https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Fri, 17 Apr 2026 05:29:05 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/35yo-dropping-napsbedtimeearly-wakeups#post-2872064 Thu, 14 Feb 2019 13:24:31 +0000 Mrs. Turtle 2872064@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>O did this a few months ago. She went to bed at 6 on no nap days for a while. Still woke up early, but at least got an extra hour of sleep, even if it was on the wrong end of the night (in my opinion!) She seems to have evened out now, and is going to bed at 7 again on no nap days and 7:30 or 8 on nap days (which are few and far between now). Sleeping till 7 most mornings. It seems like every time we work out a new schedule, something throws it off and everything is different again! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/35yo-dropping-napsbedtimeearly-wakeups#post-2871999 Thu, 14 Feb 2019 09:40:17 +0000 MrsADS 2871999@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thanks everyone for your feedback!!</p> <p>@sweetiepie you are probably right on needing bedtime to be even earlier. I guess I am afraid since he's already waking up so early, he will wake up even earlier, but I know the general rule that overtired kids = earlier wake ups. </p> <p>@jj2626 @peaches1038 yeah I think we will need to move up bedtime. I aim for 6:30/6:45 on no nap days but it sounds like it needs to be earlier. He would definitely fall asleep earlier, I was just afraid to do it (like 5:30/6 seems so early?!?!).</p> <p>@mrssrs @foodnerd81 he is in daycare and almost never naps there. At home, we do quiet time still (and will continue). I would say he naps maybe 30-40% of the time and I always wake him by 3 (he usually wakes himself up). But if he doesn't nap, I usually leave him for an hour and he will usually sit in his bed and look at books or whatever. So I think that is better than nothing. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/35yo-dropping-napsbedtimeearly-wakeups#post-2871886 Wed, 13 Feb 2019 17:40:54 +0000 SweetiePie 2871886@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>6pm bedtime. When they drop nap they need to move bedtime up, period. It’s not that they don’t need the sleep anymore they just need to reallocate it. You might very well find that an earlier bedtime produces a later wakeup.<br /> A common “symptom” of overtired is early wakeups.<br /> It won’t be forever. Use the time for now to unwind a little or enjoy some solo time with baby. Have a solo dinner with DH. Etc.<br /> As he adjusts to no nap you’ll be able to get back to a 7/7:30 bedtime. It’s all a phase. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/35yo-dropping-napsbedtimeearly-wakeups#post-2871882 Wed, 13 Feb 2019 17:32:25 +0000 Dahlia 2871882@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DD is almost the exact same age, I think, and started dropping her nap a full year ago (!). We had the same problem for a good long while, but she eventually just started sleeping longer and being much better without a nap. So no advice, unfortunately, just commiseration and encouragement that it will get better! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/35yo-dropping-napsbedtimeearly-wakeups#post-2871875 Wed, 13 Feb 2019 16:57:16 +0000 peaches1038 2871875@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My 3yr 3 month old had dropped nap most days and we out him to bed verrrrrry early. Like 6 and he slept til 6. Now, he is asleep by 7 and usually wakes up around 645 </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/35yo-dropping-napsbedtimeearly-wakeups#post-2871868 Wed, 13 Feb 2019 16:32:45 +0000 JJ2626 2871868@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Could you do an early bedtime for a bit until he adjusts? Like even 5:30/6pm? He may still sleep until 6 or later. Generally during nap transitions it’s best to try an early bedtime. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/35yo-dropping-napsbedtimeearly-wakeups#post-2871854 Wed, 13 Feb 2019 16:08:53 +0000 Foodnerd81 2871854@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don’t have any advice except it sucks. My 3 year old has just about completely dropped nap. For a while she was like your son, just super cranky all afternoon. She’s better now but definitely bedtime is earlier than it used to be. I’m really lucky she usually doesn’t wake up super early though. </p> <p>Do you have quiet time in the afternoon? My daughter doesn’t nap but at least she plays quietly in her room mostly. Sometimes I see her laying on the floor singing or something. It helps a little. Good luck. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/35yo-dropping-napsbedtimeearly-wakeups#post-2871841 Wed, 13 Feb 2019 15:27:35 +0000 MrsSRS 2871841@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We hit this stage last month and I pushed through insisting on nap time every day even when she didn't sleep. Eventually I think she decided it was boring and went back to napping. For us the sweet spot is for me to wake DD before 3, no matter when she falls asleep. Nap starts around 1. No nap days still happen once a week or so but she is less of a hot mess.because she doesn't have a backlog of fatigue. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/35yo-dropping-napsbedtimeearly-wakeups#post-2871834 Wed, 13 Feb 2019 15:16:37 +0000 MrsADS 2871834@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ab810 he really doesn't sleep in the car. A 20 minute catnap is perfect. My son will not nap for 4-5 days and then on Saturday or Sunday, take a 2 hour nap. But then that night, won't go to sleep till late and will only sleep like 9 hours, and the next day he's back to cranky and tired! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/35yo-dropping-napsbedtimeearly-wakeups#post-2871833 Wed, 13 Feb 2019 15:15:44 +0000 bhbee 2871833@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Agree car nap was the only thing that worked for us. He still does it over a year later at times. I have been known to listen to podcasts while driving routes with little to no stopping! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/35yo-dropping-napsbedtimeearly-wakeups#post-2871829 Wed, 13 Feb 2019 15:09:05 +0000 AB810 2871829@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Im in almost the exact situation with my almost 3.5 year old. The days that go the best for us are when he takes a cat nap (20 min about). This works for us because I pick my older from school a 20 min drive away at 3. He just sleeps on the way. Does your son fall asleep in the car? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/35yo-dropping-napsbedtimeearly-wakeups#post-2871824 Wed, 13 Feb 2019 15:01:59 +0000 MrsADS 2871824@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>So, my 3.5 yo is napping less and less frequently these days, which is fine, but I'm having a hard time figuring out bedtime/wakeup/etc. On no-nap days, he is a WRECK by 4/5pm and I usually put him to bed about 6:30-7pm and he is asleep basically before I walk out of the room. And that time from 4pm to bedtime is pretty miserable for all of his - nonstop crying, tantrums, he tells me he wants to go to sleep, etc. (I could probably put him to bed at 5:30, honestly!)</p> <p>He sleeps through the night but wakes up very early, usually before 6am. Which I guess 7pm-5:30am or so isn't too bad, but 10.5 hours of sleep in a 24 hour period is clearly not enough for him, because often with these early wake ups, he is very cranky in the mornings (still tired). He will be okay for like an hour and then start melting down.</p> <p>I have tried to push bedtime later, but he still wakes up early and it just prolongs the evening misery. Really, he needs a short nap, but I can't force him to sleep. </p> <p>Any ideas? I don't mind the early bedtime, but the 5:30 wake ups are pretty rough, plus I think he would feel better if he slept even an hour later. </p>