Support for Dropping the Nap age 2-3 Part 4!

[scucci1979]

On no nap days, nights were so much better. She would give me 11.5-12hours.  Now we are just stuck again.  I need to get her to wake up a little later to try a no nap day. I could just ride out the OT today, but I think she will fall asleep.

Laura, she is doing amazing. do they nap in preschool.

We are still having issues with this girl staying in her bed until the groclock comes on. I have been reading a book and I really think it is SA at night time b/c she runs into my room wanting me.  She was the type of girl to always play in her crib/bed until I got her in the mornings.

[PeanutSmith]

So I guess we're coming on board dropping the nap.  Last Friday my dd2 (2.5) slept for a good two hour nap as she has done for many many months.  And Saturday she decided not to nap, and hasn't done since.  It is melt down city here by dinner time, and last night she had to sit on my lap to eat as it was the only way to stop her crying.  So how do you set them up for quiet time?  Yesterday she emptied all her drawers and wardrobe.  Today I said not to and she could read as many stories as she wanted.  Which she has done, but still constantly is opening and closing the door (with babygate on).  I have another baby which isn't waking at this yet, but I'm sure given time will.  How long is quiet time for?

[scucci1979]

I know a lot of 2.5year olds go through a developmental leap, so I think it may just be a phase for you.
My lo will NOT stay in her room for quiet time. Quiet time is now on the sofa. she will nap there or some days I can get her to nap in my bed.

It looks like Madison is now coming down with a cold. Fell asleep at 12:40pm, think I am going to let her sleep until 2pm.  It never ends.

Please tell me that is good thing to do!

[Lolly]

Sabs - her pre school is from 9 to 11.30, so no sleep there!

No nap today, but a now slightly hysterical OT girl having a bath with Daddy. She will be in bed very soon!

Laura

[PeanutSmith]

What a day, no nap and huge hysterics.  Refused to go to bed, cried and cried (seriously OT) and the melt down after we finished bedtime story was something out of a clip from one of the kids from Supernanny.  I've never ever seen her that hysterical.  I'm not sure I'm cut out for this, it's making me a nervous wreck!  Is it this bad for everyone when they choose to drop a nap?

[Deb123]

So have just gone for it now! No nap ..gulp!
Sabs taking your advice just follow her cues, so Iim putting her down for quiet time in her cot -yes she's still in her cot and will be til 12 if I have my way...lol   but she doesnt sleep.

I think for us short naps just dont work as she's still needs at least 6 A+ after which still leads to a short night and with a normal nap she's up til 11 at night!!

So for the last 3 nights she's done 13hrs straight ( 2 NW each night one a bit upset but both short)
Although her mood is good, she looks exhausted totally pale, although I remember when we moved to 1 nap same thing
Fingers crossed this isn't going to end in terrible tears. If it does  Lolly can I swap with you for a non-spirited child for a while  

Peanut -I'm used to that one when my LO doesnt get enough sleep (which is often!! so yes I'd say its normal. Maybe bring her bedtime forward? I'm doing only a 11 hour day at the moment, and I notice it gets really out of hand around that 11 hour mark.

[Khalam's Mama]

We are getting 13 or 14 hr nights with no nap as long as it isn't more than 2 in a row. He woke at 6.15 this morning when dh left for work so we did 1hr nap at 11 and asleep by 7.30 this evening. He is only able to manage 10 or 11hr days with no nap. The behavior at playgroup was much better on a nap today than on no nap days. He is also spirited and can cry for 30mins if ot.this morning i know he woke tired even after a 12hr night as he cried his heart out when i told him our new double buggy wasn't coming until sat now.

[scucci1979]

How come I can't get a 13hr night on a no nap day?   This girl is supposed to be my high sleep girl. 
She has a cold, gave her a 1hr and 15min nap today. In bed at 8pm and she already got out twice.  She sure looks tired but she just was trying to push my button.

[consmummy]

We've had a couple of great nights here, no nap, asleep by 7.20 and awake at 7.45am. So just over 12hrs and he's fine on that. Hope this carries on. He does get tired by the end of the day but with enough to distract him he can handle it.

Going away for the night on Sat, watch it all fall apart then!

[Deb123]

Aah..just when you think its going well with 13hr nights/no nap...quiet time..she just fell asleep at 2pm, what now? A short nap will still lead to a short night, she wont sleep b 4 9, a long nap she'll prob be up till 11...

Going to let her have a long nap...short nap and short night I think leads to major OT,its endless... 

[Khalam's Mama]

I would be tempted to do a 30min nap and EBT. I find if I can get K down before he gets tired I can prevent him getting OT and then ending up with a long day and short night. Bit late now though as I see you posted a while ago. Sleep after 2pm is a killer for us.

We got 12.5hrs last night after a 1hr nap at 11am (after 6.15 wu) and 7.30Bt. Today he woke at 8am so no nap (which was handy as we celbrated lunch for my mum's birthday) and asleep by 6.30. Am hoping for at least 7.30am in the morning. DH is working earlies though so it depends how quiet he can be when he gets up.

[Caro1]

Mind if I hop hop on board ladies? My DS will be 3 in November and it looks like we're starting the transition to no nap.  We've been limiting his nap to an hour for a while after a phase of tough bedtimes.  He's been falling asleep later and later at bedtime (typically in bed at 8 but not asleep until 8.45) but we stuck with it for the sake of keeping his nap for a while longer.  Anyway, for the last few days he seems to have been doing one day on and one day off with his naps which makes me think he's getting ready to drop it altogether.  My issue at the moment is that by bedtime he's in complete meltdown and then it takes ages to get him calm enough to go to bed.  Tonight for example, I had his bath ready for 6.30 (aiming for a 7pm bedtime which is super early for us!) but he had a meltdown after dinner which went on for an hour so he ended up going to bed at his usual time of 8pm.  Admittedly he was asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow but I'm worried we're going to end up with one seriously OT little boy if this carries on!

[Khalam's Mama]

What time is WU Caro1? Our Bt with a nap has been 8 but not sleeping until 9pm and with no nap we aim for 6pm BT with 7.30wu. If I let it go later K is a nightmare. He has always been LSN too but it is such a big jump for them from 6hrs A to 12.

[Caro1]

WU varies from 6.30 - 7.15 so I guess on a no-nap day we need to be aiming for a much earlier bedtime to try to avoid the hideous meltdown?   There are a couple of nights a week where this is tricky because he's at my mum's while I work and generally by the time we get home it's already 6.30.  Having said that, he's still napping at mum's so might not be an issue yet!  DH also reminded me that his Gro-Clock is set to come on at 6.15 (a throwback to some early wakings not so long ago) so may need to reset that to try and promote some longer mornings.

How do you manage evening mealtime when DS is going to bed super early?  Do you all eat early or do you feed him and then eat later?

[Lolly]

Caro1 - on week nights my two eat earlier than we do. DH doesn't get home until 6pm most nights and it's too late for them to eat then, so I feed the kids around 4.30/5pm. DH takes them for a bath as soon as he gets home and does stories and puts them to bed while I cook dinner for us - they are usually asleep by the time our food is ready.

I think DD is coming down with a cold, her nose has been running like a tap today and she has a bit of a squeaky voice. Grandma and Grandpa had her after pre-school today so she actually had a nap - first time since this time last week! It did take her a bit longer to fall asleep tonight but I think it was about 7.45 she was asleep by. They don't need to be awake until around 7 tomorrow, so I hope she does sleep until at least then! We are supposed to be going swimming in the morning but I will have to see how she is!

Deb123 - If you had seen DD at bath time last night you would definitly re-think the swapping! The girl was possessed

Laura