lunch before or after nap?

[mommy2two]

My 13 month old dd is just starting to move to 1 nap. Just curious if when this transition first starts, do most people feed their child lunch before or after the nap. I imaging her nap will be around 11:30 or 12 at first until she can stay awake longer. Would you try to cram lunch in before noon or just give a big snack and do a proper lunch after the nap say around 1:30pm or 2ish?
Thanks!

[lilybell]

My dd is just starting to move to 1 nap. Just curious if when this transition first starts, do most people feed their child lunch before or after the nap. I imaging her nap will be around 11:30 or 12 at first until she can stay awake longer. Would you try to cram lunch in before noon or just give a big snack and do a proper lunch after the nap say around 1:30pm or 2ish?
Thanks!

how old is your dd?
my dd is now almost 20 months...
my dd has only ever taken 1 nap (but usually lasts 1 - 2.5hrs). i just transitioned her from taking her nap at 11:30 and having lunch after to nap at 12:30 and having lunch before the nap.
i have found that she eats more (but she really doesn't eat a lot to begin with). and i was also realizing that she would play in her crib for 45 minutes before falling asleep when i would put her down at 11:30. plus when she got up, she was to amped to eat.
hth

[mommy2two]

she is 13 months old.

[Nikki~Nathan&Danielle]

I found it changed as my ds got older.  To start with he could only stay awake until 10.30am and then had his nap until 12.;30ish and then had lunch.  As he started to stay awake a little older I kind of split his lunch, so morning snack (10amish) became half of his lunch, he'd nap around 11am and then have a 2nd lunch when he woke around 1-2pm.  It all worked out fine.  It wasn't until he was closer to 20mths that I was able to push his nap out to 12.30pm which is where is still is (on the days he still naps that is  :roll: ).  So he'd have his lunch at 12 and then down for a nap.

HTH

[mommy2two]

Thanks! May I ask how this impacted your playdate plans, lunch plans, etc. Seems like it would be harder to get much done as far as outings when you have to be home by noon for lunch and down to nap at 12:30. (or even earlier in my case since we are just starting this transition)  I have been loving her am and pm naps b/c it allowes us free time inbetween to go to the mall or to lunch with friends. What is your activity time like now?

[Nikki~Nathan&Danielle]

Yes it did change things, but actually I preferred it in the end (took me a while to get over the fact that I no longer had 2 down-times) because it meant that I was left with mornings completely free and afternoons free.  We had coffee group at 10am and I made sure I left by 11am to get him home for a nap (it was a bit touch and go since he really was tired sooner), so I stopped having morning play dates for a while (except our once a week coffee group) and just remained with filling up our afternoons since he was basically awake from 1-7pm (most of my friends lo's were going through the same thing so it fitted in well).  Unfortunately for me, when he did finally stretch his nap time out to 12.30pm it was only once my baby was born, so now I only have a 1hr gap in the morning and a 1-1.5hr gap in the afternoon to get out of the house.

Oh, and lunch dates - nope don't do them anymore.

[mommy2two]

Thanks. I am a planner typer person so I am still trying to wrap my head around this pending new routeen. I was all set to do 1 nap today, but of course she woke up at 6am instead of her normal 7 so she took a morning nap at 9:30. Go figure!

[Fiona (Leah & Kians Mom)]

My dd used to get up at 8, nap at 10 for 45 mins, lunch at 12.30 and nap at 13.30. She went to one nap about 6 weeks ago so now lunch is at 12.oo with a nap at 13.00, give or take 15 minutes. Because she is more active now she is ready for her lunch at 12.00. And it's great because we now have the morning from 8.30 when breakfast finishes until 12.00.  I usually prepare lunch the night before or in early morning which works for us as she eats everything cold.