Naps too close to bedtime?

Linzr0723

When I pick my LO up from daycare, she is usually REALLY tired and needs a nap soon after we get home (around 5:30)...and then shows signs of being really tired again between 7 and 8 as if she is ready for bed...she isn't close to sleeping through the night though.  I have read different things about letting your LO sleep whenever they show signs of needing to and then I have also read don't let them nap too close to bedtime and I am curious what you all think and what works for you.

LtlAngL

We found that if we tried to prevent LO from sleeping when he was tired, we had a miserable child, and therefore let him sleep whenever he needed to. We also don't wake him up early from his naps because the same thing happens. Our little guy's latest nap is from about 7:30-8:30 (in his stroller - me and DH go for a run at this time each day.) He then goes down for the night around 10ish and sleeps until 5 or 6 AM. 

pinkpinot

I'd probably put her down for a nap when she seems like she needs it after DC and then just follow her cues for bedtime. 

kellyrn9956

We do a small nap after day care. And then he goes down around 7:30 after his bath. I give him a bottle at 9:00 - sometimes he wakes up for it; sometimes he eats it in his sleep. But he wakes up around 5:00 because he goes to bed too early. I just am not one to force sleep times. Unless he had his days and nights totally screwed up, I don't mess much with his sleep. If he's tired, time to sleep. Otherwise he's a grumpy soul.

smash1228

My dd gets a 30 catnap at 5:30 and then down for the night at 7:45. If your lo seems that tired why don't you try putting her down at 7 or 8, she might sleep better instead of being overly tired. When I moved dd bedtime up from 9-9:30 to 7:45 she started sleeping so much better! 

LisaLisa1980

I let him sleep regardless of the time.

Linzr0723

I do watch for the cues and that is why she naps when she gets home from daycare and goes to bed around 7 or 8...I have always let her lead the way with when she sleeps...I just had seen before people say they DON'T let their babies nap close to bedtime (meaning they keep them up) and I was wondering what the end result was for that (I never had done that because I have always believed in sleep begets sleep and an overtired baby is not fun)...I have tried an earlier bedtime but it doesn't change anything...I think she just isn't that great of a sleeper these days- she was pretty good until she hit the 4 month wakeful period   It could just be a phase...Thanks everyone so much for your input!

autumnmichele

Can LO catch a 15-20 min nap on the way home from daycare?  We try to do that because DD is tired too but doesn't go to bed until 7.

aab1201

My lo naps everyday from 5:00-7:30 after he has been at daycare. He doesn't go back to bed until 9:30-10:00 though. He is still getting up 1-2 times each night. I figure if he's that tired he needs to sleep. He is happier that way.

suedell

My ds goes to sleep at 6 pm. He only wakes up once during the night. That is not too early to be going to be at this age. I bet he will sleep better if he goes down earlier.

love4b

My daughter has her last nap around 5:30pm, usually sleeps for 45min to an hour and then has a bath at 7:15. She goes down for the night between 7:30 and 8 and usually sleeps til around 4am. We bed share, so it's a quick nurse and she's out again until anytime between 6:30 and 8am. I figure that as long as she's sleeping well - don't mess with it.

CrazyMary77

I also just follow cues to avoid a grumpy baby. My LO goes to bed by 7:30pm. Sometimes she takes a nap around 5:00, sometimes not. If she takes no nap, she'll go to sleep a little earlier. She wakes up once a night to feed, around 2:00am, then is awake for the day around 6:30am. I have found that it's helped a lot to feed her right before she goes to bed. Even if she ate an hour earlier, I'll just top her off, and she can sleep easier. Before I did this, she would wake up twice a night.

GandL09

My LO always takes a nap between 5 and 6 and if she doesnt get the little 15-30 min in there bedtime is all screwed up. Her nap is always after her 5-530 feeding and then at 730 we do bath time, pj time, book and one last feeding. Shes in bed usually around 8-830 and sleeps through the night.

MNMC1228

My DD takes a nap around 5 for about 30-45 mins usually, sometimes she doesn't.  Then 6:30 gets a bath, pjs, bottle, and book.  She's usually put to bed 7:30-7:45 and won't wake up until 6-7:15am.