20 Month Old, Late Napper

[MomofRocco]

Please help... My son is a pretty amazing sleeper, so I am not complaining, but lately his naps have been so late in the day.  I am not sure what to do.  His day usually goes:

730/8 wake
1230/1 nap 1.5-3 hours
730/8 bedtime

Am I doing something wrong?? Lately... he's been waking at 8/830 and not falling asleep for his nap until 2, waking at 4/430.. then not falling asleep until 8/830.  Is this something that happens naturally, or do I need to change something. Please help, it is really frusterating for me.  Thanks in advance.

Brenda

[Layla]

Brenda,

It might be that you need to start waking him up earlier so back to 7.30am to get him to nap around 1pm & possibly even limiting the nap to 2hrs so that he goes to bed easily around 8pm

It makes sense though that if he wakes as late as 8/8.30am he won't want to nap until about 5-5.5hrs later... which would be 2pm & then not want to go to sleep until 5-5.5hrs from the nap ends...which is 8-8.30pm. So really all that has happened is that his day has been shifted forward so I would say start waking him up in the morning to help him go back to the 7.30-7.30 schedule

hth
Layla

[MomofRocco]

It seems like all of the other posts say not to wake them in the morning unless they HAVE to....  how long should his naps be at this age???  He will be 20 months on the 25th.  I love the 730-730 routine!  So if he wakes at 730/8... what time should his nap be??? For how long?  Thanks in advance!!! 

Brenda

[Layla]

If he wakes at 7.30, he will probably be ready for a nap around 1pm. If all this started with him falling asleep later for the nap then he might just need more A time before a nap... so I would try 5.25hrs A time rather than 5hrs.

Naps at that age range from 1.5-2hrs... some do more but if too long of a nap pushes bedtime then consider waking him up earlier from the nap. I don't think you have to worry about this yet though 

My 20mo daughter's day is:
6am - wakes
12-1.30/2pm - nap
6.30-7pm - bedtime

Layla