Progressively longer awake time for nearly 11 mo old

[CW]

Hi there,

My DS is nearly 11 months.  His awake times are becoming increasingly longer.  From wake up to nap #1, it's about 3hrs.  From nap #1 awake time to nap #2 it's about 3.5.

The problem of course is now we find that nap #2 is later and later in the day.  Yesterday and today, nap #2 started at 3pm.  Bedtime is usually between 6:30pm-7pm (though last night it was closer to 7:30 because his nap lasted til nearly 5pm).

So a few questions:

- what's the typical awake time for an 11 month old?
- what's the latest nap #2 should start?
- what's the latest nap #2 should end?

Thank you!

[Matthew's Mommy]

To be honest with you...

Sounds like your little one is in the midst of a transition from two naps to one nap.

or..

What you can do is shorten the morning nap, in order to get the afternoon nap in by 2 pm.

[Meg's Mom]

I agree w/ Jane, we at almost the same stage.

We have a times of 3hrs, 3.0-3.5hr and 3hrs.  I am trying to hold out for as long i can so I am keeping night sleep no more then 11.5 and also pushed bed time back to 7.30. 

For us - nap 2 wake up can be as late at 4.30 and she will still go down at 7.30 no problem.

Hope that helps.

[LindseysMom]

Hello, Lindsey is going through the same thing right now.  Her am A time is 3 hours and then A time between am and pm nap is 3.5 hours.  I do put her to bed at 8pm or 8:30 depending on when her last nap ended.  Although today she did not take an afternoon nap. :roll:   She babbled and squeeled for an hour and I finally gave up and went and got her.  So, her am nap is 10:30 and her pm nap is 3:30 and most days this works well for us, I think(hope) today was just an off day.  I personally think it is ok to have a bedtime as late as 8:00.  Since it has been summer here it has been nice to have a little bit later bedtime. Once the time changes though she may be going to bed at 7 pm or 7:30-will just have to see how it goes.    Anyway, Lindsey will usually go to bed at night without problems if there has been at least 3.5 hours of awake time between pm nap and bedtime.   HTH.  Don't you just love it, once you get something good down finally it is time to change again. :wink:   I am hoping to try and keep Lindsey on 2 naps til she is at least 1 year old, longer if she will take 2 naps.    I just don't want to move her to one nap too soon as I have heard/read that if you do it too soon they really can become sleep deprived and begin waking at night.  Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

[CW]

Thanks for the replies.  Lynne, my DS was born 10/23/04 so our babies are very close in age!

Yesterday, his afternoon nap started at 3pm and he woke at 4pm (a little grouchy).  Bedtime was a piece of cake at 7pm.  This morning, I kept my ears open for him (as he often will wake at 5am, babble, moan and fall asleep again).  I didn't hear anything til nearly 7am.  By the time I went in to get him at 7:10am, he was asleep again til about 7:30am.  So, now, it looks like his nap is not til 10 or 10:30am today.

What do you think about waking him early from the am nap?  That just doesn't sound right!  Because I know he will be grouchy.  I suppose if I just make sure he's up by 4 or 4:30 at the latest, we should be ok. 

This shift in schedule has been a bit of a disappointment because we were starting to enjoy those long afternoons of being able to get out and do things. 

When you go to one nap, when is the typical time to put them down?  12 noon?

[LindseysMom]

Hello, I don't wake Lindsey from her naps, I figure she will make up for the long naps with shorter ones later-like today.  She only slept about 45 min this am so hopefully she will take a longer nap this afternoon.  I also don't try to get her back to sleep if she does take a short nap because she knows how to go back to sleep if she really wanted too, kwim?  And sometimes Lindsey has slept til 5 pm and she will go to bed fine at 8:30.  I really adjust her bedtime depending on when her afternoon nap ends.  Do you find that your lo will have several good nap days in a row and then all of a sudden he is back to short ones again for a day or so?  That is Lindsey-ealrier this week-great naps-now short or no naps. :roll:   I am just trying to go with the flow though, no sense in getting myself all worked up about it.  Although it can be so frustrating, kwim.   For one nap I think it should start after an early lunch so 12:00 sounds about right.  I just don't see how Lindsey is ready for one nap yet because she truely is tired at around 10:30.  Hope some of that made sense.

[Aarismom]

I agree with Jane 110%

I just wish I could say the same thing in 2 or 3 sentences or less :lol:

*HUGS*
Sonya =P

[Meg's Mom]

When you go to one nap, when is the typical time to put them down? 12 noon?

  Correct: after lunch and between 11.30 and 1.00

Have a look at some schedules in the EASY forum so you know what you get to look forward to.

Also the 2 to 1 announcement on the top of this forum has helpful advice.

[KathyM]

My DS is a little over 12 months and we just went to 1 nap.  It was getting harder and harder to fit 2 naps in a day. Exactly like how you were describing...his last nap would be ending too late and then bedtime would be late and so on.  So, I kept him up til 11am and then put him down for one nap and he slept for 2 hours.  This was a huge improvement over the 2 naps as sometimes they were 30 minutes and sometimes they were an hour and a half...very random.  I'm gradually going to move the nap a little later.  He seems ready at 11, so I don't want to push it too fast.

I also was never one to wake him up from a nap...I worked so hard for him to sleep, I just couldn't do it!

[lil'monkey]

Hi there,

We are going throught he same thing right now.  It was soooo nice with the well defined times as to when dd naps but lately her naps are out of wack.  The naps can range between 30 mins - 2.5hrs.  I think that I'm just going by her cues for now and see what dd wants.  Also, I don't try to wake dd early from her naps.  She get more upset if I do.  Sorry, I'm not much help but just wanted to let you know that you are not alone.  And it is just a phase right?!?   :roll:  :wink:

[CW]

Well, here's an added twist to this story.  DS has been waking up early...anytime between 5am and 6am on most days.  Almost always he falls back asleep.  I'm so hesitant to wake him at our usual 7am, that I let him sleep til 7:30am (this morning for example).  So nap #1 didn't happen til 10am (it's 11:40am and he's still sleeping). 

Ok, a few questions...should I always wake him at 7am, even if he woke at 6:30am then fell back asleep? 

In the future, should I just plan on waking him at the 1.5 hr mark from nap #1?  Because at this rate, his nap #2 will be at 3pm.  I almost prefer letting him sleep up to the 2hr mark for the morning nap, then trying to limit the afternoon nap to up to 1.5 hr. 

We really like having an early bedtime, no later than 7pm.  Infact, we've always done well with super early bedtimes of even 6pm.

I read the trail that Michelle referred to.  It just makes it clear that we're all over the map! 

Thank you!

[Meg's Mom]

You will need to decide if you want to delay the 1 nap or not.  If yes, then the only way i know how to do that is to control wake up, limit nap times (eg: waking them up) and possibly moving bed time back.

What is the A times are you on currently...cuz that number will dictate what you can actually do...there are only 24hrs to work w/ - tee, hee.  :wink:

[CW]

Right now, we have awake times of 3hrs between am wake and nap #1 and then about 3.5hrs between wake and nap #2.  I think I really need to make sure to get him up at 7am, b/c then at least I know the nap will start at 10am.

[Meg's Mom]

In that case to answer your earlier ? - yes you will HAVE to wake at 7am to get:

nap 1 @ 10am - 11.30am (you just can't fit a 2hr nap in here and still have 2nd nap at 3.00 and bedtime @ 7pm...see what i mean  :? )
nap 2 @ 3.00pm - 4.00 or 4.30pm

bed 7.00pm (if he will do that or 7.30)

In fact the above is exactly what we are on, although our nap #2 is 1hr normally - she wakes herself and our bedtime is 7.30.

Hope that helps  :wink:

[CW]

Yes, thank you Michelle, that definitely helps.  Nap #1 today was from 9:30 to 11:30am!  I wasn't paying attention...but at least I know I can fit in nap #2 at 3pm.  I'll just have to make sure it's only 1 hr.  Is your lo still on two naps?  Any signs that she's transitioning to 1 yet?