sleep troubles w/ almost 3 year old

[gyp5ym00n]

My daughter will be 3 in January, been co-sleeping since she left the hospital and still nurses to sleep. Those are not an issue. My issue is she still gets days and nights backwards all the time! She takes a nap daily, up to two hours long. She needs it, she get's tired and still needs this nap no doubt. Our problem comes in when she decides to nap late because late nap equals later bedtime. Eventually in less than a weeks time her days/nights are backwards. It's almost as if her body is on a 27-28 hour day making her sleep schedule different everday resulting in backwards days. Another thing she does that I cannot stand or figure out for the life of me and I'm hoping someone can tell me why is that when she attempts to skip a nap she naps at bedtime instead of going to bed. Our BIGGEST sleep issue which results in many problems, *sigh*. This screws everything up, why can't she just go to bed early instead of nap?! She has NEVER once skipped nap in her life because if she does she'll nap at bedtime instead. I've tried everything to keep her in bed but shes wide awake and even if we lay in dark/silence for for up to 4 hrs she just tosses n turns fully awake. I've also tried everything possible to sort her sleep issues out from very strick schedule, to a loose schedule, baths before bed, lots of tiring activity..everything and nothing works. Please help a tired mom, this isn't healthy for me or her and we miss out on daily things when she sleeps during days and it's miserable. Thank goodness I'm a sahm and she's not started school.

[elizaMM]

wow, that's weird. and must be really hard. i have no idea WHY she would nap instead of stay asleep. I guess I would just do my best to make sure she doesn't skip that daytime nap. Which is probably what you've been doing.

I do know that when they take away all sunlight from people (In studies, in labs) and let their "internal clock" take charge with no external clues as to its accuracy, people do settle in to a day that is a little longer than 24 hours. Like 25 or 26.

So my only recommendation is that you use light to try and manipulate her "internal clock". The best way to do it is with real sunlight (go outside, keep the drapes drawn, etc.), but artificial light will work. Incandescent or fluorescent could work, but if not there are expensive "full spectrum" or "blue"? lights that more closely mimic sunlight. And then also keep it dark when she is supposed to be getting the message that its sleep time-- like you'd do for jet lag.

Good luck! What a pita!

[JAZE MOMMIE]

If you are not "against " the idea -try chamomile tea or catnip tincture ?
I understand --my almost 3 year old gets messed up with naps and if takes a late nap -(after 3 pm )is up too late for me (11 )-but he will sleep 10-11 hours if no nap but goes to bed early and gets up early (ok when I am doing paperwork at home after work )but it is not easy to keep a schedule .
I give him teas with chamomile or valarian and find it helpful .