Support for "Dropping that last nap"

[Mom to M&M]

Sleep needs can really vary so much... DD refused her nap today but then slept in car from 2:30-3:30 while DH and I ran some errands. She would have slept longer but we woke her (she didn't wake on own when car stopped, doors opened, or anything). Got her in bed at 8:30 and (she's in there counting now) we'll see what tonight and tomorrow bring!

[Peek-a-boo]

Just when I was building a solid case in my mind for this being about his sleep req dropping, today happened.  He slept 11 hours last night; refused to nap and then while on an errand to the hardware store w/ DH, fell asleep in DH's arms while DH packed him around the store.  Stayed asleep when DH buckled him into the carseat. 

I do think his sleep needs are dropping, but not so much that he doesn't need a nap--just enough that he can fight it off.

My mother suggested getting a kitchen timer and showing him how it works.  Then setting it for 30 min and putting it in the hall outside his room and telling him to lay down and listen for the buzz and then he can get up.  In theory the laying and waiting will get him to sleep if he needs it and then I can remove the timer if he does fall asleep so he doesn't wake.  If he doesn't sleep, then quiet time will be over then.  She said she did this with one of my sibs, but my sib was older.  Not sure of DS will get it, but worth a shot. 

[Katet]

Bethany, my SIL did that with her eldest, around the 2.5yo mark as she was preg & wanted some down time... my niece had stopped napping by then, now the said niece is 5yo (& at school) & on weekends she stays in her room for 1.5-2hours until the timer goes off so my Bro & SIL can get some down time... I don't necessarily agree with the length, but for children like her who are full on (my boys chill out more easily) I think it can work.
As said before my ds#2 falls asleep easily in my arms & doesn't wake up with transfers (even 4 of them) We are in for a bad evening as we had a huge day & a 50min drive home from a steam train festival & so of course BOTH boys fell asleep, ds#1 (4.5y) only slept about 30mins & will be fine for bed about 30mins later, but ds#2 true to form was impossible to wake & slept 2hours... I told him he could stay up until I went to bed, but he had to watch Mummy's TV (grey's) with me ... he will probably sit on the floor doing stickers the whole time.

[rinajack]

Aaaah, Kate.  Priorities are in order in your house too are they (Grey's ).

Zara did not nap today, was not cranky, not tired, and played so well amusing herself, and interacting with me (not to say the day was a breeze, she is nearly 2 after all) but we did pretty well considering.  In bed asleep a bit before 6:30, no meltdowns.

These long nights no naps are better for us, but she has daycare tomorrow...hoping she doesn't nap there!

[aisling]

Has anyone ever experienced this?  DS wakes up about an hour earlier, (in my calculations ) I tell him to go back to sleep it is too early, he does (shockingly the odd time) and sleeps for exactly another hour.  Then come nap time, there is NO way he will go to sleep. This happened about 2x in the past month. The one time he just stayed chilling in the room and the other he eventually fell asleep about 5 min before I was going to get him (2pm) so I only let him sleep 45 min.  I am asking as he did that this morn.  After a 2 hour nap yesterday (I know, I know, I have to wake him, but mum was napping too, DH still away )  SO he fell asleep at 8:40pm woke at 6:40, which is right if he knows he can sleep another 2 hours this aft, but it is SUNDAY, go back to sleep and he did until 7:40! So am wondering, but am sure, nap will be a struggle.  It is almost like he went down for a nap this a.m KWIM?  He is in a super terrific mood though.

Anyone else experience this, want to theorise on this?

 

[Mom to M&M]

Aisling - we have that sometimes. Once in a while DD will wake early (like 5-6 am) and then go back to sleep until late (like until 8 or 9) in those cases it's almost like her body thinks that's her nap and she can't take another one. But she's usually in a good mood those days - they just don't happen often enough.

As for us, after falling asleep at about 8:40 last night DD sadly woke at 6 today. She stayed in her crib until almost 7 but she's quite tired of course today. Will try a nap between 12 and 12:15 or so and wake her by 2 at the latest if she does nap.

[rinajack]

Zara did great last night, in bed asleep at 6:25.  One wakeup, but that was because Hugh Screamed! She went right back to sleep, and we got up at 6am today.

Daycare today though, hope she doesn't nap there, things work so much better for us with no nap!

[debo620]

Stacy, sounds like a great night! hope you had a good time!

[aisling]

Stacy that is great night whoo hoo!

N has always been a "PING" wake up guy, no lounging/hanging around in the a.m, DH and I much the same...but we are all hang out in our beds to wind down before sleep people.

Thought I would be proactive and I took N swimming all morning at a pool a good 20 min drive away, we did lunch there and he fell asleep in car at 12:40. I left him in the car when I got home and he woke at 1:40.  So am happy with that. 

A x

[Mom to M&M]

Glad you had a good night out Stacy and hope that routine sticks for a bit!

We've had two good nap days with extended A times. Yesterday she woke at 6am (ugh) but stayed in bed until almost 7 and then napped from about 12:20-2 (I woke her). She was hyper from visit with grandparents and didn't fall asleep until about 9 and woke at 7 today and then napped from about 1:15-3 (I tried to wake her at 2:45 but she was out cold).

[swiper]

Well today Aimee decided she was going to have a nap.

[Peek-a-boo]

Woo hoo!  We're having our first nap in ages! He needs it b/c he's not adding night sleep--hanging out at about 11 hours each night. 

[rinajack]

Zara napped at daycare yesterday, from 11-12.  I am so confused, she has done that early nap at daycare twice, but I have looked for her being tired, and offered quiet time at home at that time, and she isn't interested!

But anyway, I was right, she is better with no nap.  She went to sleep sometime between 7:30 and 8pm, was restless all night, and woke early in a bad mood (about 5:20 or so).

She is much happier after her long nights.  No nap so far today  (it is 3:30pm) will see how she is travelling and aim for a 6ish bedtime I think. Oh, that reminds me, need to get dinner on ASAP!

[Mom to M&M]

Glad he napped Bethany! Interesting with Zara and the early nap but it does sound, like you said, that she does better with no nap. For us, DD seems to do best with a nap of about an hour - be it in the car, stroller or crib. But if in the crib, when she does nap, she's SO hard to wake - especially now after extending A times. Yesterday she woke at about 7 and took nap at 1:15. I tried to wake her at 2:45 (limiting home naps to 1.5 tops) but despite opening her shade, turning off her sound machine and making lots of noise she didn't wake until a little after 3. Tried to really tire her out at the park and she did fall asleep by 8:45 pm or so but woke at 5:25 and then went restlessly back to sleep until 6:45 (her usually is 7-7:30). Will try again today!

[MommaHolmes]

We seem to be in a bit of a cycle - a couple of no nap days with good 12 hour nights, then a no nap day followed by a shorter night with an EW, then last week we had two napping days in a row (cos both started before 5:30am!), back to a later wake up and repeat 

Having said that, after a 5:30 start this morning I am making an attempt at a nap day today but it is not looking good so far. Unfortunately I think he might have to have a night of NW and EW before he will be tired enough to take another nap  Double bummer as hubby is away tonight so I'll have to do NW and night feeds single handed - you just KNOW they'll be awake at the same time!