Hi, i have a daughter who is 2yrs 2 months old. Lately she has been refusing to sleep through the day and if I am able to get to have her daytime sleep she fights her night time sleep.
Our routine has changed a lot lately as we are about to welcome another baby into the family in the next couple of weeks. Due to starting maternity leave, I have pulled her out of childcare. I am trying to stimulate her as much as i can and even after swimming lessons she doesn't want a bar of sleep.
Just wanting some advice in what to do from here please. Is it possible that she is growing out of the day time sleep already?
Thanks
This is a place where women from different backgrounds, cultures and beliefs come together to support one another judgement free.
5 Replies
It's possible that she has outgrown the daytime sleep. My son only slept during the day in rare occassions about this age.
I did however encourage rest time. So would put him in bed with books and quiet toys for 10-20 minutes. It didn't hurt him, it gave me 10 minutes to recharge my batteries.
My son went through a phase at that age where he would fight day sleeps. It was just that, a phase.
He's 3.5 now and still needs a nap.
What I've found really helpful is routine.
So ours is lunch at 11:45/12:00.
Quiet time full of stories (around 20 minutes worth).
Then bed at around 12:45/1:00. Wake at 2:30.
It's really important to say at lunch time "after lunch is quiet time. Then we'll have a rest."
During quiet time "after quiet time and our stories, it's rest time".
The quiet time is really important to help them settle down and focus on one task. (Otherwise their brain may find it hard to shut down).
Good luck.
I've never met a child that doesn't need a nap at that age.
Their kids are clearly overtired and over stimulated, that's why they fought their sleep.
So it's mainly the parents deciding when the kids stops having a sleep.
I do all this, i am hoping it's just a phase. With the baby due soon we are all going to need naps.
Thanks for your advice
My daughter is 2yo and 2mo she hasn't had a nap since she was about 19months old
She'll have the occasional nap but she sleeps 7pm to 9-10am
Some days if we're driving she'll sleep in the car
But lately (I'm due for a baby in Jan 5th) so I have been needing naps myself
So about 1-2pm I'll give her my phone with abc kids app and lock it on that and we will lie on my bed and she'll sometimes fall asleep with me within minutes or she'll just watch her programs until I wake it her dad gets home at 3
(My bedroom is super child safe)
I would say your little one has outgrown the day nap. My little one did around the same age. She could seriously do with one some days, but I let her lay on the lounge and watch a TV program for half an hour to an hour for some down time. Or she will read a book.
Crap timing with the new baby on the way I went through the same thing but it all works out in the wash and for me it was way more important she was sleeping easily at night through the night so it was one less thing to worry about with being up to a new born every 3 - 4 hours!
Good luck