2 YO nap issues

KCKappa

DD is 25 months old and really fighting naps. She's in a big-girl bed and either DH or I lie down with her until she falls asleep for both naps and bedtime. Lately for naps the only way I can get her to actually fall asleep is if some sort of crying is involved - ie, she won't stop talking to her stuffed animal, so I take it away; or she won't stop kicking her legs, so I tell her I need to sit on the bed instead of lying next to her - then she cries for a few minutes before finally falling asleep. I can't decide if this is just the way she needs to wind down/let some emotions out... or if it's terrible that she has to go through this every single day?

Back story: Two months ago, we were down to just one nursing session per day, which was nursing to sleep for her nap, so I went ahead and cut out that final session to wean her completely (I was 12 weeks PG at the time and feeling like my milk was staring to dry up anyway, DH really thought it was time for her to wean, etc). The first week was fine - I rocked her to sleep or lay in her bed with her until she fell asleep, either of which took 20-30 minutes. No problems. Since then, we've had good and bad periods but this current phase seems to be lasting longer than the rest. At this point I wish I could just go back to our quick 15-minute nursing sessions to get her to sleep easily!

Anyone have AP-related tips for getting a 2 YO to nap? Or alternatively, did anyone's LO give up naps completely around this time? (I ask because she had a good month or so of finally STTN at least a couple of times a week... but that went out the window around the time this latest nap fighting phase started - is it possible she just needs less sleep?)

rae_dylanzmom

Our naps are on a break from 'regular.' DS used to go down at 12:08pm.... like clockwork. And easy (although I still nurse him and cuddle). 

These days, I'd say 1-2 days we no-nap, or DS falls asleep in the middle of something at 3:30 or 4pm. I'm trying to just be more aware of his tiredness. The impact of exercise on his naps (which is pretty big, actually) and food (not sure about this one, but I think if he eats too close to naptime, it's a struggle), his sleep quality the night before and/or wake-up time in the morning (which doesn't seem to impact it too much). 

So maybe those are things you could watch? Also, I'm not fighting with DS to go down at 12 if he's not into it. He just went down at 1:40 today, and it was so easy. A little later than I'd like, but I'm thinking maybe I just need to adjust my expectations on the timing for this nap to be more ~1pm. I understand that Montessori schools nap at 2pm or something, so maybe that's a transition our kids will make over the coming months?

GL! 

dosafyre

My daughter stopped napping fairly early...suddenly now at 3yo she's starting to take them again in the afternoons. Some kids are just not nappers.