Do we need one nap or what?

[Lorelei Lee]

Hi everyone!
My dd has now turned 12.5 months and recently started fighting me to go for both naps and bedtime (the later may take anywhere from 0.5 to 1 hour).

Her approximate sleep schedule is:
7 - wake
10.30 - nap till 12
15.30 - nap till 17
20:00 - bedtime

I have noticed that whenever it happens that we skip a nap, she falls asleep almost immidiately and sleeps well through the night. However, when I decided to transition her to one nap consistently, on the second night we have got NWs. May it be that my dd is only ready for occasional one nap days (one or two time a week), but is getting too tired when we do it for two days straight? Is it OK to throw her off schedule, if some days we don't have enough time for two naps (wakes late)?
Another question: how much A-time is appropriate for her age? (For some reason I can't see the FAQ subject.) Is 5-6 hours too much?
Thank you all for taking time responding.
 

[momofclaire]

Lorelei Lee,
I am going to pop this over to toddler sleep. I think the girls over there will be able to advise you.  For what it's worth, I think you might be looking at the transition to one nap, may the transition be a short one!

[kate585]

I think your second nap is too late.  Could you move it forward to closer to 2?  I know that's a big jump from 3:30, but I bet if you move both naps up a bit on the 2 nap days she'd fight sleep less.  Waking at 5 and then going to sleep at 8 is too close.  I would try to move everything, including bedtime, up by a bit.  Off the top of my head I'd shoot for:

7 wake
9:30-11 nap
2-3:30 nap
7 or 7:30 bed

It's been awhile since I've had a one year old, though, so I could be off.  Hope someone else chimes in for you.  Good luck!

[Layla]

I would look at shortening the morning nap to bring up the afternoon nap & that way she is tired enough at bedtime. Alot of babies at this age do a 45min morning nap, 1.5-2hr afternoon nap about 3.5hrs later & bedtime about 3.5-4hrs later.... so something like this:

7am - wake
10:30-11:15 - morning nap
2:3-4pm - afternoon nap
7:30ish - bedtime

So cut the morning nap by 15mins every couple of days until you get there.... Or you let her sleep 1.5hrs in the morning & offer the afternoon catnap but shorten it so that she is awake at around 4pm & again doesn't fight you at bedtime.

hth
Layla