This mom is about to go bonkers!So the story is, Jace has always been a pretty good sleeper, even within the last few months, we would put him down with a bottle and he would go to bed, put him down for a nap with a bottle at 10:30 am, and go to sleep, same thing at 2:00. But then we decided to try and train him to not use the bottle because we didn't want him to get used to it too much and we didn't want him getting bad ear infections (like Joe has and had). So we started the process of "crying it out" and the bedtime thing came pretty quickly, within a couple of days. However, nap time has gone the complete opposite! He hates naps and would still cry it out for an hour or longer. And so a couple of days ago I got to a breaking point of not making him cry it out for naps cause it just wasn't going well, I decided to try to give his bottle back for naps but he refuses the bottle and just has a terrible time trying to take naps now. So then I tried the crying it out thing again today, which was another hour. I know I should just probably stick to it, but it's just so hard!! It's emotionally taking me out. So then I decide to just not make him take a nap and he is super grumpy I have no schedule to my day whatsoever and by the end of the day just feel like screaming!
However, I know I should be grateful that he at least sleeps through the night and puts himself to sleep. I dont know, all I know something has got to change. He is just so grumpy through the day, which makes me grumpy and I am frustrated cause he used to do naps so well. So this is our nap crisis.
4 comments:
Haha. I'm right there with you! Aleyah has started having issues with her naps also! She takes a regular morning nap, but her afternoon nap has practically disappeared! AND she's started having issues at about 1-2 in the morning! So I'm at the end of my leash and I hate letting her "cry it out" very long. It's taking a toll on my nerves too! If you find anything that works, LET ME KNOW!! lol
Alice was a terrible napper. She's better now, but it can still be hard. She likes changing her schedule around :P "Crying it out" is EXHAUSTING! I couldn't take more than 20 minutes. I don't know if I have any advice that would help. We started doing a "Nap time" routine where she has a snack, a little bit of milk, and I read her story and then set her in her crib. Sometimes she'll start crying, but not for very long (10 min or less) till she falls asleep. I think the routine helps because she knows what to expect. But it's tough. Every child is different and it's hard finding what works for that child. Good luck and hang in there!!!
Just wanted to let you know I am in the middle of my own nap crisis. So good to not feel alone on this one.
I have read So. Many. Books. on the subject of sleep. And getting children to sleep. I think the tricky part is what Megan said, that every child is different--but there still has to be answers! aaah! Lately I have had some success with the Healthy Sleep/Happy Child philosophy though I still don't do cry it out, which that author advocates in most cases. Instead I just try to either put him down for a nap AFTER he is slightly tired but BEFORE he gets too tired (because they cry if they are overtired and ironically resist sleep when it is the thing they need most)...or if I missed that window of opportunity, then I just spend an hour comforting him to sleep. hah! And by then I am exhausted and ready to join him in that nap.
Anyway, I'll be checking back to see what solution you find, because I'm not entirely satisfied with the "solutions" offered by all those books I've been reading. I look forward to gleaning some wisdom wherever I can on this issue.
Poor little Jace! And poor you! I don't have any advice, but know that I love you and hope he starts sleeping well soon.
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