When did you start picking a specific nap time?

[M and N's Mom]

My DS took a long time getting to 1 nap (19-20mos) and I would still throw in about 1 day a week with a 15min catnap in the morning and a longer pm nap.  I would do this when bedtime was creeping too early in the day and the 2 naps would push it back a bit.

Well, for the first time today he refused the pm nap on his 15min am catnap.

Most days we do the 1 nap 5h from wake up time.  Then bedtime is about 4.5h after the nap.

What I'm wondering is when it usually starts working to say nap time is 12:00 (or whatever) rather than calculating 5h every day, and bedtime is 7:00 rather than looking specifically at A time?  DS has always become OT easily so I feel like I want to proceed carefully.

Thanks for your thoughts!

[KathrynK]

Hi Sari
long time no speak! Sophie went to 1 nap at about 15months and I still largely go on A time after waking- it's usually about 5.5hrs for her. The exception is if she wakes ridiculously early (like 5am- I will stretch her with gentle activity to 11.30am nap)- not often, thank goodness- or ridiculously late (last Sunday she slept till 7.45am- I wore her out all morning at the park so she went down for a nap at 12.30, didn't want it too late as it would interfere with bedtime)
I did try doing it at a set time for a while but it's always suited Sophie better to go by her usual A times. I would personally still go off his A time especially as he gest OT so easily
hope this helps
Kathryn xx

[rinajack]

We dont' have set time here either, nor do we have a set A time.  When Zara seems tired or cranky, she naps. bedtime is more consistant though, and for us this can sometimes mean exceptionally long A time before bed.  On the other hand, if she gets cranky twice she naps twice, and that can equally mean a very short A time.

[andibig]

Sashas naptime has remained pretty consistent since she went to 1 nap ,give or take 30 mins, regardless of what time she got up.of course doesn't always mean she actually sleeps