BabyWhispererForums.com
SLEEP => Sleeping For Toddlers => Topic started by: katerinask on February 08, 2018, 20:18:50 pm
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Hi everyone,
Our DD is 2 years 3 months old and a conversation I had with one of the nurseries we visited today (we are in the midst of looking for some sort of daycare/nursery) really got me thinking. The lady mentioned that none of the 2-3 year olds in the class sleep at midday, not at school and neither at home (for those that are picked up early). She went on to explain that she believes this to be the best schedule for this age group as it allows them to have an early bed time, e.g. 8:30 (considered VERY early here in Greece).
This got me thinking, because we seem to not have enough hours in the day for nap and bedtime... Since the summer, our DD's bedtime has moved to 10pm or even later, which even for Greek standards is late. She wakes no later than 8:30 on most days and then has an afternoon nap of around 1 1/2 hours, but it gets so late until she is ready for it that I'm sure it interferes with bedtime.
This is what her day USED to look like until a few months ago:
WU: 9:00
Nap: 2:30-4:30
BT: 9:00
Since the summer we have been doing something like this:
WU: 8:00-8:30
Nap: Falls asleep between 3 and 4, sleeps until 5 maximum when I wake her
BT: 10:00-10:30
She was never a super quick sleeper, but now it takes her a ridiculous amount of time to fall asleep. I'm not even talking about the ritual, wind-down, book reading steps. I'm talking about from the time she gets into her bed until eyes shut. She wiggles, turns and turns and turns, talks to herself, whispers, lifts her legs in the air, starts singing... anything you can think of, she does!
Could it be that she doesn't need the nap anymore? Could we attempt to drop the nap and achieve a 8:30 bedtime at last? She dropped all naps quite ahead of what is average I think... so she's been on 1 nap since 12 months and that transition was no problem at all for her.
What do you think?
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Just realized there's a whole other thread about this, so maybe a moderator can move this there? ;D
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Hi which thread would you like it adding onto?
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Moved over to TS from Naps board, Haribo xx
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Oh I see ha ha sorry, thought it needed moving somewhere else x
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Hi sorry I hadn’t replied to your questions I think I confused myself ::)
How are things now?
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No problem, thanks for asking :)
Eeeeeerrrmmmm... things have taken a turn for the worst, as we are now in the midst of a meltdown crisis I think. She is resisting (and skipping) naps on most days, then falling asleep in various places around the house at a later time. She is super tired, but will JUST NOT NAP. Today we had a bad day with lots of screaming and shouting that ended with her going to bed at 7:15, having slept on the sofa from 5:40 to 6.
I've tried earlier naps, later naps, naps on my bed, in her crib, on the sofa. She just won't do it right now for whatever reason. :(
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Sounds like developmental stuff to me. Will she nap about 2.30pm if you took a strategic drive? 20 mins even should just see her to bed then keep Day 12/12.5 hours long.
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Possibly. Only thing is my 8month old DD2 is not supposed to be sleeping at that time, so not sure if a car ride is the best solution. She may sit calmly or she may decide she hates the car and scream the place down :) Unpredictability is the only predictable thing about my (also) spirited DD2.
I could try it on the odd day here and there, but I can't see it being a permanent solution.
Today so far she hasn't napped, after a 13 hour night (!). She seems a bit calmer than usual... don't know if we will avoid a meltdown today, but will definitely aim for an early BT again.
Sounds like developmental stuff to me
Her language and overall thought process has just changed so much over the last couple of days, I just can't believe it. I mean she wakes up and immediately you can see the difference in her speech, its amazing.
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The language explosion is amazing isn’t it. I’d just try quiet time on sofa then and earlier to bed for a few days then try nap again x
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Took a "strategic drive" as you suggested today, which resulted in a 1 hour nap and much better afternoon. Tomorrow is another day...!
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Fingers crossed x