Looks like dropping her nap - what to do?

[Mum of PA]

Hello

DD is 2 years 7 months and up until 9 days ago was consistently taking a 1 1/2 nap each day and it was only the odd day here and there that she wouldn't nap.  Then 9 days ago she didn't nap for 6 days in a row, then took a 1 1/2 hour nap on the 7th day and now 2 days without a nap.  She sleeps 7am til 7pm but by 4 o'clock she is now very cranky and fragile so I have been putting her down at 6.30pm - she is still waking at 7am.  I have still been offering her a nap every day at around 1pm (she used to go down around 12.30pm but that wasn't working so I tried 1pm).

It just seems so out of left field that she could be/is dropping her nap as I sort of expected to give signs of dropping it eg taking a nap every few days or so, or cutting it back to an hour, Ew etc rather than just suddenly going from having a lovely long nap to nothing.  Anyway, because she is getting so cranky and acting out a bit which is unusual for her I am just not sure whether to keep offering her the nap every day or maybe I should do it every second day or offer it earlier or later?  What do you think?

Thanks for any advice.

[Colin Macs Mom]

bumping up for you

[grahan]

My twin daughters are 2 yrs, 8 months and going through something similar.   They will refuse to nap sometimes 4 days in a row (although 2 is the longest I like to go)  On days that I know they need a nap, I will actually lay next to them to be sure that they get that nap.  I have noticed that they now nap 7+ hours after waking in the morning.  They wake at 6 (ugh!) and when they nap, they don't fall asleep until 1 and then they wake at 2:30 and are back in bed at 7, asleep around 7:30.  They only need 12 total hours, it seems.  They either do a 12 hour night or a 10.5 hour night with a 1.5 hour nap.  I'm fine with this, I would just like to get their wake time back to 7 (we've still not recovered from the time change!)  Maybe try a later bedtime.   I've learned from others on this board that at this age, often their morning is long but, they will go to bed just fine 4.5 hours after waking from nap.

[babybarr]

I would perhaps try offering the nap a little later and waking after an hour and see what happens.  Great she is sleeping long nights though!

[Mum of PA]

Hi there

DD has had only 2 naps in the last 16 days.  I put her down every day for a sleep, but she just sings, chats, talks quite happily for the whole nap time - she is quite happy to do this for an hour and a half but I often just get her up after and hour.  I have tried putting her down later but it doesn't seem to make any difference.  She is still sleeping 7pm until 7am.  The thing is she seems really tired by 12.30pm yawning etc but she just doesn't sleep!  She is revived after her rest though is pretty good for the most part but on some days she is pretty fractious which makes for a long, trying afternoon.  I would like to keep the 7pm bedtime as DS goes down at this time as well.

Grahan:  I think she would actually have a nap if I was with her but I have an 11 month old DS who is up at the time she is 'due' for her nap so not something I could try,  although I think she would love it!

It is funny because just before she began this dropping of her naps I posted on the 'then there two' thread lamenting that I could never get out because either DD or DS were always napping.  That will teach me......

Anyway would you keep trying or is it really just a lost cause?  Maybe I should just try every 2nd or 3rd day? 

Thanks

[babybarr]

What sort of later time have you been trying?  perhaps aim for 2pm?

[Mum of PA]

Hi there

I tried 2pm and even 2.30pm but still no sleep.
Thanks

[babybarr]

Perhaps then try even other day and see what happens?