[mysonsmum]

Since my son who is now almost 13 months started crawling at 9 months he refuses to have a day nap. I think in the whole 3-4 months he has had 2 maybe 3 naps for maybe 30mins. His sleep at night is generally OK sleeps up to 12 hours most nights but no matter what I try during the day he will not sleep, have tried taking him to the play ground to tire him out, hot baths, feeding him to sleep, keeping him awake longer, not keeping him up as long, getting him up earlier in the morning & nothing works. I get nothing done during the day & often get's tired & ends up a grumpy mess & for his development he is supposed to be getting closer to 14 hours sleep a day but some days he might only 8 - 10. Anything else I can try?

[divineM]

I think your little one is way too young to not nap. you don't say what you actually do or don't do at nap times and at night? maybe if you set this out people might be better able to help out.

[mysonsmum]

I agree, he definitely needs to nap! His bed time routine has always been dinner a massage, get pjs on, quite time, story, breastfeed, lie him in bed & give him his cuddley & he's asleep within 5 mins. For day naps all I have ever had to do was have a few mins of quiet time, lie him in bed & give him his cuddley but that doesn't work anymore. I tried wrapping him a few different ways because until summer hit he was always wrapped for bed but that hasn't helps. I am trying to implement a bit more of a getting ready for a nap routine with him during the day such as getting him changed, reading a book, milk ect but it's like he senses what I'm trying to do & he just looses it

[divineM]

what do you do when he loses it? Also how many naps/what time are you trying?

[mysonsmum]

For 2 months I tried to continue giving him 2 naps as that was what he had always done but have given up & am trying to get 1 for now. Tho I think he needs 2 I have to start somewhere. when he looses it I have just been carrying on with it, settling him as much as possible then going back to the book or whatever. Sometimes he might settle enough for me to get him off to bed but when I put him down he just starts to talk then stands up & walks around his cot talking until he's bored then he starts screaming. If I skip the routine he screams before he even lies down in bed...

[divineM]

not sure if i understood correctly but you are trying to put him to sleep outside of the cot and then to put him down?
it's just my opinion, but i think he should be more than ready to learn to self settle. we did it with the help of a sleep nanny but you could try it on your own...

[PurpleNess]

MY DS does the same thing but reverse - he's a dream to self settle during the day but since Christmas has been a nightmare at night. He's nearly 14 months.

Basically at 1 they are far more aware of wanting you around & Im sure that's our issue, he wants to be with us & not miss out, plus he's finding it harder to settle himself after a busy day of playing, walking ( new since Aussie Day), swimming etc. He's been a perfect self settler since 5 months.

We had been rocking him to sleep but this week I said enough is enough. Im not an advocate of CC so I've done my own thing.

We go through the night time routine ( similar to yours) but in your case daytime routine, talk him through it " going to read some books then time to lie down with snuggly & have a nap', do this at several intervals & also say ' last book then off to nigh nigh etc.

Place him in his cot with snuggly, say night night then sit in a chair next to the cot - no eye contact but you can sooth by saying sit down, lie down, go nigh nighs' I've also started singing Twinkle twinkle, he finds it very calming and we've gone from 40 minutes of standing & crying to 10 minutes in 4 days....

Its hard work but I think once he's happy to settle himself we'll just move closer to the door over time and then out:-)

Hope that helps, you have to be firm but kind, let him know you hear him and that he's ok. Ofcourse make sure there are no underlying causes like teeth etc but if he's OK at night then I doubt it.

Good Luck - PM me if you want to chat.

[meggs1]

What happens if you go for a drive after lunch? If he will sleep then, then maybe do that at a set time for a week or so and see if you can get his body used to sleeping again.

[mysonsmum]

Thanks, at night he self settles with no problems & always used to settle him self during the day. I feel like since he has started crawling his mind is just going a mile a minute & he can't switch off, he has become really hyper. I talked about it to my friend last night who's 6 year old son is has bad ADHD & she told me that first thing in the morning she gives him quiet time, with calming music, a massage ect before breakfast & then during the day he seems more able to focus. I am wondering whether that might work in my son so I'm going to trial it tomorrow. The last 2 nights he hasn't slept well but still won't nap during the day & he's a major GRUMP!

[mysonsmum]

also he doesn't sleep in the car or pram anymore