try a hello and goodnight to the trees!
YMMV = Your Mileage May Vary. :) Glad to hear about today's successful nap--hooray!
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