26 month lo 1-0 nap transition hell

[Chloevalentine]

I've been posting about sleep/nap issues for about a few months now. This 1-0 nap transition is tricky business! When he first started dropping the nap we would do ebt at about a 10.5-11 hour day but we've quickly moved to him doing 12-12.5 hour day with no nap. So it gets tricky because if he wakes at 730 am he will go to bed around 730-8 so I've actually not been putting him down for nap as I don't want a later bedtime but he still is having a hard time handling the afternoon without a nap which is what's confusing to me. He's very quiet and in a daze, doesn't eat well and his behavior is not good ( getting into trouble, not able to listen well and just being wild and delirious). So are there any tips or suggestions of what I could do to help. He used to be able to do a 45min-1 hour nap with a 13 hour day but that's getting rough now with him being awake in crib a long time at night. And he doesn't apop a nap in the car and if he does its short and he wakes miserable and it pushes bedtime later do its so not worth it.

[jessmum46]

20 minute CN worked well here, didn't push BT far if at all but took the edge off the tiredness. And also far better to wake after 20 mins while still in light sleep than leaving to 30 mins or beyond. Out of interest why have you lengthened the day? Why not keep it shorter?

[Chloevalentine]

We must found that we were putting him down to bed at 11 hours and it was taking him a long time to fall asleep and then he would only sleep 12 hours so if in bed by 630 up at 630. Today he was up at 730 no nap I'm thinking of a 7 bedtime to see how he does can't hurt. What would you suggest ?

[Chloevalentine]

Tonight he went right down at 7 so about 12 hours.

[jessmum46]

We stuck to a set BT through the transition of 7pm if DD napped and 6.30pm if she didn't.  You could try similar, say 7/7.30 if you prefer the slightly later BT?  I think from my experience I would say this really is one time where a plan helps but it does involve using your judgement a bit on when to give a nap.  Our plan was to continue to offer every day in bed, and if she had refused more than a couple of days in a row or was clearly tired we went for a drive around 3pm and gave her the opportunity to fall asleep for a 20 minute catnap.  Even after she was refusing pretty consistently we still kept up quiet time in bed for a number of months and she would every so often fall asleep. 

[Chloevalentine]

The only reason I was doing a later bedtime is because he was sleeping later in the morning 730-8 so I was just trying to stick with 12 hrs. How long does/did your lo sleep with a 630/7 bedtime what time did lo wake in morning? I always prefer and earlier bt I've tried the catnap in car for 20 mins and he was miserable when I woke him and cried for another 20 and then wasn't ready for bed. Which is why I'm doing either nap or no nap in crib. It does seem that he doesn't get tired until later for a nap like 130/145 but isn't that getting a bit late? Don't want to affect bt. If he does nap he usually wakes on own after an hour.

[Chloevalentine]

He also doesn't quite get the concept of quiet time in crib/bed lol so that's not an option here as of yet. But today he's still asleep at 730 (going to wake him) and fell asleep at 7 last night this is a long night for him 12 hours is his max. But what do I do if he takes an hour nap today at 130-230 what time do I put him to bed at night? Without a nap and a 730 wake I would normally do 7/730 bed.

[jessmum46]

Personally I never woke in the morning and stuck to set bedtimes, I'd have let him sleep on and done a nnd if WU was late. I also think an hour's nap might be too much now, I'd go shorter as I think you'll get BT resistance until quite late on that. X

[Chloevalentine]

He's been waking late and I haven't been waking him 730-8 but then it's been days with no nap lol! How long of a nap and how late should I try and how long of a day should I aim for with nap and no nap

[Shiv52]

I think this is his way of adapting to no nap.  So lenghtening his night which is what you want. 

If you were to do a nap of an hour after such a good night and he wakes at 2.30 I'd say it would be 8.30 earlier before you could put him to bed.   I agree with Katherine. I'd just do a NND and stick him to bed at normal time.

If you persevere with no nap the afternoon tiredness will get better and he'll manage it easier and you'll likely find his nights will stay longer. 

[Chloevalentine]

I do think a nap would be good for him most days as he has a hard afternoon without one most days. But being that he's sleeping so late in morning I skip the nap. It's def getting better though used to be a 10.5 hr day now it's more like 11.5 with nnds. But I'd almost rather a 45-1hr nap and 8 bedtime.

[MasynSpencerElliotte]

But I'd almost rather a 45-1hr nap and 8 bedtime.

I get that, I really do...with a toddler that break mid day is a really awesome thing and I miss it so so much - but for us her sleep needs made that impractical. She needs a full on day to be tired for an 11-12 hour night, though it did take some time for her to get over the slump late afternoon! She has a nap maybe once every 2-3 weeks if we have had a late night but that is about it.

[Chloevalentine]

I put him down for a nap at 1 ( he was tired all  morning yawning etc) it took him 15 mins but he did fall asleep without crying or getting out of bed!! First nap in crib in over 5 days!  He will usually sleep 45 mins to an hour hopefully he wakes on his own since he hates to be woken and will cry for 20 mins afterwards. Going to try for same bedtime at 730 and hope he's not up in his crib forever.

[Shiv52]

It's so hard. I'd say the only way you have a solid chance of getting a nap is waking him at a set time and doing set nap time But then you'll need a 13 hour day so bed would need to be at 8.30 which i know you don't want. Or do 7am wake up and 8pm bed.

How long did he nap?

[Chloevalentine]

You are right! I just hate to wake him I let him sleep until 230 going to wake him now. Being that he hasn't napped in so long I was just letting him catch up a bit. Looks like we will shoot for 8 bedtime.