Transition from 3 to 2 naps... Not consistent yet

[Shdef]

Hiya,


my LO (8,5) months finally seems to be saying that he only needs two naps instead of three. But only sometimes... He used to sleep in his pram for naps (often outside in the garden to grab some fresh air or when we were travelling from DH's home (Scotland) to my home (Germany). Because we are fed carrying the buggy upstairs every day he is now back to napping in his cot when we are at home. He goes to sleep with a little protest but usually sleeps after 5 to 10 minutes or so.

The routine was:

E: 6.30 bottle
A: 6.30 -8.30
S: 8.30-9 catnap (30 minutes) he was very tired by then but didn't sleep very long

E: 9 breakfast solids
A: 9-12 Activity
S: 12-13.30 nap (sometimes only 45 minutes, but mostly longer than 1 hour)

E: 13.30 bottle
A: 13.30 -15.30 Activity
S: 15.30-16.15 nap

E: 15.30 solids (meal)
A: 15.30 - 18.30 Activity
S: 18.30 night-time routine and bed, sleeps through since he is 3 months, usually between 11 and 12 hours...

He doesn't want a paci but needs his legs swaddled for naps.

I tried to make up a new routine where he only naps in the morning and in the afternoon for 1,5 hours each but I just can't do it most days. By 8am he is SOOOO tired and cranky and whiney that I just can't let him stay awake. On other days it works fine...

I tried to do that:

E: 6.30 bottle
A: 6.30 -9.30
S: 9.30 -11 nap

E: 11 breakfast solids (bit late maybe? He just loves eating after waking up so I don't see any other solution)
A: 11-14 Activity
S: 14-15.30 nap

E: 15.30 solids (meal)
A: 15.30 - 18.30 Activity
S: 18.30 night-time routine and bed


The question is... How do i exted the A-time without too much fuss? He has NEVER heard the word low-key, he just doesn't lknow what that is supposed to mean. Boredom? He wants TOYS and ROUGH AND TUMBLE and MUSIC and OUTSIDE otherwise he can be quite grumpy.

[Mom to M&M]

AT 8.5 months, he can definitely handle more A time. Marisa doesn't know much of low key either (only time she is truly low key is when watching Sesame Street). We often go right from crawling and playing almost to napping - just separated out by bringing her in her dimmed room and diaper change and story/lullaby. Works well for us. In order for Scott to really drop that catnap and get two longer naps (which is what you want at his age), you'll definitely need to extend A times. Just do it gradually - adding on 15 minutes every 3-4 days or so. Ideally, at his age, his routine would look something like this:

6:30: Wake
9:15/9:30: Nap for 1.5 hours
2-3:30/4pm Nap
Bedtime 7pm

He'll get used to the longer A times - it just takes a little while. Keep moving it out slowly and distract him with his favorite activities and you'll get there!

[Shdef]

Maris's mum,

that is exactly where I want to go. So does he I think. We have now dropped the third nap and I want to extend the first nap from 30-45 to 1,5-2 hours. We transfered him from pram to cot no problem and extended it with with PU/PD, P/S and a wee bit of walk in walk out towards the end when he was drifting anyway. He doesn't like me being there when he sleeps, but he also doesn't like me being away when he is awake It worked. This monring he slept for 2 hours! From 8.30 (cause he woke up quite early) till 10.30...