Problems after 2-1 nap transition

[*Laura*]

Hi, I have got advice from this website twice before and both times it worked 100%, so I am hoping someone will be able to help me again please!!  About a month ago, I dropped my 18 month old's morning nap because she either wasn't sleeping for it or it was affecting her afternoon nap.  Before this, so about two months ago, she was sleeping for about 45 minutes in the morning (9-9.45am) and two hours in the afternoon (1-3pm).  I did kind of drop it in a sudden way rather than do it gradually by making her afternoon nap earlier etc but I have had really bad morning sickness so couldn't face changing everything to make it earlier.  So, it's been about a month now and she is not sleeping well in the afternoon at all, and she always wakes early in the morning but then does sometimes go back to sleep after I have resettled her or is at least quiet in her cot until 7ish (before this, she used to sleep until 7am every day.)  Her current routine is:
Around 7-7.20am - Wake (although normally wakes up at 6ish but then settles again once I have been in and lay her back down)
12.40 - Nap
18.50 - Bed (she goes straight to sleep every night, no probs)
When I put her down for her afternoon nap, she normally goes straight to sleep but only for about 50 minutes at the most.  She then wakes up, bursts out crying (immediately stands up in her cot) and so I go in, lie her back down and sometimes she will go back to sleep for about 10 minutes and sometimes she won't, but then that's it.  I find I hard to believe that she only needs this short nap when only two months ago she was having a morning nap and 2 hours in the afternoon.  She doesn't show any signs of being overtired at any point in the day, although she does start yawning about half an hour before bedtime.  Does anyone have any ideas what I can do to extend her afternoon nap, I know she must need more daytime sleep?  Or do you think she is having enough sleep?  At first, I tried to keep her in her cot and keep going in, lying her down and saying the key phrases to her until about 2.30pm but she was just doesn't seem tired, and is becoming more upset that I am trying to keep her in there as the days goes on so now I end up getting her out at about 1.40pm. If anyone has any advice, I would love to hear it.  Thank you 

[*Ali*]

I think that her waking after one sleep cycle around 50 mins is a sign that she *is* OT and is having trouble transitioning to the next sleep cycle.

I would try to put her down for her one nap much earlier so it is in the middle of when the two naps used to be so that she isn't having such a long A time in the morning. What is the earliest she would go down do you think? I would probably try around 12ish so it is 5hrs after she wakes up in the morning.

HTH

[*Laura*]

Hi Ali, thanks so much for replying! I have been putting her down at 12 for the last three days and the same thing is happening but now half an hour earlier! So she is going straight to sleep when I put her down but waking after 45 minutes and not going back to sleep. Do you think it will take a few more days of doing this and then she may sleep for longer? And should I keep her in there for as long as possible even though I know she is just standing up in her cot the whole time, or should I just get her up after the 45 minutes?  Also, last night she actually cried a bit when I put her down at night (something which she usually never ever does) so I think this is probably because she is OT due to waking up at 12.45 in the afternoon and not having any sleep since then. So I don't know whether to keep with the ealier naptime or make it a bit later again- what do you think?  Sorry for all the questions, I just don't want to do the wrong thing and start a new problem!  Thanks so much again! 

[*Ali*]

I'd maybe try another day or so and then perhaps push the nap a little later but still earlier than it was so 12.15 maybe. Perhaps the morning A is now too short.

Personally I would leave her in the cot if she is happy but get her up once she calls you or cries.

[*Laura*]

Hi, when I put her down for the nap at 12 though she falls asleep straight away so she is definitely ready for it. Also, she still gets tired at about 9.30am which was when she used to go down for her morning nap, but is okay again after half an hour or so, I sometimes think I may try putting her down again in the morning as it may solve all the problems but I know she is too old for two naps!  Today she did the same again, waking after 40 minutes so I went in and she was still exhausted, her eyes were falling asleep as soon as I lay her down but she just wouldn't stay lie down.  I tried to leave her there even though she was crying and shouting me (I hadn't read your reply then) for as long as poss but in the end I went in and picked her up and tried to rock her to sleep.  Her eyes were going again (so she was really tired) but as soon as I started to lower her back down she burst out crying and wouldn't lie down.  I don't know what to do, I'm ending up starting lots of new bad habits!  Also, I feel really bad now because I have been leaving her crying a bit, I do keep going in but she was getting really upset in between.  It's not as damaging as when they are younger is it?  Thanks again for all your help. 

[*Ali*]

Also, I feel really bad now because I have been leaving her crying a bit, I do keep going in but she was getting really upset in between.  It's not as damaging as when they are younger is it?  Thanks again for all your help.

I definitely would not leave her crying since it can lead to separation anxiety and loss of trust depending on how long you are leaving her for.
WI/WO is what we would recommend for her age to avoid leaving her crying whilst allowing her the opportunity to self-settle. Have you tried it?
If you think she is not quite ready for one nap, how do you think she would cope with having a really short AM nap, around 20-30 mins and then a longer PM nap of around 1.5hrs? I know you say she is too old for 2 naps but if she isn't getting the sleep she needs on one it might be a good way to bridge the gap until she is able to do the longer A times without her getting tired?