From 2 to 1 Nap - When?

[Jenifer]

When did your LO go to one nap?

[motherof3]

Abby just recently switched to 1 nap.  But we sometimes have to do 2 if she wakes early.

Andrea

[Lizjjackson]

right at 1 year, we began to transition to one nap.  it took her about 1 week to make the switch. 

[KathrynK]

we finally went to 1 nap every day about 3 weeks ago- lo is just 16 months. The transition took ages- I started cutting back her am nap at 10.5 months to stop her refusing the pm nap. This is fairly normal, judging by all the other mums on the 2-1 nap thread! Have you looked at that?
Are you looking for some advice on your lo's naps? Do you think your lo is starting to transition?

[mom2william]

My DS was about 14 or so months when he started to refuse the PM nap which let me know he was ready to go to one nap.  However, it took 2 1/2 months or so to lengthen.  Even though he was ready for the switch, he had a TERRIBLE time staying up in the morning so I tried keeping it very low key by taking walks, etc.  He always had his best nap in the morning so it was hard for him to drop it.  When I would try to cut back his morning nap, that still didn't always work and he would still skip his PM nap so I just finally gave up and went with the one nap.  It was rough for us but it did finally happen!

[Jenifer]

I ask because I see a lot of stuff on here lately about one year olds going to one nap.  I thought it was something that would happen closer to 1.5 years old.

My DD is currently still taking two naps a day.  Most days it all goes well.  Some days (maybe one or two days a week) she will take 30 + minutes to go down for her afternoon nap (and therefore only gets about 45 minutes in the afternoon).  Her morning nap has always been her best nap (1.5 hours).

This is her current schedule:

7:00 am - wake
10:00 am - nap
11:30 am - wake
2:45 pm - nap (some days falls right to sleep, other days could take 1/2 hour)
4:00 pm - wake
7:30 pm - bedtime (takes her until around 7:45 - 8:00 pm to fall asleep)

I wonder how to transition her to one nap when its her morning nap that is her best one.  I fear that if I limit the first nap I still won't get a good afternoon one.

[Layla]

Jenifer, she will give you signs when she is ready. If she is doing well on 2 naps then let it be for now. Mine transitioned finally at 15/16 months but I started cutting her morning nap at 12+ months. Cut it to 45mins and then towards the end of the transiiton down to 30mins.... eventualy she would play instead of sleep in the morning and that was my cue to go to 1 nap.

Some do it as late as 18months so not all babies are the same. Some of the signs are early wake ups, fighting the pm nap or the pm nap being pushed too late, taking a long morning nap and a short pm nap....

I can understand you being afraid of waking from the morning nap and the pm nap not improving, but its worked for ALOT of us here (me personally with Isabella and now doing the same with Jasmine). If you are finding that she is fighting her pm nap more and more then cut the morning nap ato 1hr to start, bring the 2nd nap forward and see how that goes.....

hth
Layla