My daughter is 17 months old has has up until now been mostly a fab sleeper. Self settling for bedtime and naps and rarely any night wakings. However she started with a runny nose and decreased appetite last Saturday so 7 days ago and since then it’s gone downhill. She napped Saturday and Sunday and took over two hours to settle for both of the naps and the night ones. Then slept 12 hours both nights. Then Monday Tuesday and Wednesday didn’t nap because she was so difficult. Thursday she napped fine but took ages to settle at night. Friday she napped but took a while then was okay for nighttime sleep. Yesterday (Friday) she took over two hours to get to sleep and was crying every time I left the room. Today she hasn’t napped again and started to cry when I left so I gave dummy and left and she’s so exhausted that she’s passed out okay.

Her molars have just broken, she still is quite bunged up. All week she hasn’t had a before bed bottle which is very unusual for her. She usually self settles but won’t be left and I’ve tried CC but it seems to prolong everything then the next day we’re back at square one. I know she can self settle as she has a few days this week but the past two days she has been a nightmare. Last night after two hours I held her and she fell asleep on me. Tonight like I say she absolutely exhausted so I don’t count that as a win.

Am I unreasonable to carry on putting her down to nap when she fights it so hard. Ie throwing her dummy out of the cot instantly. Crying. Screaming like she’s being tortured. Another thing she used to say night night when she wanted to go to bed but now refuses to say it. I think it’s behavioural but my partner thinks it’s her being unwell and her teeth.

Am I being unreasonable to make her nap? I’m sure toddlers of 17 months still need naps but with her nighttime sleep being okay is it something I should just drop and see how it goes? Will she loose the ability to self settle if I do this and she’s always so exhausted by bedtime? She is okay behaviourally in the day and still eats normally and is pleasant to be around until around 5 then she starts getting cranky. She has phases in the day where she gets cranky but I don’t want to try and force her to nap for her to get upset and then cause issues at night iyswim.

Any and all advice welcome,

A very tired mum of a toddler and a 2 month old 🙏

July '2019 Babies