17 month - moving to one nap?

[Tobysmum]

We have just returned from a 6 week vacation in the UK.  Tried to keep regularish naps whilst we were there - he either had the following:

A approx 6.00am (sometimes 5.45 or 6.15)
Nap either 9.30 or 10.00am for 30 mins.
Then a second nap 3.5 hrs later (he would usually sleep 1.5 hrs)

or
1 nap at around 10.00 for 1.5 hrs, then possibly a catnap later or more often than not no more naps.

Bed 7pm.

I feel that he should really be on one nap now but not sure what time to do that nap and when to give lunch etc.  We were doing mostly 1 nap before we went away I think but whilst we were in the UK, I was trying to get him to have a longer nap in the morning quite often so we could go out for the day.

Can anyone give me suggestions?  I would like him to take one nap at lunchtime (and ideally be done by 2.30 as that's when I have to collect my 3 yr old from nursery on Mon, Wed, Friday).

He napped incredibly well in the UK (he prefers the cribs at his grandparents I think).

Yesterday he did:
A 6.00 (he had woken at 4.40am  - I fed him back to sleep)
S 9.45-10.15 (I woke him after 30 mins)
S 1.45 -2.45 (he woke after 1hr)
Sleep approx 7pm.

Today he did:
A 6.15
S 10.15-10.45 (I woke him after 30 mins)
S 2.15-3.15 (he woke after 1hr)


Any ideas of what kind of routine I can try?  He's always needed on the low side of sleep.  The one thing that I've struggled with on the one nap is that if we go out in the car in the morning, then he falls asleep before we get home for lunch - then it's all a serious mess!

Thanks

[Tobysmum]

Anyone?

[speechie]

Hi there!
My LO wasn't solidly on one nap till 19 mos, and we sometimes would fluctuate a bit at 17 mos still. Every kid is so different!
Let's see,... how about something like this:
wake:6ish
lunch right at 11
nap:11:20-2:30PM
bedtime:7PM
That would give you time to get into the car, allow for lunch, etc...
FWIW- at this stage, I went out in the car first thing, and tried to be home by 10 AM to keep him from fallng asleep in the car. And if he did take a cat nap, just reverted back to the 2 nap schedule.
HTH!

[Tobysmum]

Thanks for your reply!

Today we did:

A 6.30am (blissful lie in for us!)
S 12.15 (he fell asleep in the car on the way back from a playdate - luckily he'd already eaten lunch).
A 1.30 (only 1hr 15 mins - he usually does 1hr 15-1hr 30 min on a 1 nap day)
S 7.00

Getting home for 10am would be pretty much impossible - most of the morning play things (when I do them) don't even start until 9.30am!  He has never done a 2hr nap - as I said before, it's usually between 1hr 15 and 1hr 30 total if he only has one nap.

Given this information, would you alter what you suggested?  If he sleeps from approx 11.30 for 1.5 hrs, that only takes us to 1.00pm so that's a really long A time in the afternoon.

Any further thoughts?  Appreciate your help (and others imput if they want to make suggestions!

THANK YOU!

[grahan]

My daughters are 17 months old (exactly 17 months old TODAY!).  Our schedule for the past few months has been this

7 awake
12:15 - 2:30 Nap
7:45 - 7:00 am sleep

This is just what works best for us right now.  They transitioned to one nap early, about 14 months.   At first the nap was at 11:30 and then has slowly moved later.  Also when we first transtioned, the nap was shorter, often only 1.25 - 1.5 hours.  We just did earlier bedtime if that happened.  Now, we have been really lucky with a 2.25 hour nap most days!  12:15, sometimes 12:30 works best for us.

[speechie]

Ahh, good job yesterday!
Yes, then I would change it a bit, and realize that the one nap may lengthen into 2-2.5 hours as the schedule solidifies a bit. I think I'd do a noon or later nap.
As for the car, then do the opposite, come home at noonish- extend your morning out if possible. That way your LO is not falling asleep at 11 or 10:30 and throwing off your day too much. If it's getting later, I'll extend our outing, grab a lunch out instead of driving home and then transfer Nick to his crib if he dozes off in the car.

[Tobysmum]

OK - thanks for that.  Sounds good.  We seem to have the same idea!

Today he woke at 6.30am, we had a puppet show to go to at 11am so I took lunch with me, he fell asleep at 12.10 in the car so I transferred him - he slept until 1.25, so that's a 1hr 20 min nap.  As you say, once he gets used to having a nap around 12.00/12.30, perhaps he'll lengthen it (that would be mighty nice!)  I still can't believe that he'd ever sleep as much as 2hrs - but you never know!  That also should work well with picking Toby up from nursery too at 2.30 - so long as he's not going down any later than 12.30.  For the longest time DS#1 would have his nap at 12.30, it wasn't until he got a bit older - probably 2.5 years old that we moved it to 12.45, then 1.00. 

I think your suggestion of extending your outing in the morning, rather than risk him falling asleep in the car around 11.00/11.30.  Lately I have been able to transfer him without much of a problem.

So far as total sleep goes, he's generally sleeping between 11 and 11.25 hrs at night and 1hr 15 in the daytime (at the moment!)  I guess that's still in normal range.  He's happy, and that's what counts!

Thanks!  I'll let you know if we hit any hurdles and I need more advice.

[speechie]

Great! sounds good- I actually transferred my LO at 12:45 today for his nap- car to crib- LOL. Long may it continue!

[Tobysmum]

Just to let you know the 1 lunchtime nap is going really well - he now consistently sleeps for 1.5-2 hrs if I put him down at about 12.30.
The only problem now is that he's waking up at 5.40am everyday and will only go back to sleep if I feed him.  Haven't a clue how to solve that - but I have another post going on that titled "need some advice".  If anyone can help on that one as to how to handle it I would be EXTREMELY grateful!  Thanks.

[speechie]

Great that the nap is going well! hope you get good advice on the EW for a feeding..Have you tried a banana right before bedtime to help fill him up?