2-1 Nap Transition @15 months

[bheemeryck]

I did read through as many threads as I could find about this topic, but I wanted to get more specific advice from those of you who have been here before!! My ds is 15 months, and is in a dayhome during the day. We've noticed over the last month or so he's starting to sleep longer in the morning, and less and later in the afternoon. His schedule looks most days like this:

6:30-7:00 am wake & bottle of milk
7:30 am breakfast
9:00 snack
9:30 1st nap
11:00-12:00 wake sometime during that time
12:00 lunch
2:30-3:30 snack and 2nd nap sometime during that time
4:30 wake
5:30 dinner
7:30 pm snack, milk and bed, usually asleep by 8:00

His bedtime is also getting progressively later, usually because he's taking so long to fall asleep in the afternoon. He's been getting about 3 hours during the day for naps most days. I'd liek to hope he'd continue getting this much sleep, becasue he obviously needs it, is that too long to expect? Are the signs that I'm describing an indicator that he is ready to move to one nap, or should we play it out a little longer with two?

I would like some tips on how to help my dayhome lady help us make the transition if we're going to do it... I have a three day weekend and I'd like to get a head start this coming weekend on getting him closer to one nap in the middle of the day. I understand getting him down later in the morning is probably key, and that keeping the morning nap flexible is important, and not to be afraid of putting him to bed earlier during the transition if the new nap schedule doesn't go well. I'm more concerned about the dayhome... the lady is willing to help us, but I just want some clear directions to give her other than 'see how it goes' because otherwise we're going to end up with a very grouchy and tired little guy by the end of the day and that makes nobody happy!! Thank you in advance for any tips and advice!!

[Harrisonsmummy]

Hi,
It depends on how your lo reacts to extended wake time i think. I preferrd the cold turkey - slog it out until midday approach, snack at usual nap time and a very early lunch. My ds could tolerate a long morning - he got very tired to begin with and I would distract him with walks etc. To begin with he would only sleep for his usual nap length ie 1.25 hours,( used to do 2 x 1.15hr)  but this has extended to 2hrs now.

Some los seem to sleep for long stetches straight away - luck of the draw I think.

We put ds to bed very early for a while - no later than 4.5 hrs after wake-up, even earlier some days - this stopped night wakings quite quickly. 

You can move more gradually I believe but I am less sure of the specifics of this - probably easier on lo. You would need to check Bw book or check toddler sleep board if you haven't already - loads on there!

HTH (a bit)

Justine

[bheemeryck]

Thanks for the reply... yesterday he slept a total of 3 hours during the day, and would not fall asleep until 9:00 pm, played in his crib for a hour and a half  so I think moving some of his day sleep to night would be better. I'm just debating about the cold turkey vs going slowly approach, I'm sure cold turkey would just not work some days, and others it would be fine. I'm mostly concerned about getting the dayhome to go along with this, I suggested maybe waking him from his morning nap a little earlier than usual today, and she gave me a 'well, we'll see answer'... so frustrating when you aren't there to get things moving yourself!! Oh well, I have a three day weekend to get started, and see how things go.