I HATE naps!

[sk4399]

I realize that Hate is a strong word, but I do hate naps.  I hate the inconstancies, the figuring, the worrying.  I hate them all.  My oldest DD was a 30 minute napper until 19 months, and I thought this time around would be different, well no.  I'm sorry if I sound crabby, but I am.  Alaina (10 months) never takes the same length of nap, wakes up early, goes to bed early.  I can't stand it anymore.  I guess I will get to my question now   What should the awake time before her first nap.  She wakes up between 5:30 am. and 6.  If I keep her up until 9:00, sometimes the nap is 30 minutes, sometimes it's 1.5 hours.  It's never the same!!!  It drives me nuts!  Nap number 2 is at 1:30.  This nap is always 30 minutes.  That means she goes from 2:00 until bed at 6:00 (used to be 7:00, but she started waking up at night).  I feel like it's dejavu all over again.  I would like to stop worrying about all of this, and have her sleep at the same time for the same length everyday, so I could make a plan!!!  While I'm at it, I don't like the early bedtime / morning awake time either.  Once again I am sorry for the rant, but I feel so helpless and I can't believe I got 2 unpredictable nappers.

Thanks for listening (reading)
Katy

[*Natasha*]

Hi Katy,

Sorry you are having a hard time with naps. Ok at this age the general awake time is 3-3.5hrs some can handle 4hrs in the afternoon. At this age alot of LO's are having a short (30-45min) morning nap and a longer (1.5-2hr) afternoon nap. Have you tried extending the second nap at all?

[sk4399]

Natasha,
Thanks for  your relpy.  I have tried extending the 2nd nap.  Either she wake sup crabby or she wakes up calm, either way she is up for good.  I should also mention that tonight I put her down at 6:10 p.m. since her last nap (30 minutes) ended at 2:00.  Well she woke up at 8:00 pm. and crying (maybe she thought it was a nap?).  Is this inconsistent napping problem unusual?  I feel like I can never set an appointment or plan my day because she may or may not be sleeping.  I want to make sure that I understand this right...If she wake dup at 5:45 what time should nap number 1 be?  What time should nap number 2 be.  What is nap number 1 is short?  How can I change this around so it makes sense?

Thanks again,
Katy

[dtrias]

Katy
Im with you on the hate naps.  Right before nap time my stomach gets tense and my head starts to hurt so hate is not too strong a word.  My Lo takes 30 mins only and has since age 8 weeks.  The afternoon is the hardest because takes her last 30 nap at 3:30.  By 6 she's impossible so its either try to extend wake time or put her down at like 5:30 which is crazy.  I am trying to leave the am naps alone since these end up dropping anyway but am working on the pm ones.  My lo wakes at 6 and takes her first nap around 7:00.  I figure this is because she is waking too early in the first place.  I dont even take her out of her room anymore between 6-7 because there is no point.  I feed her, put her back down and let her talk to herself until she crys out for her paci.  She is  alot younger than your lo so yours should last longer.  The key is watch for the first yawn, ear pull, fuss, hyperactivity, whatever your lo does to show your shes tired and put her to bed RIGHT AWAY.  dont wait or your have no chance of extending the nap.  Does your lo wake up talking, or crying as the strategy for extending the naps is different depending on how your lo wakes from them.