This Is a New One, Right? Nap Advice Sought

530 Views 10 Replies 8 Participants Last post by bartleby, Mar 30, 2006

teacup

Discussion Starter · Mar 29, 2006

I'm envious! I was reading the "How much sleep does your toddler get" thread and everyone's kids sound like they sleep pretty well. Mine is 14 months and takes two naps per day, both about an hour. She sleeps maybe 9 or 10 hours a night. It seems like our sleep debt just keeps racking up, so when I read that most of your children were down to on nap a day at 14 months, I thought maybe that would help. But she's a wreck by 10:30 if she hasn't napped, and she's a super wreck if she goes with one midafternoon nap until bedtime. Advice? Thanks.

Save

1 - 11 of 11 Posts

bartleby

· #2 · Mar 29, 2006

Where is this "How much sleep does your toddler get?" thread? I just did a cursory search and didn't see it.

Anyway, I apologize for having no advice, but my kid (16 mos.) is officially on the one-nap-a-day plan, and is getting about as much sleep as you describe. She gets about 10 hours at night, and has one two-hour nap during the day, usually beginning anywhere between 11-noon. Starting at around 4:30 on up until bedtime is Crankypalooza around here. It's no fun. I can't really figure out how to change it, if it is at all changeable.

This morning at my daughter's music class, a dad told everyone that his daughter (same age as mine) recently slept from 4:00 p.m. until 8:00 a.m. the next morning, then later had a four-hour nap. The room fell aghastly silent. Maybe our kids are on the other end of the spectrum?

See less See more

Save

faithnj

· #3 · Mar 29, 2006

Are you saying you WANT your child to go down to one nap a day? Personally, I find my DD is happier with two naps a day, and I don't want to discourage it. She seems more cheerful on two naps a day right now. Keeping her roughly on a schedule helps maintain the two nap habit. The morning nap is usually longer than the afternoon nap, and I have to make sure that the afternoon nap stays within an hour, or it will interfere with bedtime. I could bring her to one nap a day if I wanted-- but I swear she'd be crankier that way. And who needs that? How does that support her growth and happiness?

Faith

Save

The4OfUs

· #4 · Mar 29, 2006

I wouldn't try to change anything, just go with her flow....DS dropped his morning nap at 15 months, and believe me, HE let ME know he was ready, not the other way around. At that point he was probably getting 13-1/2 hours total, and now he's at about 12 hrs per day at 26 months.

If it ain't broke (and she's happier with 2 naps) don't try to fix it!

ETA: Here's that thread...
toddler nap thread

Save

bartleby

· #5 · Mar 29, 2006

Thanks for the link to that thread, donosmommy.

Maybe I read the OP wrong, but I guess I took it that she would rather her daughter take one long nap a day than two really short ones? And FWIW, I did hardly anything to encourage or discourage my daughter's nap schedule; I just followed her lead. It seems that when I try to get her to nap when I think she should, I spend hours futilely trying to send her sleepy vibes and I end up just getting really frustrated when it's obvious she's not interested.

Save

JesiLynne

· #6 · Mar 29, 2006

What about 2.5 year olds, normally i can get ds1 to take a nap about 2 pm and he'll sleep for about 1 and a half, sometimes longer

But is he getting enough sleep in a 24 hour ime period
On the days he doesnt get a nap he goes to bed at 6:30pm
on nap days he goes to bed at 8 pm

But he gets up at 5:30-6am everymorning

Is he getting enough????????

Save

artgoddess

· #7 · Mar 29, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by JesiLynne
What about 2.5 year olds, normally i can get ds1 to take a nap about 2 pm and he'll sleep for about 1 and a half, sometimes longer

But is he getting enough sleep in a 24 hour ime period
On the days he doesnt get a nap he goes to bed at 6:30pm
on nap days he goes to bed at 8 pm

But he gets up at 5:30-6am everymorning

Is he getting enough????????

My 2 year old usually gets about 10 to 11 hours in a 24 hour period. Sometimes he only gets 9 sometimes he gets 12. He does fine, and lets me know if he needs more by being super crabby.

See less See more

Save

Vanessa

· #8 · Mar 29, 2006

My 2.5 year odl is pretty much in the process of cutting out naps altogether. He routinely sleeps 11-12 hours at night, and he's down to napping about once a week or so.

Save

AugustineM

· #9 · Mar 30, 2006

At 14 months my DS was still easily taking two naps a day. He'd be way too tired if he only took one.

OP -- are two naps a day not working for your DD? Does she seem really tired? I'm not sure if you want her to take one nap a day or if you think she doesn't sleep well at night, etc.

Save

teacup

Discussion Starter · #10 · Mar 30, 2006

Thanks for your responses, all. When I posted, I wondered if perhaps I should encourage her to have one midday nap (versus a morning and late afternoon). I wondered because so many children around her age seem to take just one (I was buckling to the peer pressure, all right? I wanted to fit in.), because so many other children seem to take longer naps, and because she's not a great nighttime sleeper.

I think my wondering stemmed mostly from the fact that she used to take three naps a day, about 45 minutes apiece, and my husband suggested we work one getting her to two. (This was ages ago.) It worked so well for her that I thought I might try again. However, I just don't think it's a good idea, and reading your responses supports that. She is Grumpy McGrumperton if she doesn't get an afternoon nap, and she just can't wait that long into the day before napping. If she gets her two naps she's golden.

bartleby, I think our kids are teetering over there, all by themselves, on that end of the spectrum. The irony. My husband said once that if I were a doll and you pulled my string, I would say, "I need a nap." (How ARE you? Do you remember me and my Meltdown thread from months ago in SAHM?)

I just want my kid to sleep better at night and be well rested during the day. I know that I have completely forgotten what it's like to have a normally functioning brain that enjoys sufficient REM sleep. (And believe me, I know there are others like this. I have read some other sleep threads that let me know I'm not alone. I just...want...a sweet little 10:30-7am slot. Is that so wrong?)

See less See more

Save

bartleby

· #11 · Mar 30, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by teacup
bartleby, I think our kids are teetering over there, all by themselves, on that end of the spectrum. The irony. My husband said once that if I were a doll and you pulled my string, I would say, "I need a nap." (How ARE you? Do you remember me and my Meltdown thread from months ago in SAHM?)

Do I remember you and that thread? Are you kidding? About every other day as I'm wiping flung toddler food from the floor, trying to keep my daughter from yanking the dog's tail for the zillionth time, and generally feeling like I'm losing my sh*t as a SAHM, I think, "Man, maybe I should post something about how cruddy I'm feeling." Then, I think, "Hey, I'll just add to teacup's Meltdown thread!" Then, because I'm so sluggish and inert, I don't.

PMing you...

Save

1 - 11 of 11 Posts

This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.

Top Contributors this Month