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

[Mom to M&M]

So after Marisa's 1.75 hour crib nap at 10am yesterday and 35 minutes in car at 4, she went to bed at 7:40 or so and it's 6:35 now and I think she's still sleeping - which is excellent for her. It does seem she may do best with a long nap about 4-4.5 hours after waking - problem is that she then won't take a second nap unless in car which only happens 1-2 times a week tops... I wish she would doze in the stroller that way - will keep trying.

We have a new baby/toddler play class at our temple today from 9:15-10:15 - hopefully it's fun and hopefully DD's rested enough to enjoy it.

[shelliz]

Meg...yes we made it to dinner! Jess did wake 30 minutes after being put to sleep. Overtiredness?? Who knows. It doesn't seem like it should have been that as she had two long naps yesterday. So today we are back to the short am nap again. I let her have 20 minutes. It is 12:15 now and she is finishing up lunch. Hopefully she will go down at 12:45 for a good, long nap. I just hope it smoothes out soon. Fat chance...I'm sure! It sounds as though you all have all been at this transistion for some time.  I'll just keep high hopes!

Happy sleep vibes to all today!

Shelby

[KellyC]

Hi ladies

Zander was at nursery today and they took them for a walk at 11am.  Zander fell asleep and they thought I'd said half an hour was ok in the morning so they woke him after that amount of time and then he didn't sleep again all day    They spent 2 hours trying to get him down but apparently he was singing and clapping his hands    I'm going to tell them to prod him awake if he falls asleep late morning again as it really screws up his day and although it sounds cruel it's better for him (and them!) if he takes his 2 hours after lunch.  They were really shocked that he wouldn't sleep again if he had half an hour in the morning, I don't think many of the other children in his room are on a routine and I think this shows Zander is a real routine baby (I should say toddler now!).  He knows there's one nap and won't stand for anymore, lol!

Kelly x

[Kate A]

kelly - I think we have the same toddler.  Eloise will not nap again if she had taken ANY amount of nap during the day.  I've even tried the car and it's a no go.  We are working on naps, but she seems to only want 1.5 hrs.  is this enough?  She is getting 12 at night and they say 13.5 hours for this age.  I just can't believe that would be enough, but I guess if they are happy, they are happy. 

shelby - sorry about the night, glad the date was great 

[KellyC]

He he Kate!  Zander needs 2 hours but if Eloise is happy on 1.5 and sleeping well at night then I say don't worry - you can't make her sleep if she doesn't need it!

K x

[Kate A]

we got a 2 hr nap....how exciting!  This means a good day for her, we'll see how tonight goes...

[Mom to M&M]

I agree Stacy - but the problem is that Marisa would happily sleep 2 hours (give or take) in the morning. And then refuse further sleep unless in car. I can cut morning nap short but then she's SO cranky and it's miserable until after her second nap. Today she woke at 7:20 (which was lovely), napped from 12:10-2:15 and went to bed at 7:20.

[Mom to M&M]

I agree! Last night bed at 7:20 and woke at 6:10 this morning - so not too bad. But she has a doctor appointment at 9am today - 20-25 minute drive. Will try to keep her awake but we'll see what happens - not much I can do while driving but will give her a hard pretzel to chew on and bang on the window a lot!

[KellyC]

I think if you're going down the short am nap route timing is key.  If the nap is early enough you're less likely to have a grumpy baby when you wake them.  We found this out when Zander started to refuse to go down until later in the morning - because he'd been awake longer he wanted a longer sleep and this is when we had to abandon the morning nap.  I think if you're only doing 20 minutes in the morning it needs to be at 9.30/10 at the latest which means the next nap won't be particularly late either - 12.30/1 at the latest.

Kelly x

[Mom to M&M]

I agree Kelly. Unfortunately Marisa just won't nap unless it's been an absolute minimum of 3.5 hours in the morning. Alas!

[TDR'smom]

Yeah I did that and kaleb chewed off a bite and gagged and threw up lol.

   
Poor Kaleb!!!

Karen,

How did Marisa make out with the Dr's appt and the ride to and back?  I find it so difficult to keep Tyler up in the car if he is tired.  Especially if it is sunny out.

[Mom to M&M]

That's me, Karen! Not good. She dozed off for about 3-4 minutes on way there. Stayed awake on way home. But we were stuck in so much traffic that she got overtired and undertired at same time (she's normally much more active) and won't nap so far. I'm going to try again at 1 I guess - she's playing now and then will do a short walk outside and try for more lunch (she barely ate, as usual) and then try again.

[TDR'smom]

Oops    Sorry Karen-Good luck at 1.

[PeepersMom]

Kelly I forgot to tell you the apple was a hit here!  we got the big bag of apples so they are small, gave it to PJ and he was tickled pink!  he has always been a really good chewer, don't know why, he has never gagged a day in his life (knock on wood)  so when I got to the apple after he was done there were these 3 little baby sized bites out of it.  How cute!@ that was an awesome tip.

Ok I know everyone says this, but the KEY is to give a snack at that old am nap time.  Our problem has been that PJ just wants to go to sleep and doesn't want to be bothered with a snack.  So what I did the past 2 days was let him get over that hump and then give him a snack and he was much better the rest of the morning.  Like I would have preferred he snack at 10 when he was feeling low, but he wouldn't do it.  but at 1030 he was ready to accept it  Then we did lunch at 1130 and nap at 12. 

I think I told you all I posted on the N/W board (it was moved to the toddler sleep board) about PJ's wake ups during this transition.  Still happening - but seems to be every other night.  Anyway, got 2 good responses from women who went through the same thing and basically they said keep afternoon awake time around 5 hours, but try to keep nap on a schedule.  So 12 is nap time (unless wake up time is really wacky like 5 am or something) then if there is a short nap down to bed early, if not regular bedtime of 7pm.  And like a lot of us are hearing - it takes a good 3 months for them to adjust.  I think we are on 6 weeks.  Well if it takes the avg baby 3 months then PJ it will be more like 6.  boo hoo

Stacy - I have to admit, if I had been willing to let PJ stay up till 8 pm I think he and Kaleb would be on the same schedule.  I  know PJ would do a nice 1+hour nap on 4 hours of awake time most days.  But that would mean bed at 8 pm for us since I conditioned him to wake up at 7.  I don't know that I want that.  Sorry, but I love a 7pm bedtime.  7 pm allows for some fudge factor.  8 pm means he better be asleep at 8 pm on the dot and how often does that really happen?  Not much around here at least.  great to hear the update. 

Meg

[PeepersMom]

Stacy -you are the expert, but I know they do start to sleep in naturally at some age in toddlerhood.  So those nights that you decide to stay out later for a fun evening, for example, doesn't totally screw them up, and they will sleep in.  Even for PJ this is slightly starting.  For example, when he was much younger he would do these night wakings and play then go back to sleep (I think around 6 months or so) and he would still be up first thing in the morning, so no catch up sleep at all.  This time around he sleeps to be sleeping in a touch, making up a little sleep.

Someday........maybe when they are 3??