Naptime Sleep Regression?

Guess I am just a little frustrated and hoping that you all will share a trick with me or just let me know that I'm handling this okay...!

My DS the last five days has refused his nap. He is really tired, he actually falls asleep as I am telling him stories in his chair. When I move him to the crib he screams bloody murder and stands up and then does not go back to sleep. I tell him it is quiet time and he needs to rest and I walk out. But he isn't sleeping. I thought maybe his last molars are coming in and that is bugging him. Not sure what it is. We have done the same routine for months without a hitch and now every day it is the same thing. By the time 5:30 rolls around he is so cranky he can barely eat dinner. I've moved our DD out of the room for naps to another room as he keeps her up otherwise and they just talk.

I am hoping this is some form of sleep regression. He is too tired to just give up a mid-day nap. I guess I will focus a bit more on the timing of the nap to see if I am going down too late...any other suggestions or advice would be much appreciated!

Sotto

 

Maybe try to put him down earlier? If he's falling asleep while you are reading, maybe he's overtired by the time he gets into his crib? Does he have a lovey or stuffed animal that he likes to cuddle or that he finds soothing? If not, maybe try to introduce one of those to him. Maybe give him a book to look at when you put him in his crib?

I'm sorry that I don't have any better ideas! I hope he starts napping better for you! :hug:

 

Aside from putting him down a little earlier maybe you could try reading stories with him already in his crib. I know it's not as nice because you don't get to cuddle but you can sit right next to the crib and that way when he falls asleep you won't have to move him.
Alternatively don't let him fall completely asleep whilst you read. Keep a close eye on him and when he gets to the drowsy, heavy-eyes stage stop reading and move him then. If he still starts crying you could sit next to the crib and pat/rub his back through the bars-that will stop him standing up and hopefully calm him down enough that he is able to fall asleep.

Good Luck!

 

I would have also suggested tweaking the time. If he's over-tired go earlier (15 min. should do the trick). If not, go 10-15 later. :hug:

 

I think trying earlier is the way to go too. Mine will almost never nap if we miss the "window" of naptime, but if I put them down earlier they always nap. Stick with it, he will nap again!

 

DD goest hrough this kind of thing often. The first time it lasted two months! That was when she was about 18 months. I did the same as you, kept leaving her in there anyway for up to one hour. And boy, was she cranky! Eventually she got it and started sleeping again. Now it happens every few months for a couple days. The first time, it was definately a seperation issue i am sure. Now, well, lets just say i have to convince her to go to sleep at naps so its a whole other story. But she is not ready to give up naps either. She regularly sleeps about 3 hours for naps so i know giving it up is not the answer. Be consistant, she will eventually go back to sleeping again.

Candi