XP: Do you ever miss naps? Or, are you a nap "dictator"?

Meggie1129 · January 2009

XP -

I was wondering if anyone else is as uptight as me about naps. DS is about 10 1/2 months. Around 5 months he was not as portable and wouldn't nap in his crib or anywhere, so I became very strict about trying to get him on a nap schedule. It took about a month, but he became a wonderful napper, totaling about 3 1/2 hour a day. He just dropped his 3rd nap and is taking 2 1 1/2 naps a day now.

However, we hardly ever, ever miss naps. I can think of maybe 5 times he has missed a nap, I sometimes cut it short to make church or make sure he takes it in the car if we will be in it at least an hour (but even that is only like once or twice). I always make sure we are home. As you can imagine, this severely restricts our "social" life or trying to make plans to do things. Even when we were on vacation I always made sure he made his naps.

He is very crabby if he misses a nap but maybe I am not giving him enough credit and need to occassionally see what would happen if he misses a nap. Do you ever skip naps and how does your baby handle it? Or, is anyone else like me and just fels like it is more important for your child to get his sleep in.

Oh, and I ask because oftentimes I see all these other moms making plans or taking classes or what not, and I wonder how they do it around naps. And what do you do when you have a second child? The funny part is, I swore I would be one of those parents who didn't let things like naps dictate our day, and now I am so far polar opposite of that it is almost ridiculous!

maddie80 · January 2009

No, I'm like you. I'm pretty rigid about naps and bedtime. If I'm not, then DS doesn't sleep, and then he's cranky and we all suffer.

AugustaBride04 · January 2009

Nope, just like you. I am pretty adamant on naps. My DD naps best in her crib and will not nap in the car for more than 30 minutes. It does require planning around them to get things done. I also try not to wake her from naps unless I absolutely have to. We are still on 2 naps a day about 1.5 hours each and haven't missed a nap yet. Some days, she takes shorter naps 30 - 45 minutes. She is the happiest when she sleeps good and I do all that I can to encourage it. My Dad calls us "by the book" since we are strict on napping, but hey that is what works the best for us and helps DD thrive.

LoveEeyore · January 2009

We are flexible on the time (give or take 30 minutes) but plan nothing between 11:30 and 2 because of naps. Poor nap= crap sleep at night for us.

ttangel98 · January 2009

I'm a nap nazi. I need the time to chill and if he doesn't nap then he goes to bed wayyyy too early and is very cranky and clingy.

capecodbaby · January 2009

I am the complete opposite. DS is down to one nap and it's anywhere between 11:30 and 12:30, he will sleep anywhere and through just about anything.

It was a concious decision that dh and I made when he was an infant. We wanted to be able to take him out and go out whenever we could or wanted to.

We have never run into an issue with him not napping at his usual time.

AlisaS · January 2009

Life is too short to be inflexible, IMO.

Olive21 · January 2009

We're pretty flexible if we need to be, but we do try to schedule things around a good early afternoon nap. If for some reason we need to move it, it's not a huge deal for us.

trizzie · January 2009

I am like the pp. We promised not to let naps dictate our life. Thankfully, DS is very laid-back and will sleep wherever (even in a hiking backpack during a hike in Sedona). It has worked out well for us.