anyone want to chat about the 2-1 nap switch?

[diamante67]

I need some help about the switch too! The twins are 10 and a half month old and I am thinking that they are trying to switch but that it's too early. For example, two days ago they woke up at around 7:30am, but then could not fall asleep until 11am. They slept for two hours and then there was now way that they would fall asleep again, except that they were soooo tired! They also share the room so they tend to keep each other up  At 6pm they were positively overtired. I stretched them to 7 pm but then they had a fussy night and DS woke up at 6am I guess I am glad to see that it's a common problem (with 42 pages of posts!) still, I would like your opinion - should I try to insist on the two naps (like I did today, which happened at 5pm) or should I hang in there and try to get the single nap worked out? to me it really seems that they are not ready for it...

[PeepersMom]

Shelby i don't think going back to 2 naps for 1 day will put her out too much.  If she is still used to falling asleep in the am that nap will probably be good and you might end up sacrificing the afternoon nap.

Diamante - Hi!  10.5 months is early, but not unheard of.  i think if they can stay awake till 11 am and sleep 2 hours you are right about the switch, but I personally wouldn't let them take a nap longer than maybe 20 min at 5 pm!  and plan on an early bedtime till they get used to it.  Like 630pm.  A lot of lo's tend to inch their bedtime earlier during the transition.   But go by your instincts.  What is their normal bedtime?

LOL Stacy!  That is exactly what I did and why I asked Kelly to post an example.  The only thing I could find that PJ might eat with 50 grams of protein is a protein bar or shake for weight lifters!!!!!!!!!!

Meg

[Mom to M&M]

I was freaked out about the 50g protein too - maybe it means something different in England? That seems like a TON of protein and almost too much at once for our LOs little kidneys!

Marisa did well yesterday - 2 hr 5 minute nap, although she seemed tired early evening. She went to bed at 7:20 and slept until 7am today - yea!

Stacy, if I were you I'd stick with two naps. Kaleb seems happy, you seem to like the routine and some days he does get more sleep.

[KellyC]

I don't think I've got my measurements confused - 50g is 2oz right?  Zander has his main meal of the day for his lunch and it's something like chicken casserole, lamb stew, fish casserole and there is definitely 2oz of meat/fish in each serving and it really isn't that big a portion!  A chicken breast makes 3 portions as it usually weighs around 6oz/150g.  Stacy - all those recipes I sent you have 2oz of protein per portion!  At dinner time he eats a vegetarian meal (so he's getting all his protein needs at lunch time) of something like a thick soup with rice cakes/toast or sandwiches.

Zander actually had 2 naps today as I decided to bring him upstairs at 9.40 for a cuddle with his dummy.  Surprisingly he fell asleep at 9.55 so I let him take 15 minutes then he went down again at 12.40 - perfect!

Kelly x

[KellyC]

Here's a recipe to show the type of thing I mean:

Lamb and vegetable casserole

- 250g (9oz) lean lamb fillet, cubed
- 25g (1oz) unsalted butter
- 1 large carrot peeled and diced
- 1 leek washed and thinly sliced
- 300ml (1/2 pint) vegetable stock or water
- 420g (14oz) can chopped tomatoes
- pinch of mixed dried herbs or 2 tsp chopped fresh herbs

1. Wash the lamb under cold running water and pat dry with kitchen towel.
2. Heat the butter in a casserole dish and fry lamb until browned all over.  Add the carrot and leek and cook for 5 minutes, then add the stock, chopped tomatoes and herbs.  Bring to the boil, cover, then lower the heat and simmer for 30-40 minutes.
3. Serve mashed or finely chopped with pasta or rice.

The reason Zander has all his protein at lunch time is that dinner can then be more laid back if he's getting tired and doesn't want anything difficult to eat - the soups work well because I can just spoon it in quite quickly.  Having all his daily protein at lunch is also a good way of getting a long nap afterward too.  I feel like I have to defend myself now!! 

Kelly x

[shelliz]

Kelly....you don't have to defend yourself!  .  I think there is certainly a difference in grams of protien here in the US.  I don't know the conversion...but anyways. That is why people were confused. For instance...

One huge chicken breast filet (140g) has 25g of protien here. Again...not sure how to convert everything (I was REALLY bad in math). But that is where the confusion lays...I'm certain!

  Shelby

[KellyC]

OK I see the confusion - you're talking pure protein as in 25g in a 140g chicken breast whereas I'm talking 50g of actual chicken as in 1/3 of a chicken breast!  So in Zander's lunchtime recipes there will be 50g of lamb, beef, chicken or fish per serving.  I hope that makes more sense now.

Kelly x

[Kate A]

okay, I think I"m going to jump in here.

sleep at night is great 12 hours.  during sickness 13.  But naps during the day are horrible.  She can stay up for 3.5 hours in the morning and I'm sure longer.  We have had suck a wonky weekend that yesterday I kept her up for 4 hours and she slept in the car for 15 minutes.  I thought that might take the edge off and then go for a nap around 2 or so after lunch.  She slept for only 40 minutes.

Okay, so I need a game plan.  I thought that she had her length of time between naps programed, but I think it's more time.  If I put her down at 2 she sleeps the longest (except yesterday).  So how do I inch that forward?  has anyone else seen this. 

I'm annoyed at myself for not being consistent the past couple of days and at her for not falling into place  LOL  They never do what we want them too.

thanks for the help

[PeepersMom]

Kate -we started out with 4 hours awake time in the am for a couple days then 4.5 for a week or so now we are have been trying to get to 5 hours awake time in the am, but we rarely get there.  That is how we planned.  And also planned for 5.5 hours awake time post nap to bedtime.  But if he has a really crappy nap (which has been happening lately with his sickness) I have decided not to put to bed before 630 pm.  that doesn't seem too hard to get to even if he is up at 1230 from his nap!  (worst case senario)  Hope that helps

Kelly - I was thinking last night and I realized you meant a weight of 50 grams which is 2oz yes that makes much more sense.  Not the actual nutritional grams of protein.  So I would say, yes we do quite a bit of protein here as well.  PJ is a meat eater for sure.

PJ is sleeping well at night and today when I put him down for his nap he was asleep as soon as I walked through the door.  Poor little man is just exhausted from this cold.  I hope he is able to get a decent nap in.  We have already made it to the longest nap he has taken in 5 days omg we are at 1.5hours WOO HOO!!

So Stacy - did you decide what to do about the naps?

Meg

[Mom to M&M]

Way to go Meg and PJ! We are having a crazy day. Marisa slept until 7am which was awesome. Then she was sleepy and cranky in her stroller around 10:30 and dozed off for literally 2 minutes around 10:45. She had an OK (but not great) lunch and into crib at 12:10. She played until 12:40 and then started crying (and WI/WO does NOT work with this girl). Tried until 1 but no go - so we went out to run a couple errands and she had more milk and wagon wheels. Then back in crib at 1:30 or so and it's 1:45 now and she's still awake and upset. And rubbing eyes. Oh my...

[TDR'smom]

Shelby,

When we were transitioning (Actually we STILL are!!), there were some days ds took 2 naps and some days he took 1 nap.  A lot of it depended on what we were doing that day.  He goes to work with me 2x a week from 9-noon at a Child Care Center in our local fitness center.  On those mornings, he would not take an AM nap but all other days he would.  Now that he is "typically" on 1 nap, he rarely takes an AM snooze.  I find that it actually messes him up for the day so I do my best to keep him up.

Sorry for the rambling....

anyways, since you guys are still transitioning, I think it would be fine to do 2 naps some days and 1 nap the other days.  GOOD LUCK!!!

Judy

[TDR'smom]

Karen,

She went to bed at 7:20 and slept until 7am today - yea!

I got all excited for you when I read this!!!.......And then I read your 2nd post!!   

Then she was sleepy and cranky in her stroller around 10:30 and dozed off for literally 2 minutes around 10:45.

I swear if Tyler takes even a 5 minute snooze in the AM now, it totally messes him up for the day!!

Can Marisa typically cat nap in the AM and nap again in the afternoon!!  Hope today gets better and that tommorow she is back on track!!   

[Mom to M&M]

Hey Judy! Marisa hasn't napped in the stroller in ages but did twice this week and it didn't mess her up (once for 15 minutes, once for 8 minutes). But she had a cold then and it's basically gone now. Anyway, at 2:30, DH and I took her out in her stroller to go window shopping. She passed out at 3pm literally slumped all the way forward in her stroller but woke up 20 minutes later sobbing. She's playing on the floor with DH now and we'll just hope for an early bedtime and decent night...

[KellyC]

Karen

Zander's fallen asleep in his pushchair sat upright a few times since we started to switch to one nap and he never used to do it either - he looks sooooo cute!  Good luck with the early bedtime.

Zander slept from 9.55-10.10 and from 12.40-2.40 (I had to wake him!) today and he was in bed by 6.50.  A good day for us even though it was 2 naps 

Kelly x

[lucmom]

There's something in the air!  Lucas was down early at 6:50, but something woke him in the night and he was up on and off for about an hour around 3 am, then slept past 7 (ages since that's happened).  We thought 12/12:30 for the nap for sure, but he was fussing around 11:30.  We did lunch and he didn't nod out like he usually does, so we let him eat, and he was in crib at 12:20.  Well, it took him 10 minutes to get to sleep (normal), and then he woke after 35 minutes!! 

So, what do you all think?  Was he well rested from the late sleep, overtired due to late (in time) nap, or just needing less sleep because of big nighttime sleep (if you don't count that hour of dozing/fussing)?  And the big question for us right now (if anyone is back on the board in the next hour) is do we try to nap him again or just go for very early bedtime?

It's always something!