need nap help

Gen & Joel

Lo wakes up around 6:30ish on a good day and to me he still needs 2 naps because he gets super cranky around 3 hrs after he wakes up and if i hold him over until around 11 or so he's exausted and then sleeps only 2hrs.

On sunday i tried giving him one nap he slept almost 2 hrs and was up by 1 and then i tried putting him to sleep for7 that night and it took me 1 1/2hrs before he finally fell asleep because he was so over tired. and then was up at 5 the next morning.

Lately in the afternoon he has been giving a hard time to go to sleep though..he doesn't scream but he just won't fall asleep easy, sometimes it takes 45 min or so. I've been letting him only sleep 1 hr in the a.m so that he'll have another nap and hopefully go down easier but that doesn't seem to be much help either any suggestions??

davis0905

My guess is that he is in that awkward transition stage from 2 naps to 1.  It was a very gradual transition for DD, and it was not an easy one. She would fight those afternoon naps pretty hard when she was ready to give them up.  I started her with 1 nap at around 15-16 months and she would go down at 10:30 or 11am, and sleep until 12:30 or 1.  That was her only nap.  She'd go to bed around 6:30 or 7.  Now, she's 22 mos and she is able to stay up until 1-1:30pm and sleeps till 3-3:30.Bedtime is now 8pm. It will get better.  She is totally adjusted now to the one nap schedule, and so am I!   

JM1226

Seems like he's ready to drop the nap by what you said: nap refusal, early wake-up and taking awhile to fall asleep.  First of all 2hrs is a great nap! My DD sleeps only an hour...so be lucky!  This is what I learned.....  If he's waking at 6:30 have him nap from 11-1.  If he sleeps that whole time great...if not don't rush in to him let him try to fall back asleep or just have quiet time until 1...always offer 2hrs (its teaching them nap time isn't over yet and also giving them a chance to fall back asleep).  Prior to nap try and keep him active..go outside fresh air is always helpful.  During the transition to 1 nap its best to have an earlier bedtime for a few days/week to allow them to get used to the new nap schedule and to make up for any sleep loss.  Expect crankiness and even shorter naps during the transition...some LO's take better to 1 nap than others.  My DD was going to bed prior to 6 on some nights when her nap was a mess and she gave me a good 12+ on those nights.  Don't be nervous about the early bedtimes....I know I was but early bedtimes=later wakeups!  My DD has been on 1 nap for alittle over a month and I'm still having bad days but I also remain to give her early bedtimes...GL!