2 to 1... how, what, when....

[annamum]

1. When did you go from 2 naps to 1? Did you drop the morning or afternoon nap?
We went from 2 naps to 1 at 11 months. We dropped afternoon nap.

2. How did the transition affect nighttime sleep? Did you change bedtime? We changed bedtime, before, she was going late to sleep as her second nap was really getting in the way. Now, instead puting her to sleep at 9:30PM or later  , she goes at 8:20 and is out in just minutes. She sleeps longer at night, she used to sleep 10.5 hours with 3 hours naps but now she may even take 12 hours at night and only 1.5 hour during the day.

3. What were the signs that dc was ready to go to 1 nap?
She started stretching her awake time in afternoon from 4 hours to 5 and more so suddlenly there was no more time for a second nap. I couldn't possibly fit in a second nap at 5:30PM.

4. How did you go about making the transition?
At first she had 1.5 naps  :lol: . That means she had her morning nap a little later than usual and in the late afternoon she would practically crawl into my lap, place herself there and get to nap for about 30 minutes. That happened maybe 10 times, later she just skipped that half nap. Now she stays awake in AM for 3.5 hours, naps 1.5 hour and stays awake for next 7 hours. She is now 12 months.

[beachmom]

I just wondered if anyone had trouble with the one nap being too short when first making the transition to one nap-She is now only going about an hour-Will it extend itself over time??? She has done an hour and a half tops with the one nap- so far-I would love to get 2 hours.....any thoughts?? the nap is at 1:00

[annamum]

Yes, I noticed the same thing. I am dealing with it by coming before one hour mark and waiting there to see if she wakes up. If she does, I put my hands on her and hug her, she likes to go to sleep on her side so I just help her go back to sleep. It mostly works.
But I am curious why this happens. Shouldn't they need a longer nap?

[Katet]

I think my ds will have the latest transition to 1 nap in history at 18months & 10 days, we might get one day a week where he goes for one nap & that is normally at daycare when he gets so interested in something that he doesn't think about it & "ask" for a morning nap, the rest of the time it is 2 naps... he sleeps around 11 hours o/n & has 1 x 1hour & 1x 1.5-2 hour naps mostly longer in the pm, but not always... being preg I'm loving it.

[Jessi]

To Monika and Chris,
  The issue you were both talking about, with the one nap only being an hour or so is what has been happening to me the last couple of days.  I was wondering if it has stretched out since your last postings. 
  I'm not really sure that my ds is actually transitioning from 2 to 1.  I think he's just needing extended wake time.  But if it is happening, then I'd like to know how to deal with that one short nap that doesn't seem like enough.

Jessi

[beachmom]

We have good days and bad days! Most days she sleeps about an hour and a half at around 1230-100pm.....I sure hope it gets longer!!!!

[annamum]

Good news! It got better, she was able to nap 1.5 hour to 2.5 at times. Unfortunately, we just moved to California and all these new and exciting things keep her awake now, she again takes shorter naps, but at least not shorter than 1.5 hour. This longer naps had also an effect on her nighsleep, she wakes up earlier now.
All this happened by itself, no intervention on my side, so I think it is going to be just natural way of things.
Good luck to you!

[Jess-J&E]

Hi ladies I am not sure if you will all check this or not but I am having such a hard time with my son.  He used to take two naps from 6 months on and then for the past 10 days he refuses his afternoon nap and by the time he gets tired it is 5pm or later and is really hard to fit in a nap.  He is only 9 months so I don't know what to do.  He wakes around 6am and then takes a nap anywhere from 9 or 10 for about 2 hours and then that is all he wants for the day.  On the days he was taking two naps his night sleep was about 10 hours and on the days he has one he goes to bed a bit earlier (6:30 instead of 7:45) but will sleep for 11-12 hours (wakes for one bottle at 5am and then back to sleep).  What should I do???
Jess

[annamum]

Hi,

I understand what you are going through. My dd is spirited and she was always very stubborn and I could do nothing if she didn't want to nap. So if there are no new circumstances in his life that would account for refusing a second nap, like grandparents visiting, new teeth or some other changes in his life, then I would transition to 1 nap. In my opinion, you can't force them to sleep, you can only provide them with sleep inducing environment.

First weeks will be hard and he may still sometimes have a second nap (or catnap). His night sleep may be longer as you already noticed it and that's how he is making up for lost hours of rest during daytime.
You will probably be able soon to extend his activity time in the AM so his only nap eventually will fall into early afternoon instead of morning.

Right now, I would let him go earlier to sleep at night. My dd finally has adjusted her body clock and she sleeps better and longer if put early to sleep. So you gain a little of your time in the evenings but lose some of the afternoon You time  .

HTH,

[Jess-J&E]

Thanks so much Monika.  Ethan has always been really affected by milestones and such so I guess that could be a big contributing factor here.  I am going to try to make the transition but not rush it and like you said do a second nap or early bedtime depending on the day.  Thanks again!
Jess

[Carmela's Mom]

We need more responses!!! 

Carmela is 13 months and 10 days and I think I am looking to do the transition from 2 to 1....I"m soo nervous about it but lately she's not sleeping as well at night (early wakings) and I notice on the days that she does only get one nap she sleeps better at night.  Plus for the afternoon nap she's been giving me trouble!

[annamum]

Yes, that looks like she is ready to transition. My dd was having shorter and shorter nightsleep because the naps were too long. Practicaly, I was joking she needed a day with 26 hours to function properly with two 1.5 hour naps and be sleepy/tired at night.

So how is it going now?

[Carmela's Mom]

It's not going well.  I gave in and went back to two naps and now we are back to the same problems....I really need to make up MY mind and stick with it because the switching back and forth is giving us both headaches!

[Keren]

Hi

I transitioned to two naps only a few weeks ago and now ds is fighting the second nap!! He is awake about 3-3.5hrs in the morning then 3.5-4 in the afternoon and up until 2 days ago would only do 1hr nap in the morning and 30min in the afternoon (I think I scored a baby that doesn't want alot of sleep :roll: ). Then he did a 2 hr nap yesterday and a 1hr40min nap today and both second naps he fought. Yesterday he ended up not napping at all in the afternoon and today I had to feed him to sleep and let him nap in my arms. Is it possible he is wanting to transition to one after only being at 2 for a few weeks??

The other thing is that he isn't crawling yet ( he only wants to stand and try and cruise). I am worried that if I do transition to one and then he starts crawling that he will need to go back to two and he will fight me again.

What do you think?

Cheers
Keren

[elfin]

Keren,

Your ds' refusal to nap right now is probably related to developmental.  He is learning and changing so much right now, that he doesn't want to sleep and or is finding it hard to.  8 months is very, very young to transition to one nap.  Just stay consistent, watch his cues, and try and stick with the 2 naps.  Chances are within a couple days he'll master some new skill and be right back to his normal self.  My ds went through this exact same thing at that age, where he was fighting his pm nap all of a sudden or would nap for that long.  Then he started crawling and pulling up and cruising, and about a day or so later he went right back to his 2 great naps every day.  He then transitioned to one nap around 13 months.

I hope this helps!

Carrie