Which to preserve, a longer nap or a longer night?

[anna*]

Argh! OK so the last week HAD been going really well, alternating nap and no-nap days. But the last two nap days she been taking ages to fall asleep again. Friday she was up until 8 which, OK, then Saturday she had no nap, was asleep at 6.30. Today she woke up at 7.15, had a 1.5hr nap from 1.30-3, got into bed at 7.30, and didn't fall asleep until 9! Singing, counting, pretending to get her foot stuck in the cot, telling her dolly to lie down and be quiet  she was keeping Stan awake for goodness sake.

And that means she's going to be operating on 10hrs sleep tomorrow, for another no nap day 

I think we have to drop the nap she's not even 2.5 yet.

[HenaV]

I have not btdt so feel free to completely disregard my view (!) Are you sure she's ready and the issue if the nap as opposed to a developmental thing?

H

[anna*]

It's been going on for months Hena, developmental things are usually a couple of weeks, no?

[HenaV]

I know you've been battling this for a while hon but I was just wondering whether it was a combo of reduced SNs and developmental maybe given her age? For us some developmental stuff has lasted weeks - we had a crazy time at around 27m which lasted quite literally weeks.

Ultimately hon I think you need to follow your gut feeling on this x

[anna*]

Yeh. Trouble is my gut is quiet on this one she has never been LSN but this has been going on and gettin worse since before Xmas and I don't see what other options would be.

[michaeljacknnugg]

From my perspective she's late (we were done with all naps by 2.5) but from other friends' kids she fits within the realms of normal for nap dropping. Can you introduce more NNDs? We were down to one a week - which gave us a break at a weekend for a while - before they all finally went.

At some point, all naps = evil for us.

[*Ali*]

Cadan is high sleep needs to but had dropped all by the very occasional, accidental car nap by 2.5yo. He much preferred a 13.5hr night.  He didn't ever get that much sleep in total with a nap. Maybe A is the same.

[anna*]

Yeh I think so. Was hoping to hold onto it a bit because early bedtime is such a struggle, difficult to start everything early enough so that she can be in bed early enough, yk? She'll never get 13.5hrs at night - never more than 12.5 really - even though I think that's probably what she would do, because I have to wake her up at 7am so we can get to school.

[Shiv52]

What time do you leave the house for school?  I literally left R until we were about to walk out the door then put her warm coat on over her jammies and sorted her when we got home. Would that work on days you have her at home? 

[anna*]

Yes but at the moment I only have her home 1 x per week as I've got quite a bit of work on.

[Shiv52]

Useless suggestion then! Unless you just ask your mum and childminder to dress her after you drop her off. It's so frustrating knowing what might help and not being able to fit it in. R could have done with a nap and later bedtime like we did with M but it just didn't fit in with life. 

[anna*]

Now you mention it, childminder and mum I'm sure would be happy to dress her and do breakfast - BUT I don't think i could wake up Stan without waking up Audrey too!

[anna*]

Argh. Well the alternate nap/no-nap days SEEMED to be going 'ok' but the childminder was unhappy, so I agreed to try just a short (no more than 60 mins) nap every day. I could see the logic, giving a rhythm and consistency to her days. And it's true that on some NNDs she was just kind of insane by about 4pm.

So for about 10 days she's been having a short nap each day (except for Saturday which she missed) and sleep time at night has been creeping steadily later... it's 8.50, and she's only just gone quiet.

[*Ali*]

An hour for us every day would take at least 2hrs off the night. Could you cap it even more? If the childminder isn't happy what about skipping naps in days she isn't with the CM and letting her nap on days she is?

I see this often with day care scenarios where they want the benefit of a nap I.e. A break for themselves and a happy, well rested child in the afternoon but it is the parents who have to deal with the evening shenanigans

[anna*]

Exactly. But tbf Aud does get really OS at the childminders house for the last hour or 2 before I pick her up as the house fills up with bigger kids home from school and all wanting to play with baby Audrey.

Guess we will try cutting the nap further, thanks that's useful info.