sleep schedule for 2 year old

[MrsBone]

For about a month now, we have gotten in this routine where DS eats dinner, takes a bath, reads books and is usually asleep by 8. He then sleeps about 12 hours(sometimes waking once, and at that point he comes and gets in bed with us). This was going really well for about a week, and he didn't even need one of us to lay with him to fall asleep. Then, he got sick and was teething and was a mess for about 2 weeks straight. He then needed me to lay with him to get to sleep and now he's back in that habit. I'm trying to get him to become an independent sleeper since I'm having another baby in May, and DH is rarely home for the whole bedtime routine. He's started to get really cranky by bedtime and fights sleep. I know he could probably still take a nap, but I feel like if he does that he'll be up till ten. Yesterday he fell asleep in the car and I moved him to the couch at around 5pm, so I could make dinner. He slept for a solid hour, even after DH came home and tried to wake him, he wouldn't budge. He was then up until 10pm. He's just such a struggle to get to sleep, that I feel like I can manage 1 time a day, but 2 is just draining, and that's why I try and get him through the day with no nap. I usually just take him outside, or we go out for errands around that time, because he does really well with distraction. I figured if I can get him asleep by 1pm, then maybe he'll still go to bed at a decent time, but that rarely happens. Do you all think I should try it some more? I feel like he really does need more sleep because of how cranky he gets by bedtime.

[mommytoalilgirl]

i'm sorry, i don't have any advice. i just wanted to let u know that i am in the same situation only my daughter is 18 months old. she doesn't sleep thru the nite and fights sleep whether it is during the day or at nite. i am wondering if i should also just stop pushing the nap since she fights it so much and then if she does nap is up in the middle of the nite for hrs. *hugs* i know what ur going thru. hopefully someone can offer some advice for us.

[newbiemama09]

it takes at least 3-5 days to get a kiddo into a routine. sounds like yours was great at the night-time routine, so it will take a couple of hard, maybe screaming nights to get back into that. if your kiddo seems to be dragging or pretty lathergic in the late afternoon, i would lean towards giving a naptime again. typically toddlers sleep 1-3 hours in the afternoon. DD still takes naps, but i can always tell if they're at 12 or 2 based on her hyperness at night. and DD still fights during nighttime, no matter what. it's a stage we have yet to get though.

[gagin37]

ds completely gave up naps at 22m, but started trying to drop them at 18m.  We went through the same thing you're describing.  If he did nap, bedtime was a nightmare.  If he didn't, he was cranky until bedtime.  He refused to nap any earlier than 3, then was up until 11.  Some days we'd try for over an hour to nap, and it just wouldn't happen.  It was miserable.  Life got better for us when naps stopped altogether.  Bedtime became so much easier- and earlier.  For a long time, he still needed some quiet time during that time of the afternoon.  We would nurse, read books, rock, snuggle, but not actually nap. 

[MrsBone]

Thanks guys. I'm thinking the quiet time is probably more important, that and daily physical activity. We had a little quiet time today then around 3:30 walked to the park, played and walked back. He completely skipped the dinnertime meltdown. So maybe the exercise helped too? I've been so unmotivated to get outside this pregnancy for some reason, but this is good motivation. We'll see how bedtime goes tonight! I'll post later :)

[quantumleap]

I have a pretty low sleep needs dd. She was 2 a few weeks ago, but we're still napping. I've tried cutting it out but she needs it, and *I* need it! I typically get her down from 11h30-1, or 12-1h30, roughly. She sleeps for just under 1.5 hrs most days. Nightime sleep is verrrrrry slowly getting better, but she's typically down from 8pm-6am with at least one waking in there. I think they're supposed to get 13+ hours of sleep at this age, but she seems determined to get a maximum of 11 or 12.

All kids are so different with this though. The tricky part is figuring your kiddo out, and then getting through the transitions! For what it's worth, we also have a 2 week old, and so far things have mostly worked to still get dd down for a nap.

[ScottyG]

Originally Posted by MrsBone 

Thanks guys. I'm thinking the quiet time is probably more important, that and daily physical activity. We had a little quiet time today then around 3:30 walked to the park, played and walked back. He completely skipped the dinnertime meltdown. So maybe the exercise helped too? I've been so unmotivated to get outside this pregnancy for some reason, but this is good motivation. We'll see how bedtime goes tonight! I'll post later :)

I think this is the way to go.  My daughter gave up her nap entirely at 18 months old (for real!) and we just continued (and have never stopped) putting her in bed for some quiet time every day at "nap time."  She likes the routine of "nap" (even though she just plays the whole time) and it gives her a moment to be alone, reset and refresh a little.  She always seems a little perked up after her "nap," and every once in a long while (usually if she's sick or slept very poorly the night before) she naps for real.