Do we or don't we...

[cbell]

I posted about this before and was referred to another post regarding the 2-1 nap switch but I was unable to find it... must be the lack of sleep on my part. So I am at a fork in the road... I think my 1 yr old is ready for the 2-1 nap but I don't know. I am just wondering if what we are going through is what I should expect until she adapts. She has always been one of those babies that fought naps to the absolute bitter end and she was never a 12 hr night sleeper no matter how many fingers I had crossed. The day before we tried it she napped 45 min in the morning and that was it (she was at the sitters) and she was perfectly fine the rest of the day. I thought for sure she would be cranky but she was the same as any other day. That night she woke around 10pm crying. I chalked it up to overtiredness. So day 2 I officially tried and her is what happened the first day of the nap switch:

5:30 - wake and bottle
12:30 - nap (1 hr max)
1:45 - slept for 45 min as I rocked her as I knew she was still tired)
6:30 - bed

That night she woke up again around 9:30 crying for a couple of minutes and went back to sleep till 5:24 this morning.

So... should I not stress about this and accept that this is the way it will be until she becomes adjusted? Or is she not ready and I should go back to the two naps which are not always easy to get or time these days. Help! And if I do continue, how long does it usually take before they get adjusted. I wish she was a 12 hr sleeper but I keep telling myself it could be a lot worse. Luckily she wakes up when we are still awake in the evenings. However I will be starting back to work in 1.5 weeks (ugh) and I would love to get to bed earlier but with her waking up there is no point.

What do I do?

[Layla]

I do think she's a little too young for just 1 nap. During the transition period, its not uncommon for them to go from 2-1-2-1 naps. I would definitely keep offering the morning nap (especially if she's waking up so early in the morning). If you find that 45 mins is refreshing enough for the rest of the day, then cut it down to 30mins. If she's still resisteing the afternoon nap, then I would push that morning nap until you get to midday. But you do have to do it in increments to avoid the overtired state. Add 15-20mins to her A time every 3-4 days until she is taking her nap at 12pm. During the transition, you will probably have to bring the bedtime forward as well. At the moment 7hrs A time is waaay too much. My lo can only just do that now (if I push her) and she is 2.

Could you post your routine when she was on 2 naps?

Layla