34/35 Month Old Not Napping

[FrankiesMom12]

Hi Ladies - it's been a loooong time since I've needed your advice, but my almost 3 year old is not napping lately.  Up until the last week or so, this was his routine:

WU - 6:30
Nap - 1:30 - 3:30
Bed - 7:30 (usually asleep within 5 - 10 minutes)

Over the last week and a half or so; however, his nap has been extremely inconsistent.  Most days he's skipping the nap altogether, or if he takes one he sleeps for maybe an hour and wakes up SUPER cranky.  On the days he doesn't nap he's pretty cranky by early evening.  He did start preschool last week (just 2 mornings for 2.5 hours each) and he has his last 4 molars coming in.

I guess I'm wondering a couple of things,

1. Is this something that is normal/developmental for this age?
2. When he doesn't nap, how early should we put him down at night?
3. How long do people give it before they give up and stop trying to force the nap?
4. Any routine changes you recommend?

I am very lucky as he is trained and won't leave his bed until his clock turns green (so right now he stays in there for 2 hours), but I feel like I should shorten that to an hour if he's really ready to give up the nap.  I'm also slightly terrified he's actually giving it up as I'm pregnant and due in early December, haha!

Thanks in advance for your help!

[Buntybear]

Hi,

I would be surprised if he was sleeping 2 hours and then he just wants to drop his nap straight away. I would have thought a tweak would sort it out. Maybe move his nap back and shorten it down?

And it is normal for them to be cranky as they go through this transition  I am guessing he is fairly high sleep needs if he has kept a 2 hour nap to almost 3? I would go for super early bed time if he misses a nap to catch up with some sleep.

[FrankiesMom12]

Thank you!  When you say move it back, do you mean earlier or later?  Also, should I cap the nap to 1.5 hours?  (I'm anxious about this as when I've had to wake him up in the past it hasn't gone well st all, but I can gI've it a try!)

Thanks!!!

[Lana]

I would try to tweak it first as pp has said. 

Both of mine dropped the nap at 33 months just like that.  We then started with quiet time so we would watch a movie or tv show so that they got a bit of down time.

[Buntybear]

Ha, I can't remember what I meant now when I said move it back! Looking at your post I think probably move it slightly later as he may be more likely to sleep then. It is upto you though. Do you think he is fighting the nap as he is UT for it?

[Buntybear]

There is a support thread for nap dropping that might give you some help

Support for dropping the nap part 12