Dropping nap at 3.75yo?

[lilamom2]

Any advice on how to maintain a consistent day-to-day schedule if my 3.75yo is dropping her nap?

Current schedule (later than a typical schedule because of DH's schedule but it works for us):

8:15amish: awake

2pm: down for nap (asleep between 3-4pm the past week or so, usually needs to be woken up by 5pm)

9pm: bed (asleepy w/in 30 mins)

She almost NEVER skips her nap-- it is just getting super late, almost to the point of ridiculousness! She skipped one day, we did bedtime about 9:15pm (long story) and by noon the next day she was a MESS and napped 3+ hours.

I would really, really, like to avoid alternating nap days as we both thrive on consistency. Maybe I should just "offer" a later nap (around 2:30pm?) and then get up by 4:30pm if she's not asleep?  She just plays happily in her bed when she's not sleeping.  Thoughts??

Also, she has been more tired and cranky lately. She's been a 10.5-11 hours a night sleeper for a LONG time and she is still getting that, so I'm not sure what the issue is. I have been wondering if her nap is starting to interfere with night sleep.

[creations]

I would probably go for a very late nap. If she is able to regularly go to bed OK (S at 9/9.30) after napping until 5pm then I'd say that's the cut off time and work from there. This means you could nap her as late as 4pm for 1hr wake a 5 and BT at 9 for a 9.30 sleep.
I know the nap seems very late in the day but if that's where it suits her then why not?
You don't have to try immediately for 4pm, you could try nap at 3pm, 3.30pm, but what I'm saying is I see no harm in it going as late as 4pm if she has already shown she will not refuse BT after only 4hr A.
Taking her up for her nap later automatically gives her more stimulation too. Resting in her bed from 2pm is a long time for quiet time if she is not falling to sleep until 3 or 4pm.  If you give her another activity at 2pm - 3/4pm she will be more stimulated, more tired and go to sleep more easily for that nap.

Mine stopped napping much younger but when he had a nap it was 2-4pm for 8pm BT so he also did well on a very short A time BT.

The other option is as you said to cap at 4.30pm but this extends her A time to BT which may or may not be what she will do best on if you see what I mean.

If she does skip a nap I would get her into bed very early, based on her current sleeping times I would look for a 12 - 13hr night which means you need to do EBT at 7.15-8.15pm.  I realise this means less time with Daddy but it would help to keep her well rested so she is in a good mood for their time together rather than a real grouch.

hope this helps

[lilamom2]

Thank you!! That is SO helpful!

Historically, she has been very sensitive to pushing the nap later, so I think we'll try 2:30pm first and then see about 3/3:30pm if needed. She usually needs at least 20 mins to wind down, but I guess 4pm could be an option although it just sounds really late to me.

Thank you again!

[creations]

Good luck. Let us know how it goes, it's always good to hear what works for various individuals.

[Lindsay27]

This is kind of like my DS who is (for the most part) still napping, which I'm totally ok with since this pregnant mama gets to rest too!  He usually doesn't go down until between 2-3pm and as long as I have him up by 4pm he's okay for a 8/8:30pm bedtime.  He may play about in his bed at BT but it's not disruptive and helps him self settle and he needs minimal interference from us

[lilamom2]

Thanks, Lindsay!

Yesterday DD napped 4-5pm then mucked around in bed until past 9:30 and woke up around 7:45am this morning. That doesn't seem like enough night sleep to me.

[creations]

Only 30 mins less night sleep than usual though no?  I think at this point you can expect night sleep to shorten if the nap is to continue for a a while.  There does come a point where it's either one or the other.
Was she in bed for her nap from 2.30 but not asleep until 4pm then?

[lilamom2]

Yes, but she has typically been sleeping 9:30-8:15 or so it seemed like 45 mins less or so of overnight sleep.

Today she had a BIG morning, I put her down at 2:30pm and she napped about 3:15-4:30pm.  We'll see how the night goes!

[creations]

typically been sleeping 9:30-8:15

Yes that's what I though, so it was just 30 mins shorter with her waking at 7.45 rather than 8.15 then.

I still think you're putting her down too early if she's taking 45mins to 1.5hrs to fall to sleep for nap.  I would keep her up longer and just allow for the 30 min WD time she appears to like, not longer than that.

[lilamom2]

Totally agree-- too much time in bed is not good!

I like the idea of allowing the 30 mins to settle.   That makes me think some where in the 2:30-3pm range may be her sweet spot.

Thank you!

[creations]

Let us know how it goes

[lilamom2]

Well, today was a no nap day.

Last night was 9:30pm-8:30am.

Didn't sleep or seem tired at 2:30.

If history is any good indicator, then she will CRASH for nap tomorrow (might not even make it until 2:30).  I'd like to keep things consistent from day to day but we may just need to feel our way through it here for a bit.

[lilamom2]

UPDATE to no nap day: She was uncharacteristically tired then hyper from about 6pm on.

She went to bed at 8:20 and fell asleep almost immediately, but woke with nightmares an hour in (an OT symptom for her).

We'll see how today goes.

[Lindsay27]

Definitely sounds like OT to me.  On NND I try to have DS in bed by 7pm and everything from 5pm onward is usually a struggle with his mood.  He is usually in the bath at 6pm, stories around 6:30 then straight to bed.

[creations]

Yeah I would agree EBT needs to be earlier really. More like 7/7.15 for a 7.30 sleep.
I will say though, seems she did really well to last so late in the day after having no nap. She might just drop it cold turkey you know.