2 naps to 1 disaster

SmallgirlBigcity

My little boy is 16 months old and I decided to take advantage of the clock change and move him to 1 nap. He usually wakes at 6.30am so I thought with the clock change, that'll be 7.30am and we should get him to 12pm for his one big nap no problem. He would usually wake at 6.30am, nap from 10am to 11.30am, another nap from 3pm to 4pm and bed at 7.30pm.

But when I tried putting him down for the 1 nap at 12pm, he completely resisted it. He jumps around the cot, crying on and off. This has happened the last 2 days. After an hour and a half, I ended up taking him out, giving him lunch and trying the nap again at 2pm.

Same thing today. He's in there now, it's 2pm. This is our second attempt at the nap. I wonder if he's too overtired at 12pm for the nap? I'm baffled because I thought he'd be wrecked and would go straight asleep at 12pm. I think I'll just go back to the 2 naps tomorrow. Any ideas on why he won't go asleep at 12pm? He's been awake since 7.30am so should be ready for the nap. Thanks.

bee06

I’d say it does sound like he’s overtired. Try and split the difference maybe tomorrow and put him down later than when he used to do the 2 naps but earlier than you have been with one. He might sleep for a longer nap when it’s one then than the two combined before. That’s what both mine did.

There is an element of playing around with it to get the right formula.

shesty

Has he had no lunch before the 12pm one? That is probably part of it.Feed him first, then he goes to bed with a full tummy.

He is probably overtired too. Lunch was always at 11.30/11.45am here (I know it's unnatural) to facilitate a 12pm bedtime.

He may also just not be ready for it yet - I moved mine to 2 naps when it got to a point that they either didn't go to sleep during the early one, or slept during the early one but were clearly not ready at all to go back to bed in the afternoon. The ages varied for this on all of mine.

awec

Is there a particular reason you want to drop a nap? Is it getting harder to put him down at night?

I agree with shesty, it'll become fairly obvious when they're ready to drop naps as getting them down for 2 will become difficult. Keep as many naps as you can for as long as possible!

Mantis Toboggan

My lad isn't even 1 till next week and he's already down to 1 nap, mainly because he's a terrible sleeper

SmallgirlBigcity

Thanks everyone. Yeah he's nice and full before the nap. He has breakfast at about 8am and a snack /lunch at 11am. It's a big enough meal at 11am so he shouldn't be hungry. I think he's probably just not ready. He wasn't fighting the two naps so I'm going to revert back.

I decided to change because he's 16 months old and I thought maybe he'd be ready soon and the recent clock change might help, so that's what prompted me to change. But defo going back to the 2 naps for the moment. Thanks!

PhoenixParker

SmallgirlBigcity wrote: »

Thanks everyone. Yeah he's nice and full before the nap. He has breakfast at about 8am and a snack /lunch at 11am. It's a big enough meal at 11am so he shouldn't be hungry. I think he's probably just not ready. He wasn't fighting the two naps so I'm going to revert back.

I decided to change because he's 16 months old and I thought maybe he'd be ready soon and the recent clock change might help, so that's what prompted me to change. But defo going back to the 2 naps for the moment. Thanks!

Honestly, that's probably not enough. I'd go for 8am, snack at 10 and lunch at 1130. That's the schedule my creche would use and it's what we'd do for my 16 month old at home on weekends. Actually she'd often have two snacks before lunch, but she loooves her food.

I'd try 1140 rather than 12 too for nap time too.

If he's lasting until 12 with no nap and mot being crazy grouchy, he's probably OK to move to one nap.

SmallgirlBigcity

PhoenixParker wrote: »

Honestly, that's probably not enough. I'd go for 8am, snack at 10 and lunch at 1130. That's the schedule my creche would use and it's what we'd do for my 16 month old at home on weekends. Actually she'd often have two snacks before lunch, but she loooves her food.

I'd try 1140 rather than 12 too for nap time too.

If he's lasting until 12 with no nap and mot being crazy grouchy, he's probably OK to move to one nap.

He gets three quarters of a banana at 9.30am as well. He's a great eater and loves his food but I think his big breakfast, banana and then a meal at 11am should have him full no?

shesty

If he wasn't fighting the two naps or taking ages to go to sleep on one of them then he may just not be ready yet.

Loveinapril

I echo other posters who say follow the baby's lead and wait until he shows you he only needs the one nap. My two just started naturally refusing their earlier naps so I pulled the afternoon one forward and we landed on a nap that starts between 11am- 12pm for two hours, then bed at 7pm.

SmallgirlBigcity

Just posting an update on this: it took him about a week to adjust but he's adjusted really well to the 1 nap now. He wakes at 7am, naps from 1pm to 3pm and bedtime at 7.15pm. I'm really happy with the change and how well he adjusted to it in the end.