How do you lengthen naps?

Ainsley wakes up crying 30-45 min after I put her down for a nap. It's driving me bonkers. Then she just wants to be held for an hour. She's actually crying right now, but I just need a few minutes. All I have time for during naps now is a quick bite and glance at TS. This is my only time to myself during the day, the house is going to crap because I can't clean properly. Do I just let her CIO? She's never been a great napper, but will go a few weeks of taking decent 2 hr naps at times. Wake time is 7:00, nap 12:30, Bed 7:00. Do I need to change something? HELP!

 

Ainsley wakes up crying 30-45 min after I put her down for a nap. It's driving me bonkers. Then she just wants to be held for an hour. She's actually crying right now, but I just need a few minutes. All I have time for during naps now is a quick bite and glance at TS. This is my only time to myself during the day, the house is going to crap because I can't clean properly. Do I just let her CIO? She's never been a great napper, but will go a few weeks of taking decent 2 hr naps at times. Wake time is 7:00, nap 12:30, Bed 7:00. Do I need to change something? HELP!

 

Have you tried just leaving her in bed. I find that sometimes Sofia wakes at the 45 min mark as well, but I let her sort it out and she usually goes back to sleep. I have a rule around here that we don't go into their room until naptime is over, even if they wake a little early. I too need my daily break.

 

I agree with Trish. Nap time in our house is 1-3, period. It doesn't matter if somebody wakes up or how long it takes them to fall asleep. If they wake up, they just have to work it out themselves until 3. If they are sleeping, I will let them go until 3:30, but then I wake them up. I NEED the break and there is stuff I just have to get done. We do not go back into the room until 3:00. There are days that Alex will wake up after 30-45 minutes, but I know he needs more rest then that. Sometimes he will go back to sleep, others he will alternate whining and just being quiet. Either way, I figure he is still resting.

HTH!

 

quote:
Ainsley wakes up crying 30-45 min after I put her down for a nap. It's driving me bonkers. Then she just wants to be held for an hour. She's actually crying right now, but I just need a few minutes. All I have time for during naps now is a quick bite and glance at TS. This is my only time to myself during the day, the house is going to crap because I can't clean properly. Do I just let her CIO? She's never been a great napper, but will go a few weeks of taking decent 2 hr naps at times. Wake time is 7:00, nap 12:30, Bed 7:00. Do I need to change something? HELP!



-Kelly

Ainsley Louise and Beatrix Annika ---- 8/12/05

See My Babies


Did I write this post I am right there with you Kelly! Man, am I waiting for some answers to this!

 

I,too, have a 'set' naptime. Unless they are hysterical- they are in there 2 hrs. If they are hysterical- I calm them and If I can put them back down...usually they talk quietly- but not always.


Gradually they have (mostly, we do have our days) learned to jsut wair for me to come in. Their naps have lenghtened to about 1 1/2- 3 hrs if one naps. If they happen to take 2- it is 1 hour at least each nap.

HTH and I have one GREAT napper and another so so napper...luckily she 'reads' or talks to her stuffed animals a lot! But as PP said- I figure she is resting!

Try putting some quiet toys to keep her busy for awhile or play with if she wakes...mine often fall asleep 'playing'.

KC

 

What do you do if they are hysterical? Ainsley gets loud pretty quickly. The most I've left her is 15 min and then I just can't stand it anymore. I've done CIO for bedtime with no problem (not no problem, but I can handle it), but for naps I can't bring myself to let her cry unlimited. I don't even mind if she is talking or playing in there, I just can't deal with the screaming and hysterical crying. I need to do something, this is really getting to me. I really need the break during the day, and she needs the sleep.

 

I agree with the others. My kids are in there from 12 to 2. IF they wake up earlier than 2, they still remain in the crib. Usually it's just Matthew and he cries but I know he's not ready to wake up. He will go back to sleep and I usually get 2.5 hours out of them. As hard as it is to hear her cry, she has to work through this. She's probably not ready to get up as you describe her waiting to cuddle for an hour. So, do your best for a few days to keep yourself otherwise occupied with something. Hang in there!

 

I also have a set naptime. If they are awake, they still stay until naptime is over. Mine are so used to it that if they are hysterical, something is wrong. But it took time to get to where we are! I understand having a hard time listening to the cries. What I would do in your situation is go to a part of the house where you can't hear her and let her work it out. Take a monitor so you can turn it on sometimes to check on her. You can gradually increase the time if you think that would help. If your goal is a two hour naptime, start with one hour. If she sleeps more than that great but if not go get her at the one hour mark for a few days. I would rock/cuddle, just get her up like naptime is over. Then increase it to an hour and 15min, then an hour and half, etc. I hth!

 

We too have a firm naptime. I wouldn't go to her. Although you should get her ears checked to make sure she doesn't have them infected. This could cause her to pop up. Or teething. Medicate her so that she is comfy for nap if she's teething.

 

Thanks for the responses. I know she is still tired, as she will fall asleep on me sometimes when I am holding her.
I think I will just have to let her cry. Maybe if I let it go, she will eventually fall back asleep.

 

One thing that helped me when we first started this and Alex would get hysterical, is to call one of my talkative, chatty friends and go to a room where I couldn't hear him. The time passes quickly and inevitably by the time I was off the phone, he would be back to sleep.

 

quote:
do you do if they are hysterical? Ainsley gets loud pretty quickly. The most I've left her is 15 min and then I just can't stand it anymore. I've done CIO for bedtime with no problem (not no problem, but I can handle it), but for naps I can't bring myself to let her cry unlimited. I don't even mind if she is talking or playing in there, I just can't deal with the screaming and hysterical crying. I need to do something, this is really getting to me. I really need the break during the day, and she needs the sleep.


THis is exactlt how it is for us!! Glad I am not alone!

 

Maybe she's overly tired. I'm not a "By the book" person, because I think that personalties, and family dynamics create their own issues with sleep patterns. That being said, I read a book when pregnant with my twins. (I have an older son as well) Anyway, his biggest philisophy is that sleep issues primarily occur when the child is overly tired. I don't still have the book, but I am pretty sure my 2 were still taking 2 naps a day, at that age. Or maybe try laying her down a little earlier. Even now, I can change the length of my kid's naps by what time I lay them down.
Please understand, I am no expert!! Garrett is boycotting his nap as we speak, while his sister is sleeping peacefully!!

OH, I almost forgot the book is something like "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child"

 

My daughter is doing the EXACT same thing...it has been about 3 weeks now. She is waking after 30 minutes and crying hysterically and not falling back asleep. I even took her to the doctor's but there was nothing wrong. My doctor told me to let her scream until she has been in there an hour total. She never falls back to sleep. When I get her she is perfectly fine and as happy as can be. I am convinced that she just does not need a lot of sleep. So, we spend an hour together until her brother wakes up. It used to really upset me, but now I know there is nothing that I can do. I actually look forward to our one-on-one time now!!!

 

You know, I think it is an individual thing. I know sometimes Matthew will cry a bit about an hour into his nap. He needs sleep, so he will sometimes cry it out for a bit and go back to sleep. Now Reed is a different ball game. First off, they don't nap together. Reed has never required as much sleep as Matthew. In the past, Reed has gone though spells of not wanting a nap or needing much less than Matthew. I put them down from 12:30 to whenever (typically between 2pm and 3pm). They sleep at night from 7:30 pm until 6-7 am. As the past person said, maybe over stimulation? My guys had their developmental therapy on Friday. Typically, they are exhausted that day. Well, Reed wouldn't go down for a nap. I finally gave up on getting anything done and got him. He was actually fine for the whole day and fine today. Sometimes he just seems to go through spells (and has done it since about twelve montns) where he needs less sleep. My husband is the same way - requires a lott less sleep. Then again, I compare it to Matthew, who is like me and in order to be nice, he needs lots of sleep.

 

OMGoodness, I just wanted to say thank you to all of you who posted such HONEST candid responses. While my twins are not really taking naps anymore, our youngest is and she is the same exact way. It has been so long since I have dealt with REAL naps and I felt like I was the only person in the world who had to let their baby fuss a bit to get them to go back to sleep during nap time. The boys never had that problem and I was not sure if I was handling it correctly. I just felt like since she was soooo tired and she needed the sleep, it would be best to let her fall back asleep and finish her naps. It works for us. I know it is not "twin" related, so I hope it is okay to post...I just had to say something cause I feel so much better knowing it is not just me.

 

Somehow on Friday, Ainsley took a good 2 hr nap without having to cry or anything. I thought maybe my troubles were over. Today it was back to normal. She cried after 30 min, I tried to let it go, but after 15-20 min I couldn't do it. Turns out she had pooped, so by the time I changed her and everything, she was way too awake to sleep. Ugh! At least she got a quick nap in the car later.

 

I could have written your post exactly about my DS.

It is so aggravating!!!!

Usually what I do, and I know this is bad, I let him watch Sesame Street for an hour (I have it DVR'd). Usually he's a complete MESS when he wakes from such a short nap and nothing I do will help him. But he does love Sesame Street, so we lay on the couch together and rest/snuggle.

Also I am trying out putting him down for naps later thinking that maybe he needs to be a lot more tired to sleep longer. I tried it today and he slept 1 1/2 hours, still not great but better than 30-45 min. I don't know if it was a fluke or not yet either.

I have tried letting him cry, he gets hysterical. And when I try to put him back down after calming him, he gets hysterical again. If I had them in separate rooms I might consider letting him cry in there, but they aren't right now.

You could try leaving toys or books in her crib and see if she will play with them when she wakes instead of crying. Doesn't work for my DS but maybe it will work for your DD.

Karen