Baby fighting sleep

[MrsBone]

My baby girl just turned 5 months and for the past couple weeks she's been fighting sleep for her daytime nap and bedtime. She's happy in the morning, and takes her first nap with little trouble(I can lay her in her crib awake but sleepy and she goes to sleep fine) but by afternoon she fights it bad and won't calm down. Bedtime is even worse if she doesn't get in her afternoon nap. She's pretty easily distracted though, so if she goes to bed 2 hours past her bedtime, she is generally fairly happy until I start the bedtime routine, then she gets frantic. She really loves her 7:30 bedtime and I've tried to start the routine before she gets tired, but without fail, she starts in on the sleep-fighting. Luckily she sleeps 8-12 hours straight at night so I can't complain too much. Any tricks on helping her fall asleep? Right now, I nurse, sing to her, rock her and then lay her in her crib. I used to try and nurse her to sleep, but it doesn't calm her or put her to sleep unless it's the middle of the night.. She likes her paci.

[azzeps]

My daughter was a sleep fighter.  Still is!!!  I remember some nights I would just get so frustrated with trying to get her to sleep that I would put her in the sling and turn off all the lights in the house and go about my business with her in there until she fell asleep.  Or I would go outside for a walk.  I think that's called "wearing her down."  Sorry I don't have much else to offer! It gets easier!  She is 3.5 now and she goes to sleep on her own now. :)

[MrsBone]

So in the past few weeks, I've definitely noticed that it's sleep-fighting and not something else. I've discovered that if I get her in the bath, lotion and rock/nurse she goes to sleep much better. Naptime has been easier too as long as I don't wait until she's too tired. Thanks!