# Goes down easy for naps but fights at bedtime?



## allisonrose (Oct 22, 2004)

My 2 year old son goes down easy for naps in about 10-20 minutes but when it comes time for bedtime, he typically takes 30-50 minutes to fall asleep. Any thoughts on what is not working here? He doesn't seem ready to drop nap. On days that his older brother has preschool, it's nearly impossible to have him nap earlier. (He does fall asleep faster on days where he naps earlier.)


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## muralsbykaren (Mar 13, 2013)

My two year old is having trouble napping AND going to bed at night as well. He DOES nap for the sitter tho ;( lol He knows how to take advantage of his mommy! When he is home he fights the nap and does not lay down. I have been putting him on the couch to watch a movie and he does fall asleep!! Maybe try that? They are tired there is just better things for them to do now.

Night time the past few nights has been super rough like you. Someone suggested giving him a cup of warm milk so I did that. It didnt help him from getting out of bed but he got out less times. Make sense? lol I play a night time CD for him as well. I am also going to cut his daytime nap from 2 hours to an hour. I'm hoping this works!! And I will have to fill in the sitter as well of the adjustment. Hope this helps. I know it's nice to get things done when they are sleeping but it looks like we will need the adjusting as well!! uhg! lol


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## mama amie (Jul 3, 2011)

Could it be teething (2 year molars)? My 19 month old is in a very similar phase, and is now routinely faking me out with long snugly nurses, then wants to play. There's also a recent surge of tantrum activity, so I am definitely thinking teething + growth spurt = this madness.







. No advice, but could your little one be in the same boat? If so, it will likely change/improve within a month.


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## allisonrose (Oct 22, 2004)

This pattern has been going on for a while so I don't think it's teething. But I've found sleep problems tend to improve with time. I was just wondering if someone would see something I'm not or had the same thing happen with their child.


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## gwydhenn (May 31, 2011)

We are going through the exact same thing with my almost-2 yo DS. He usually goes down nicely for naps (though usually later than I would like) but it lately it takes us anywhere from 1-3 hours to get him to sleep at night. He goes down faster when he doesn't nap but then he sleeps terribly so I know he still needs them. I'm afraid I don't have any advice though, we're still trying to figure it out. Sometimes an earlier or shorter nap helps, but sometimes it doesn't. I wonder if it's maybe just a rough patch on the way to dropping his afternoon nap (we went through a long and difficult transition from 2 naps to 1 when DS was about 10-12 mos). I've heard that it's common at this age for toddlers to fight sleep at bedtime. I hope it gets better for you soon, I know it's rough when it takes so long for them to fall asleep!


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