Nap Advice (RE: transition to one nap)

Mainer-in-Texas · March 2011

Lily is starting to resist her afternoon nap. And yesterday she didn't take it all, and today is looking the same (she is currently fussing in her swing). She's been up for five hours but doesn't seem tired! Might she already be dropping the second nap?

How do I deal with this since she is still really tired at the time of her normal morning nap? (About three hours after she gets up). And she seems too young to be dropping the second nap. Do I keep trying the second nap, and assume it's probably a phase, or should I start pushing up the morning nap later? I hate it because trying the second nap = crying.

jd72878 · March 2011

Abby went through a short phase of weird nap schedules, so I wouldn't worry about dropping the second nap. Abby is JUST starting to move toward one nap at 16 months and I've heard usually the transition is around 18months. It totally sucks when they don't want to nap. I'm not ready, and I'm sure you're not ready either for them to give it up!!

MainelyFoolish · March 2011

I think she's too young to give up her second nap. I believe it usually happens between 12 and 18 months; I remember Helen stopped her second nap at 17 months. It's probably just a temporary disruption. I would keep putting her down at her normal nap time even if she doesn't act tired and see if she'll sleep.

Also wanted to mention -- the crying doesn't necessarily stop even after they learn how to talk and become slightly more rational. Helen had an all out screaming fit at naptime and bedtime tonight but then fell asleep less than 10 minutes later. Just when I thought I going to lose my mind this afternoon, she went quiet. I miss my kid who didn't use to fight sleep.

KatieLG04 · March 2011

Kimberly, Ben is having lots of trouble around nap and bedtime too. The stalling, crying, and demands are ridiculous. It was shorter tonight because I did it, but he makes my DH run all over the house for over an hour each night. I've told him he needs to stop and set some limits, but it's harder for him since it makes him upset when Ben cries. Big mean mommy sometimes needs to come in and lay down the law Stick out tongue

WildcatPrincess · March 2011

I don't remember the days when Riley took 2 naps, seriously. She takes one about 3-4 hours after waking that lasts 2-3 hours, then is up 5-6 hours until bedtime. She fusses a bit the hour or two before bedtime, but we're usually eating dinner so that's a good distraction and then we start bedtime routine right after.

mrscjwatts · March 2011

WildcatPrincess:
I don't remember the days when Riley took 2 naps, seriously. She takes one about 3-4 hours after waking that lasts 2-3 hours, then is up 5-6 hours until bedtime. She fusses a bit the hour or two before bedtime, but we're usually eating dinner so that's a good distraction and then we start bedtime routine right after.

This is Taylor, almost exactly.

AnnieME · March 2011

About 2 weeks ago, I thought Nolan was trying to drop his 2nd nap. He went a few days where he either wouldn't take it or take only a 20 min. one. Now he's back to 45 min to an hour. I feel like he's still too young to drop it and he's just about 11 months!

maeghan21 · March 2011

Caroline still goes back and forth, but I always put her in her crib so she gets some "down time" and so does mommy! She usually takes two 1 hour naps. The first nap is exactly 2 hours after she has been up in the morning. Then 2 hours up after the next, which mean she's up 4-5 hrs in the evening. The other day she took 2 2 hr naps but then the next day she only slept a total of 50 minutes the entire day. Even if she isn't consistent with the length, I always put her down and leave her there for an hour if she is quietly playing etc. Even that seems to keep her in good spirits the rest of the afternoon.

Mainer-in-Texas · March 2011

The problem with Lily is that she will not sleep more than 9.5-10.5 hours at night (and we've tried different bedtimes and found early to sleep = early to wake). So, she wakes up after 10 hours of sleep and it's all she can do to stay up 3 hours until she takes a 1.5 - 2 hour nap. That means, if she doesn't take a second nap, she'll be up nine hours until bed time, so she won't really fit into Riley and Taylor's pattern.

I will take the advice and keep trying the second nap. She finally fell asleep at 4:15 (5.25 hours after she woke up from her first nap), and she slept until 5:30 yesterday, so I think it's either just a phase, or her awake time is getting longer. I've noticed her awake time between waking up and her first nap has stayed at three hours since about four months, but her awake time between her first and second nap keeps getting longer.

tripin · March 2011

I would keep trying, like you said. Luke was like this and sometimes still is where he just won't do the second nap. I hate these days because he's a terror by 6 pm and its everything we can do to last til bedtime at 7. He sleeps a good 11-13 hours at night, but for some reason still likes his first nap a few hours later.

Sometimes he'll get really sleepy at 4:30-5 and I don't want to put him down cause his bedtime is 7. But, lately I've let him go down for 10-15 minutes. It's not always the best. We have the difficulty in that it fluxuates depending on who he is with. DC he almost never gets a second nap.

GL, I think she may just be in a phase though and hopefully she'll break out of it soon.

kclouts · March 2011

KatieLG04:
Kimberly, Ben is having lots of trouble around nap and bedtime too. The stalling, crying, and demands are ridiculous. It was shorter tonight because I did it, but he makes my DH run all over the house for over an hour each night. I've told him he needs to stop and set some limits, but it's harder for him since it makes him upset when Ben cries. Big mean mommy sometimes needs to come in and lay down the law

This! I swear that Ridley sees me coming and says "oh $hit!"

Nap Advice (RE: transition to one nap)

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