Help Extending 14 month old nap

[gcmomma]

Our beautiful 14 month old is a wonderful sleeper - at night - but not during the day.  He sleeps 11.5-12 hours at night - solid and wakes up a happy baby.  My problem is how to help him sleep more soundly during the day.  We have his room darkened and a humidifier running.  He lays down on his own because he is tired and goes to sleep quickly, but wakes after 50-55 minutes and cries.  Any suggestions from anyone would be cherished! 

[*Natasha*]

Could you post your routine please? Is he having 1 or 2 naps?

[gcmomma]

now that we are back in our time zone...a day goes like this...

7:15 up and breakfast
         play/walk/run
         snack
         play
11:30 lunch
12-12:30 Nap
1:45-2 up from nap
        play/errands
5:30 dinner
6:30 bath, books, quiet time
7:30 bed

That is if he manages one nap during the day.  Sometimes, like today, he has to go to 2 and that is getting later and later, around 10 now, for about 30-45 minutes.  THen he goes down for his afternoon nap at 1ish or a bit later.  I hope this helps someone help me!   I am way new at this whole thing, so please tell me if you need more info!
Thanks!

[*Natasha*]

What were the signs he was ready for 1 nap a day? Does he wake up happy?
Our routine is identical to yours and my DD generally sleeps 2hrs with the occasional 2.5hrs.
Could you try and put him down a little later for his nap perhaps he isn't tired enough for a longer nap 

[gcmomma]

He seemed to be ready for one a day because his morning nap was getting later and later - and then longer.  One day this week he slept 2.5 hours and i thought i was in heaven - and then back to one hour and he is miserable.  When he was on 2 naps/day he would always wake up crying, and seems to do the same now iwth one nap.  he was a happy baby after being picked up after 2/day.  in the morning he will wake up and talk or play for abotu 15 minutes before 'protesting' someone come get him.  i feel like i must be doing something wrong! 

[Olivia's Mommy]

Hey...I popped over from the "Chat about 2-1 nap transition" thread (thanks for the tip gcmomma!). Our routine is almost IDENTICAL to yours and we have the same issues: DD is a GREAT nighttime sleeper...usually 11-12 hours straight through. But I'm only getting about 1 hr 15 min from her during hte day. When she was doing 2 naps, she would total about 2.5-2.75 hrs of naps, so I know she needs more. I'm wondering if she'll start lengthening naps once she adjusts to the 1 nap. (We've only been doing it for a couple weeks.) I'd like to push the nap back to about 1:00 or 1:30, so that might help, too. Does anyone who's made it through the transition have any insight?

[bsparki73]

Hi guys,
I'm not really offering anything but sympathy! Oscar is 15 months & I've been trying to still do 2 naps as he really needs it but I think I need to move on because he's just resisting the 2nd one more & more & won't go off to sleep until 4pm. Then I wake him 45 mins later but then he won't go to sleep until 8pm which would be fine if he'd sleep longer in the morning but he's up like clockwork at 6.40am.

I don't know whether to keep trying with 2 naps (1 at 10am for 1 & 1/2 hours, then another around 3.30pm) and then bed at 7.30pm. It's good when this has worked because he gets to spend more time with his dad who gets home at 6pm. When we've tried the 1 nap, he won't sleep longer than 1 & 1/2 hours & he's ready for bed at 6pm!

Maybe I just have to stick with the 1 nap & hope that he will gradually sleep for longer during the day & be able to stay up longer at night (until 7pm say?).

Any ideas? I remember reading in one of Tracy's books that they will gradually lengthen the 1 nap.....has anyone experienced this & how long did it take?

[gcmomma]

so my only suggestion is to hang in there...i understand your frustration, my ds will wake up at 6:30 if he goes to bed at 8, but he will sleep until 7 if he goes to bed at 7-7:30 - how wierd is that?   we can hold off our ds until 11:30 to 12 for his nap, but he has started pulling my hand and taking me to his room and going to his crib when he is tired.  Glad he can communicate that way! When he does go down at 12 now, he usually hits 1.5 to 2 hours, which i figure is okay if he is still getting 11.5-12 hours sleep...do you agree?