11 months and a week and pretty much on one nap

[legend_018]

ok I know a lot of you don't agree and perhaps some day overtiredness will settle in. However, over the course of the last few weeks the following schedule seems to be working out fairly decent.

She sleeps a decent night sleep. Sometimes she wakes up in the middle of the night for 15 minutes or so and some nights she doesn't. She's usually in her crib at 6:30pm and sleeping by 7pm. She'll sleep until around 5:50/6:15am.

Than AROUND 9/9:30am she goes down for a nap. She might not go fall asleep until 10am at times. She'll HOPEFULLY sleep for a good 2 hours waking up around noon.

She than stays up until 6:30pm. It is a bit of a long stretch. If she doesn't sleep good at night or if the 1st nap is short, I really do try to get her to take a 2nd nap later in the day. sometimes if we are in the car she might nap for a little bit in the afternoon. I know last Saturday she napped for 1/2 hour over nanas late in the day.

She is also successfully "most days" going to sleep on her own. I don't have to spend an hour or more trying to get her to go to sleep. Of course I'm sure that will all change when she's teething or not feeling well "lol".

I know I can't believe she is on one nap. maybe it won't last and she'll go back to 2 naps. Who knows.

<Mary>

[*Natasha*]

Is their any reason why you are not giving a 2nd nap? Is it because she is refusing it? IF you want to stick to 1 nap i would push it out to at least 11am as 6.5hrs awake time is a long time. My 19month old can't even handle that awake time before bed.

[rinajack]

I agree.  Our los are the same age, give or take, and we are pretty much on one nap too (although we always do two if she wakes early).  Anyway, I think when there is one nap, it is important to even out the A times a bit, so the nap falls pretty much in the middle of the day.

Our routine is

7 wakeup
12 nap - usually 2.5 hrs
2:30 wakeup
7:30 bed

We did this because our lo was taking only a 20 min AM nap, and that was enough to push her PM nap out too far, so that she wouldn't go to sleep at bedtime.  At daycare, that 20mins was enough to have her fighting for over an hour, and refusing to nap at all in the afternoon.  So I actually made the change mostly due to daycare.  I am still watching cues very carefully, so if she seems at all tired, I force two naps occasionally.  If her nights are not spot on, I force two naps the next day also.

So far it is excellent though, we too are back to putting her in the cot for nap and bedtime and she drifts off to sleep peacefully instead of up to an hour of wi/pd/wo and her yelling at the top of her lungs cause she doesn't want to sleep yet.

It is very unusual for babies to drop to one nap so early, but if you are reading the cues right, and are prepared to be flexible and force two naps when you think she needs it, and your nights are unaffected, then great.
But you should really watch for overtiredness like a hawke - for NW, or early wakings, or crankiness, or having trouble going to sleep etc etc etc....that is what I am doing, and I wouldn't say our transition has been successful until things have been going great for a good month!

[Deb_in_oz]

I know I can't believe she is on one nap. maybe it won't last and she'll go back to 2 naps. Who knows.

and this is KEY. Liv went to 1 nap between 10-11 mo b/c if she did her first nap, even if i woke her at 45 min, she woudl not do her 2nd and then was so tired in the afternoon. we went immediately to a noon (sometimes 11:30am) nap so that it would not be too early. and then when we had times when she woke early or was sick etc we gauged what she needed and just went for 2 nap days sometimes. if they need the 2 naps they will jump at the chance even if they have been on one nap for a little while.

[rinajack]

and this is KEY. Liv went to 1 nap between 10-11 mo b/c if she did her first nap, even if i woke her at 45 min, she woudl not do her 2nd and then was so tired in the afternoon.

Exactly what Zara was doing at daycare - a tiny AM nap, then no PM nap at all.

[legend_018]

My problem at this point is she can't stay up for a long time in the morning. Although there are times were she won't go down for her morning nap until 11/11:30 is which is good because for example last week she slept from 11:30-1:30 which broke it up more. but most mornings even if she slept a decent amount of hours through the night, she can't make it much past 4 hours of up time. I'm sure I'll work through it.

[rinajack]

I really think you need to either push for a second, short, later afternoon catnap - say aroun 3ish, or work on moving the AM nap later.  Sometimes strategically timed snacks or outings can help you extend A times. For us, going outside, or to run an errand, really really helps (but Zara doesn't fall asleep in the car either).

I think since you have an earlier bedtime than us, starting your nap around 11 would probably work quite well.

Other than this, the days where she takes her AM nap early, are the days I would be pushing for a second nap, even if you need to go in the stroller for a walk or something like that (whatever would work for you).

[*Natasha*]

Totally agree with pp

[Jenny_Jen]

My son is starting to do this too.  Short morning nap then doesn't want to go down for his afternoon nap until 3ish & then it messes with his night sleeping.  I couldn't believe that maybe he's ready to drop a nap, but maybe he is?  I'm going to try bumping his nap until noon tomorrow & see what happens.  He's up at 7:30 most mornings so he should be able to go until noon & see what happens from there.

[rinajack]

Jen - how short is your morning nap? Can you shorten it yourself any further.  Many in our birth club had success by shortening the AM nap even to 20-30 mins then waking the baby, then the second nap came a bit easier.

For us, the AM nap was 20 mins and she was waking naturally, and her PM nap was starting later than 3:30, closer to 4pm - no good for a 7:30 bedtime.

[Deb_in_oz]

  Sometimes strategically timed snacks or outings can help you extend A times. For us, going outside, or to run an errand, really really helps (but Zara doesn't fall asleep in the car either).

this is a great tip as we were told that offering a snack at usual naptime can give them the enrgy burst they need to go a bit longer. also avoiding situations that put them to sleep like stroller or car seat  if necessary

[rinajack]

this is a great tip as we were told that offering a snack at usual naptime can give them the enrgy burst they need to go a bit longer. also avoiding situations that put them to sleep like stroller or car seat  if necessary

OMG, you have a spirited one who will fall asleep in the stroller?  Wow...no go here, I can take her anywhere to extend A times, she won't sleep if we are out LOL.

[Deb_in_oz]

haven't done it lately as we can stay out until 1-2pm sometimes and she will either sleep on the way home (ie if we drive up the coast to the beach for the day) or just wait til we get home and then crash in bed for a late nap if necessary.  BUT back in the day we woudl occasionally put her down for her nap in the stroller if we were out and as long asd we covered it up and walked around she woudl have a nap    the KEY was removing all distractions and timing it right

[rinajack]

That is great.  Zara goes mental if we block her view of the world.  She will fall asleep in the pram, but only when truly exhausted.  In the car - well an example of this was she was awake in the car for 2.25 hrs before falling asleep the other day.  Even if she is due a nap, it takes over 20mins for her to fall asleep in the car, and then it is only for 45 mins max.

Sorry for hijacking this thread LOL

[legend_018]

today I'm definetely hoping to try for a 2nd nap. she slept thru the night, but woke at around 5:20am. A bit earlier than her usual 6am ish wake time.