My almost 17 month old transitioned to one nap at the beginning of September. Since then he's taken a handful of naps that were 2 hours or more. Majority of the time his naps are 1 hr- 1 hr 15 min. He usually wakes up screaming and is in a bad mood for 20 or so min after the nap. I know he needs more day time sleep but I don't know how to help him get it. His room is very dark, we use white noise, I try to leave him in there for at least 2 hours (sometimes I fail at this because I don't want to listen to +30 min of screaming), he eats & poops before his nap....I don't know what else could possibly be wrong! I've tried going in when he wakes up and soothing him back to sleep but that never works. Any tips?? Did anyone's toddler never lengthen their naps?? I SAH so I could REALLY use more then an hour break!!! 
You might also enjoy...
-
Is he napping early enough? Mine transitioned at 15 months, and at first she needed to nap by 11, then 11:30, and now at 2 she's napping at 12:30/1 depending on when she wakes up.
-
@snowjewelz: we tried sticking with two naps for as long as possible but it ended up eventually ruining his night sleep. I even went back to two naps after trying one and it was a disaster. He's done much better on one nap.
I've tried making it earlier & later and it doesn't seem to make a difference!ETA I totally misread your comment!!! But yes...I've tried earlier and it doesn't really make much of a difference.
-
This was my first son. 90 mins on the button. Woke up cranky and mad. Unfortunately he didn't grow out of it until he started dropping the nap at like 28 months. Then he would nap half the time and when he did nap he would take 2 hour naps.
-
@winniebee: oh don't tell me that
-
@Portboston: No I agree one nap is best... We switched b/c her 2nd nap was just so late and making her bed time even later. DD only naps like an hour at daycare but she wouldn't be upset after waking up and def not wake up screaming... If she's that upset when waking up it usually means she needs to sleep more and she will go back to sleep.
How long does he sleep overnight?
-
@Portboston: have you tried just giving a morning nap? Or one at 11?
-
@snowjewelz: he usually sleeps 11ish hours. Sometimes more sometimes less. On the nights he sleeps 12 I usually don't expect a long nap but if he gets less then that he definitely needs it!!
@winniebee: we've tried earlier nap times and it's resulted in shorter naps. He doesn't wake up as cranky but it's usually only 45 min. Then he refuses another nap so he ends up with a super early bedtime!
-
@Portboston: this is me right now with my nearly 14 month old. Has been on one nap since 11 months. I had a brief period of 2 hour ape and now it's 1 h 15-1.5 hours maybe and it sucks. Today was a 15 minute car nap late morning and then 40 minutes of crying at 2 in bed and me rubbing her back to try and help and then no sleep. She slept 15 minutes all day! I just put her to bed at regular time. No arbice, just sympathy. I stay at home too and wanted a quick nap today. I know she'll drop her nap early too since she has never been a good napper.
-
@Mrs. Goose: ugh we've had those days....no fun!!!! I have a feeling we'll be dropping the nap on the earlier side too. So sad for us
-
My middle took two two hour naps and then when she switched to one nap it was max 90 minutes for a couple months. I was so annoyed.
But after she got used to it they did start to lengthen and now I have to wake her at the three hour mark every day.
There's hope for you! -
My LO dropped to one nap at 13 months. He'd never been a stellar napper but I was so hopeful that dropping to one nap would magically result in 2 hour-plus naps. Nope, nope, nope. I had maybe a week of 2 hour naps. Other than that, it was 1.5-ish hours. I've never, ever been able to extend naps.
And then, all of a sudden, he completely refused to nap in his crib, at exactly 2.5 yrs old. I tried everything. I am so sad. Haha. He really still needs it but completely refuses. On days that I have not much going on, I resort to driving him around because he will always crash in the car. It sucks not having the down time.
-
There is an 18 month sleep regression - it sucks, but ride it out! Leave him in there for the full 2 hours and just deal with the screaming. A lot of times it coincides with the language explosion that happens around that age.
http://www.babysleepsite.com/baby-sleep-patterns/why-18-month-sleep-regression-can-be-hardest/
-
When we switched for a while he only slept for 90 min and I was mad too because I went from two 90 min naps to just one. But since then it's gotten longer, and now it's getting shorter again at almost 3. Just be consistent and ride the tide.
- Google Plus
- Stumbleupon
- Twitter
- Facebook
- Pinterest
- Favorite0
13 comments