Transitioning to one nap

[Twosweetgirls]

Hello!! My 9.5 month old hasn't slept well at night since she was 3.5 months old. So I've been trying to figure out whether I can fix with schedule or if I have to do some big time habit changes.   Let's saying I've been trying to figure which it is for 4 months!!! So the last two weeks or so I have been taking notes again on her daily patterns. Two times she's done 2.5 to 3 hour naps after being forced to stay awake a bit longer. She also wasn't able to go back to sleep for a cat nap later which makes me guess that she actually may be able to move to one long nap. I'm hoping to just try and transition her to one nap and see what happens. Maybe she's just been ahead of the average schedule and this makes it hard to get her schedule right!! Any ideas how to do this?! till a few days ago the schedule was
7 am wake up
1030-1200 sleep
3-4 sleep
8 sleep.

Yesterday she refused second nap and today the nap was 30 min!!!!!

[VnessMorris]

Hi there,

Noticed your 2nd AT is only 3:00 hours.  Maybe your LO is refusing 2nd nap because of being UT? I see that your ATs are 3:30, then 3:00 and then 4:00 before BT. Maybe try and push 2nd AT to 3:15? May need to cap the 2nd nap to 45mins so that BT isn't too late. What do you think?

My DD2 is 10months old and has a similar EASY routine as you (longer morning nap) but with a longer 2nd AT and shorter 3rd AT before BT. I also cap her 2nd nap to 4:30pm or 4:45pm depending on her previous activity.

HTH,
V.

[Twosweetgirls]

Thanks!!!   i think if I can make one nap way shorter it will work. Do you know of any ok la with the two naps scheduled with one way shorter?

[VnessMorris]

Depending on your LO's preference, you can cap any of the naps, I think. E.g., DD2 loves her morning nap so I let her sleep up to 2 hours. She is currently taking 2 naps: 1.5-2 hours in the morning and a capped afternoon nap 15mins - 45mins depending on previous activity. That's the only way I can fit everything into the day! She can handle 15mins catnaps but usually has a much shorter AT before BT as a result.

I have seen posts where some moms cap the morning nap and let their LO'shave a longer PM nap.  I guess it depends on LO's preference/family lifestyle.

Here's DD2's recent routine for the week:

WU & E 7am and bottle
Solids 8:30am
AT 3:50-4:10 hrs
S 1:30-2:00 hrs

E bottle @12:30pm
Solids 1:30/1:45pm
AT 3:30-3:45 hrs
S 4pm - 4:30/4:45pm (30mins)

E. Bottle @4:30pm
Solids @5:45pm
AT 3:15 hrs
E. Bottle 10-15 mins before BT
BT. 7:45pm - 8pm.

HTH,
V.

[Twosweetgirls]

Thanks!! That sounds like the same sleep needs as my daughter. Here's what I'm thinking! Since we have swimming lessons for my other daughters for the next 4 weeks at 11 am. So I'm gonna try this schedule tomorrow and hopefully it works. If that is the right nap time I am gonna teach sleep starting Saturday. Can someone give me help where to start? She used to be an independent sleeper but I probably need to start at the beginning. Pep talk please?