Support for dropping the last nap age 2-3 yrs

[kittycase]

Well nap time didn't happen until 1:30 due to church and eating right after.  So, she didn't nap. BUT...she didn't cry either.  She sat up there and talked.  She did call for me every 15-20 min or so, but it wasn't a hysteria cry or hysteria "mommy".  So at least she was able to have some quiet time even though she didn't nap.  I put her to bed early again tonight since she didn't nap.  So, 7pm vs. 8pm. She went down w/out a peep!  YAY!  Another step in the right direction.  Now just maybe if I can get her down at 1pm for the next few days she'll nap.  Or at least I'm really hoping so! Thanks for all your help and advice everyone!

[NiknLily]

Rina, has Hugh always been a short night sleeper? if so he may do better retaining a late afternoon nap and a later bedtime shorter night.  Lily is most definitly a long night sleeper, always been a 12hr night girl but I think if she had always done a short night then I might of taken a different approach and just given her a late nap and later bedtime.

[katemom]

Hello everyone,

I pop in here and there if I can - my toddler is still in limbo land (she's now 2.5 years old), but my 9.5 month old is tougher right now, so I tend to visit boards related to him more often!

I was reading some of your previous posts about waking up grumpy being a sign of not needing a nap?  Does anybody know where I can read more about that?  I refered to my BW for toddlers book, and I was shocked not to find more information on dropping the last nap!  I need to get more information to figure out what is going on...  My gs has historically been a good sleeper, still is for her age, I think.  She's starting to wake grumpy, moaning, and whimpering for a LONG time.  I sometimes can't get her to shake it no matter how hard I try.  So I'm wondering what this is all about.

I've marked my spot, so I'll keep tabs on your progress...hoping we can all hang on to naps as long as possible!

katemom

[Sarahboosmom]

Hi there! 

Okay just an update for you!  4th day in a row with a good 1.5 hour nap!!!!  Yeah!  I put her down at 12:45 pm everyday with success, although I usually do have to go in and remind her to lay down.  I told her the rule was she had to be in her bed with head on her pillow.  She is even telling me now that she is tired of course she says she doesn't want to nap but hey we're getting close! 

So I hope it continues.

Katemom I'm not sure I've heard of the waking cranky means they don't need a nap, I'd be interested to know more.  DD also sometimes, not all the time wakes up 'out of sorts'.  Usually I just give her a snack and let her watch a little quiet TV program, it seems like it takes her a while to be ready for activity again.  Other days she just fine and bouncing off the walls!  However I definately know that she is not ready to lose the nap.  Good luck

Thank you to everyone who has helped!

[NiknLily]

katemom - yep, again I've heard it mentioned but not sure where.  My guess would be that its sort of a limbo thing where they don't need as much sleep so wake up from nap but haven't really had enough sleep to be totally well rested.  if that makes any sense at all! 

[OliverRowland]

just marking a spot.  I am just starting to experiment with reducing nap time....down to 90min from 2 hrs but don't think it's enough cause ds is taking too long to fall asleep at bedtime and is now waking early.  but he continues to be a champ napper!  He is however, super cranky when i wake him after 90min!

[NiknLily]

OliverRowland - what time does he wake and go to bed?

[OliverRowland]

he was waking at 6:30.  but over the last 3 days it has been 6am and one day before that.  He has lights out at 7:30pm but not asleep t'ill 8:15pm

[NiknLily]

I should of asked before but what time is his nap and when does it end?

[OliverRowland]

it was 1:00-3pm.  we shortened it to 2:30 a week ago.

[NiknLily]

I have just read your other post and was going to say the same as you've already been advised.  Lily generally woke at 7, nap from 1-2 then an 8pm bedtime.  As he is nearly 3yrs old he will probably be rapidly dropping his sleep requirements to closer to 12hrs a day total.  The waking earlier is probably because he is getting a little OT at bedtime and so waking early as a result.  There will no doubt be some adjustment as he is stretching his A times and reducing total sleep requirements per 24hrs but once you get him settled onto his new routine things should even out and wake up get a little later again.

[katemom]

Niknlily - Yes, you made perfect sense about the waking up grumpy from naps theory...

DD has been sick, so it's hard to really guage what's going on.  She lays down a lot during the day, I'm assuming it's because she's not feeling well, and then still only sleeps 10 hours at night.  I've been letting her have long naps since she's sick, but I guess she can't even have that exeption.  We'll see as she gets better what I can figure out...

OliverRowland - keep us posted on how things go...

katemom

[kittycase]

Well I had one successfull day of putting Ashley down at 1pm and getting a nap out of her.  So the last few days have been like this...

Sun- went down at 1:30pm (didn't nap, but talked to her stuffed animals for about an hour and a half), early bedtime at 7pm.
Mon- 6:45am wake, 1:00-3:00pm nap YES! 7:30pm bedtime.
Tue- 6:45am wake, 12:30-12:45pm Fell asleep in the car ride home from the zoo (her b-day outing) and would not go back to sleep when we got home. VERY fussy afternoon.  Tried for an early bedtime, but ended up being closer to 7:30pm
Wed-6:45am wake, 1:00pm (didn't nap, talked to her stuffed animals for an hour then started crying)....and the day continues.

I just don't know what to do when she doesn't nap.  I want her to keep it! 

Krista

[OliverRowland]

ok, now i am bit perplexed ?!  OT?  I thought i was supposed to take away sleep to get it at night again?  he doesn't show any signs of OT.  how do i avoid it when the only thing i can really sort of control at this point is nap time?  should i keep going with shortening nap even more?  (i am not sure if i mentioned that ds is 3 at the end of may)

[NiknLily]

what I found with Lily when she was extending her afternoon A time is that her earlier bedtime caused her to not be tired so she played & talked past her ideal new sleep time making her just that little bit OT by the time she fell asleep (she was always very sensitive to bedtime, 10mins late and we where in trouble)  When I moved her bedtime up to 8pm from 7.30pm she then started going straight to sleep and so mornings improved again.  The trouble is that when they randomly cut night sleep and are extending A times they can go too far so end up being OT, only a little but enough to effect sleep.  So by getting down to a routine with total sleep closer to 12hrs then (hopefully) he will sleep well and ew's and bedtime trouble will stop.  Hope that makes sense?