Author Topic: 14mos...crib to bed & 2 naps to 1...too much change?  (Read 1008 times)

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Offline marky

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14mos...crib to bed & 2 naps to 1...too much change?
« on: July 18, 2009, 14:51:56 pm »
Hello and Help

FYI:
My LO is 14mos and I am expecting #2 in Septmeber. 
We just returned from a summer vacation in Europe via grandma's house.  In Europe he adjusted well to the time change and slept well at night, but dropped to one nap (2-3 hrs a day).
When we returned we stayed at grandma's house to adjust to time change and my LO got back to his routine of wake 6:30am-7am, two daily naps (3hrs total), and bedtime at 6pm.

When we finally came home after one month away I thought it would be a good idea to put him into the big boy bed as oppossed to the crib because new baby is only 2 mos away.  I closed the door to the nursery and put him in his new room.  At first he hated it and we had a few rough nights.

He also had trouble going down for his naps during the day.  I managed to finally get him down inthe mornings but he would not nap int he afternoons, he is a spirted/grumpy little boy and it was quite tiresome for both of us.

I decided I should try just one nap a day and move it closer to 12pm.  I have been slowly shifting his morning nap by 30mins each day and not giving an afternoon nap.

Our routine looks something like this:

wake 5:30am
nap 10:30-11:30am
bedtime 6pm

Questions:

Is this just too much change for him right now?  I can't imagine doing this with him once the baby is born but he is not sleeping as well as he used to an dwe are both just exhausted.

Should I go back to two naps a day or stick to adjusting him to one?  I really don't want to mess him up too much because he was such a good sleeper before.  Do I ride this out and hope that he will eventually find his grove and like Tracy says in her book: have one long delicious nap in the afternoon?

PLEASE HELP any tips will do....

Offline becky1969

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Re: 14mos...crib to bed & 2 naps to 1...too much change?
« Reply #1 on: August 18, 2009, 00:59:45 am »
It definitely sounds like a LOT of changes for little one all at once! Toddlers often have trouble adjusting just from travel alone! Then you add in not only a bed change but a ROOM change, nap schedule change AND baby on the way (he definitely notices your big belly and realizes something is up, even if he doesn't know exactly how the changes will occur!  :) ).

Since you've already made the room and bed switch, there's nothing to do but stay with it.  However, it's important to really talk over the changes with him (even as little as he is) and do some fun things like have him color pictures -- or you color pictures -- that you hang in his room, buy a 'special' stuffed animal that only big boys can have, find fun sheets or pillowcases that are only for big boys, etc.  Make him  PART of the change.  Let him pick out some of these new things for his room.

As for the nap change, you're going about it in a difficult way but understand you're sort of limited due to him not wanting to take PM nap.  Usually what we do is keep PM nap the longest nap and just slowly shorten AM nap while we also move it later in the day.  That way we ensure that child isn't overtired at bedtime, which often leads to sleep troubles. 

If he's sleeping thru the night but is simply grumpy, I guess I would worry about it too much.  But 1 hour nap for the whole day is quite short when he's used to 3 hours!

I think I might be tempted to move nap later, to noon, and then move bedtime a tad later as well -- to maybe 6:30 -- and see how that goes.  If it severely backfires with a shorty nap, then I guess you'll have to procede with your plan.  Alternatively, I think I might still keep offering a PM nap and see if after getting used to his room a little bit if he won't go off for nap.  Perhaps you could even lay down with him initially to help him along.  If you only do that 2-3 times it won't be in dnager of becoming a prop.


This is always a hard transition, from crib to BBB when baby is on the way! So, you're not alone in having lots of changes to put LO thru at once.  I do think in 2 months times a lot of these issues will be solved.  However, don't be too shocked if DS#1 regresses a bit once baby appears.  It's a lot for a little guy to take in!  :)
Owen, 12/28/05 7 lb 2 oz

Enjoying the toddler years!

Offline ~*Nicole*~

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Re: 14mos...crib to bed & 2 naps to 1...too much change?
« Reply #2 on: August 18, 2009, 03:16:43 am »
Oh my goodness. Poor you and your little guy. Tons of new stuff for him and you. Sounds exhausting especially as far along as you are with #2. I'd be falling asleep on the couch after putting him to bed every night. Phew.

I totally agree that it might be too much at one time, but I think  if you tried to go gradually it could work. You could maybe follow his lead and get him adjusted to the BBB first. Following his sleep cues etc. I mean. Then once he sleeps well in the bed, adjust naps from two to one.

If he won't do the pm nap usually, could you get him to take it if you woke him after 20 or 30 minutes in the am? Sort of like he only takes a power nap to get him through, then when he is doing well try dropping it entirely but sticking with the pm nap time?

We are having trouble with 2-1 and teething and all of that as well.

Good luck!