Support for "Dropping that last nap"

[Mom to M&M]

Let us know how the bed shopping goes! Need to do that here soon too. Turns out M was getting a virus (or maybe teeth too) - fever had been up to 102.3 Down to 100 now.

[Colesmom]

sorry to hijack, but just wanted to post!

guess who's back visiting toddler sleep

Cole doesn't nap at home (unless in the car), and has even resisted it at school now.  I tried dropping the nap down to one hour at school (from two) but it didn't change his bedtime at all, made for a hitter/biter at school and major bedtime battles.  btw, Cole generally sleeps 10pm-7am and 1.5-2 hours at school.

Going to try GW AGAIN.  (shhhh, don't talk about it and jinx me).  Have to wait until DH is available to help, very busy with work right now.

OH, and C's molars started November...we have one fully in, and part of the second.   

Stacy-you can check availability of the bed online.  strongly recommended, unless you need to go there anyway...

[MommaHolmes]

I'm here for a sympathy vote My LO is not yet two (22.5 months to be precise) and we're currently on day 5 of a nap strike. His nap has been intermittent for the past three months now and I had been hoping it was just a phase but it's not looking good. He has been cutting canines for the whole of this nap wobble and he's got the last one almost through now - I soooo hope it will settle down once it's through but, like Stacy, I'm not overly convinced!

His day is usually up between 6:30 and 7:30, down for nap between 12:30 and 1pm (usually give him an hour and then get him up), then bedtime at 5:30 if no nap or 7pm if he's napped.
I have been toying with the idea of offering the nap a bit later, say 1:30 or 2pm, and see if he'll take it if he's a bit more tired.

Any ideas?

[brightside]

I'm wondering if my problem is to do with DS slowly starting to drop the nap-see post 'Any idea what's going on?'   https://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=116611.0  We are having the reverse problem though. He needs a nap because he is only sleeping 10 hours at night but bedtime is getting later and later-almost 9 some nights. Are a lot of your LOs only having a max of 11.5-12 hours? I keep thinking DS must be tired with only having 11.5 hours total but he just won't go to bed any earlier. I'm wondering if I cut the nap back a bit he might go to bed earlier and sleep a bit longer? Any thoughts?

[Mom to M&M]

Cath - how long does your DS currently nap for?

Well, I was apparently wrong - DD seemed to be feeling mainly better today and no temp to speak of (less than 100) but she still refused her nap - she woke at 7:25 so will shoot for 7:30 bedtime - which is hard given our dinner/DH schedule but will try to make it work. Just stinks that weather is not accomodating or I'd take her out in stroller or car for a quick doze.

[Mom to M&M]

Traci! Nice to see you but sorry you're still having sleep issues with Cole. How is Connor's sleep?

[*Natasha*]

Girls i will change the name of this post so we can a support group good idea 

[Layla]

Girls, this is now a sticky....

[Mydreamcametrue]

Well bedtime has moved earlier and earlier for us and wake time earlier.  I have been doing it a little at a time to try to get back on a normal schedule.

Zach sleeps 12 hours at night.  It is now typically 9:00 to 9:00.  He is not napping now, but does have down time.

I checked on WebMD and here is what they recommend for kids 1 to 3 years of age:

1-3 Years Old: 12 - 14 hours per day

As your child moves past the first year toward 18-21 months of age he will lose his morning nap and nap only once a day. While toddlers need up to 14 hours a day of sleep, they typically get only about 10.

Most children from about 21 to 36 months of age still need one nap a day, which may range from one to three and a half hours long. They typically go to bed between 7 and 9 p.m. and wake up between 6 and 8 a.m.

*** Not sure if he will start napping again since he is getting up earlier, but I think he still needs it.  We shall see.

[Mom to M&M]

After no nap today DD was in a very good mood and played a bit in snow and with the neighbors and went to sleep easily at 8. But had a night terror (perhaps combined with teething as she was grabbing by her jaw) at about 10:30 - poor girl. I agree re WebMd - sounds like a crock to me! DD gets 12 hours a day total when I'm lucky!

[Mydreamcametrue]

If you look online, you will get a lot of different opinions on how much sleep.  I guess just like one doctor will tell you to do one thing and the other tells you something else.

I would go off your own child.  You know how much sleep they need.  Some more, some less

[*Natasha*]

Catherine is now getting 12hrs in total 10.5hrs at night and 1.5hr nap. I think she will stick to 12hrs in total and when she goes to no naps will do all that at night.

[rinajack]

Well, better count me into this support group also.  Zara's nights with a nap in her day have shrunk to about 9.5 hours with a 1.5 nap.  If nap is shorter, night slightly longer, total never more than 11 hours. 

So getting up 5:30/6, nap getting later and later in the day, more like 1pm now, then not going to sleep til 8:30/9ish, if nap is longer, then asleep later (even though we put her in bed at about 7:30).

Then, day before yesterday, she said "No" to quiet time, which has never happened before (that is how she napped, she fell asleep in front of a DVD - that started when she tried to drop her nap when Hugh was born). So we let her go that day, no nap, and she was actually HAPPIER! in the afternoon, and had an 11 hour night and woke up very happy.  Napped just over an hour the next day, and for once went to sleep at a reasonable hour, but woke just before 5am for the day .  Today said "no" to quiet time again, but fell asleep in the car for 5-10 mins on the way home from a 1.5 hr swim at the pool. Would have transferred but we woke her otherwise she would not go to bed FOREVER it would feel like tonight.

I always knew that Zara would drop her nap early, and am actually pleased at the prospect of getting my evenings back...since I can't relax properly til I know both my babies are asleep

[brightside]

So is it best to just cut the nap straight out or to do it slowly by cutting the nap back by 30 mins or so over a few weeks? Did you have any trouble with nws when you cut the nap? And what do you do if they are really tired at about 5pm?

[rinajack]

I am taking each day as it comes, letting her decide if she needs to nap or not.  Today she ended up with 10 min nap in the car at about 4:15 on the way home from a 1.5 hr swim at the pool.  We are not getting additional or worse NW (but we are cosleeping, and she still needs to pat me to be sure I am there several times per night, has been like that for a while now).

If they are really tired at 5pm, distract distract - snacks work well, otherwise start the bedtime process and go for super early bedtime.