quick question about nap length

[AMJ]

Hi everyone!

Just a quick question. How long did your LOs nap for at around 21 months old? how long did they sleep at night?

[LovelyLilyandJack]

I had to start capping lily's nap to 1hr at that age on order to preserve nights. She was doing about 11hrs at night I think, maybe 11 and a half hours. She is slightly low sleep needs.

Jack is definitely low sleep needs and doesn't nap 2 days a week at nursery, and then naps 45 minutes  - 1hr 20 on the other days (more on the days after not napping and reducing nap length as the week goes on).  Over Christmas he wasn't at nursery and napped every day, but only 35 - 50 minutes. He averages 11 hrs at night.

[AMJ]

oh wow those are some short naps. For about a month DD was having 10.5/11hrs nights with a 1hr45m nap. But after the holidays everything is upside down and we can't get back to normal. Maybe now even 1hr45m is too long. Her nights became 9.5 hrs long so I've let her sleep in few times during the nap for about 2hrs or even longer to catch her up and then started to wake at 1hr45m but only had about 1 good night.

thanks for sharing

[LovelyLilyandJack]

No problem. If it helps, lily went from 1.5 - 2hr naps to needing them capped almost overnight. She had a big developmental / language leap at 20 months and it happened after that.

Have you tried moving the nap later but not letting her sleep any later in the day? So instead of letting her sleep 12.30 - 2.30, for example, try 1 - 2.30 instead?

[lolsyb1982]

AMJ we've had to cap the nap a fair bit recently. We're doing on average 1hr 15 a day. Nights this wk have been closer to 11hrs 

[AMJ]

LovelyLilyandJack, DD also just had a big language leap. She is repeating everything we are saying and my husband and I are just pleasantly surprised how suddenly it happened.

I've tried moving her nap later few months back but still let her sleep the usual amount. I wonder if that would help

Lauren, oh wow your DD is also having a way shorter nap than my DD. Hm now I'm thinking that 1hr45m is too long.

[LovelyLilyandJack]

Is she generally average sleep needs?  How much sleep does she get in a 24 hour period?

[AMJ]

She is on the lower side. Now that her nights are 9.5hrs long she gets about 11.5/12hrs in 24hr period.

P.S. Last time this happened I cut her nap to 1hr45m and it seemed to help but I did it after she had at least 10hr night. Not sure if cutting her nap to 1hr30m now while the night is 9.5hrs long would work or it will backfire.

[LovelyLilyandJack]

I would, personally. Especially if she's on the lower side of sleep needs. You could give it a couple of weeks to see if it's developmental or anything, but if it's routine related her nights are unlikely to  lengthen by themselves, so at some point you'll have to take the plunge.

The other thing it could be is teeth. Anything going on there?  Are the short nights happening cos she's struggling to settle at BT or cos she's EWing?

[lolsyb1982]

Like LL&J said the nap has dropped pretty suddenly. First to 1.5hrs which helped a little but days were still too long so now we've been trying 1.15 for a few days.
We've had a big language leap here too and she's been much more settled since then (plus 3 of the 4 canines are now through)

Does she ever do more than 9.5hrs now? You could wait until a day when she's had a longer night. I'm thinking though that you're probably not going to get that until you cut the nap. Viscious circle isn't it! IIWM I'd try the 1.5hr nap for a few days.

What do you think will work for her?

[AMJ]

She is only missing her 2nd molars but I don't see any signs of them yet.

She did start to take longer to settle at bedtime. Her usual is about 30m to settle but now it's tacking her 40m to 1hr. So her BT is usually at 8pm. I used to lay her in the crib at 7:30 and now it's 7:20 and she is sleep at around 8-8:15pm. And then she is waking early too so it's kinda both.

[AMJ]

Lauren yes few days ago she had 1hr45m nap and then 10hrs night and I was thinking that finally we are getting back to normal but since then it didn't happen again and I've been waiting for that 10hr night to start capping the nap again but like you said it's just not happening. I think you are right and I just need to do it.

I might do 1hr45m just today so it's not a big jump for her right away and then tomorrow 1.5hrs. Gosh I really enjoyed her long naps and wasn't really ready for them to get shorter so soon.

[LovelyLilyandJack]

I was very sad about lilys nap shortening too... With Jack I can't wait for him to drop his nap cos now it's a pain having to be in every day, having had the flexibility of no naps with lily .

Sounds like a good plan to gradually reduce. Then once you're on a 1.5hr nap I'd hold it at that for at least 4 days and then see where you are.

[jessmum46]

Just popping by with hugs and encouragement, we hit occasional nnds by 21/22 months, nap was never more than 1h-1h15 three days a week at nursery (if she napped at all) and I was needing to cap to 1h30-45 at home.  So definitely less than 1h30 on average x

[AMJ]

LovelyLilyandJack, oh I can see how it will be difficult trying to keep the older child at home, busy and quiet while the younger one naps. DH and I often talk about a possibility of a second child but I have no clue how to manage both at the same time and still be able to give my 100% to both! Thank you!