Napping Advice

V.,
I have a 19 month old that does about the same. I try to put her down for a nap about 11:30am, but it normally doesn't last long. If I don't get her down then, I better forget trying to get her down. Maybe it's just a stage that they go thru.

You should have outside or active play in the morning then lunch at 10:30 or 11am , depending on what time she wakes up. Then after lunch naptime. As she gets older naptime becomes quiet time.

This has always worked for me. Wear them out.... eat.....nap.

Good luck J.

I have 2 sons and both of them started taking one nap around 16 months. My youngest who will be 3 in December is still on the same schedule. He wakes up between 6:30 - 7:30, which has him sleeping 10-11 hours. We keep him occupied during the morning hours and don't put him down for a nap until after lunch, between 12:30 - 1:30. He then sleeps for 3 hours which is great and allows us some one on one time with our 5 year old who doesn't usually nap anymore. Even after the 3 hour nap, he is still ready to go to bed around 8:00.

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My children have always napped the longest on a full stomach and when they have played outside. Try feeding her a heavier snack before naptime and taking her outside to play right before her nap.

How wonderful to have a one year old daughter. I think all my children decreased their nap time around a year of age. I found that one of the most important things that helped our family is routine. My children and I had a daily lunch/nap routine. Each day we would play in the morning (visits to the public library, playgroup or go outside to play) and then around lunch time, we would all come in and get ready for lunch...wash hands, make lunch, set the table...I would have the children help prepare for lunch. Then we would all sit and eat. After lunch it was snuggly story time. We would cuddle up and read a few stories before they were to lay down and rest. Once you are in a routine, your child (or children) know what to expect and it helps. As they got older, they may not have fallen asleep all the time; but they did rest their bodies for a short period of time. They learned the expectations...lay in bed, look at books, and rest and get ready for an afternoon of fun. Hope it helps and enjoy your sweet baby girl as they grow up so fast.

Hi V.!
I agree with Peg's schedule. My perspective is this:
First you shorten her nighttime sleep by waking her up earlier in the morning. Feed her breakfast as you normally would after she wakes up.
Increase her morning activity by playing in the park, or with a class or play group, or by encouraging her to move around during your errands (more walking and less sitting or being carried). On a rainy day, she can mimic you doing exercises in front of the TV.
If she starts dozing before lunch or in her carseat, wake her up and put the music louder.
It's OK for her to have a midmorning protein snack, but avoid letting her "graze", so that she eats a substantial lunch.
Without a snack, she'll be ready for a relatively early lunch.
After lunch, start a regular "quiet time". She should be ready to drop. Read her some books and lie down with her initially, if necessary.
I believe that if you maintain that schedule for a couple of days, you'll set a pattern.
Don't give her junk food or sugar drinks. Avoid caffeine. Increase her proteins and complex carbohydrates (whole wheat macaroni, whole wheat bread, etc.) and decrease her simple carbs.
Good luck!

I've heard when they get about that age that babies tend to drop down to one nap. I've also heard that they need about 45 minutes of sleep for brain restoration, so it sounds like that's what your little one is doing. Does she take a nap in her room? If you're trying to get her to sleep a little longer, maybe try darkening the room just a little bit and add some white noise- a box fan or a small fish tank. My little boy is 6 months and sometimes he takes 1 nap, sometimes he takes 3, but they're never longer than an hour and 45 minutes, and are usually right at 45 minutes to an hour. We also noticed that he slept better when we stopped letting him take naps in his playpen in the living room and put him in his crib for naps and shut the door. I wouldn't try wearing her out before a nap cause that can make it harder for her to fall asleep and make you both miserable.

HI V.,

I can see that you've received lots of advice. One thing you must remember is that each child is unique. My first child was a great sleeper/napper and at 13, still is. He would take 3-4 hour naps in the afternoon and I would go in to make sure he was still breathing. He'd sleep again at night, too. My daughter gave up naps at about 1 year and now at 10, still doesn't sleep very much. Six hours is about all she needs and she's full of energy and ready to go. The physical activity is one of the best recommendations that I saw. Running around in the fresh air will really tire her out and she'll be ready for a nap. I was more concerned about my kids sleeping through the night for my sanity, so I let the naps slide. You're lucky. With only one child, you can alter your schedule to fit hers if need be. Once you have a second, that goes out the window, so I'd try to find something that works well before then. I wish you luck - and remember - whatever works for you is the best solution, not necessarily what any expert says. Take care, L.

I don't really have advice. My daughter is one now and this is her schedule for you to reference if helpful...I have no idea if it is normal! ;)

Wakes about 7 ish, eats, naps around 9:30 till 11ish
lunch around 12 naps around 2:30-4
eats dinner and has a drink before bed and bath at 6:45

I happen to love this routine, but it didn't happen over night. Even the last three weeks or so she had been waking at 5 in the morning!! Good luck ;)

Amanda

How is she waking up? Upset or groggy? Hungry or hurting? I know that with my two kids, when their sleep changed I could attribute it to either new stage of development or a physical thing that was waking them up. Could she be teething? Molars, maybe? My two would be miserable with them, and they take SO LONG to even break the skin! My daughter had ALL of her two year molars at 14 months, so don't think it is too early! I would give them a little baby motrin or tylenol (whatever works for yours), right before napping, then as I put them down, a teething tablet or a swipe of oragel. With both, you are easing the short term pain (teething tablets or oragel) and the long term pain (tylenol), whichs help them sleep longer, because they aren't hurting so much so soon. And the oragel/teething tablet/tylenol don't interact....Hope this helps! These little ones always keep us guessing! :) Have a great day!

P.S. Have you tried seeing if she will sooth herself back to sleep? She might just be experimenting with you...who knows!?

Suggestions I would try would be to not allow her to nap until lunch time if she sleeps through the night especially. Find things to entertain her, go outdoors to play, etc. Also make sure she is getting to bed at night around 8'ish.
After lunch, and she has a full tummy, do a "quiet" play time or read to her for a few minutes, then put her down for the afternoon nap. She probably doesn't need an afternoon nap longer than 30-60 minutes if she sleeps a third of her daytime in the morning!!
Also be diligent about her sugar intake, junk food at lunch, as some kids are sensitive and it will make them so hyper that it's almost impossible to get them down for a nap. I had a nephew I took care of that was like that, and also have a couple of grandchildren the same way.
Hope you'll try to get her on a "better" routine; it will give you a break, and get her used to staying up in the morning after a night's sleep.

Many good tips, see what works for you and your daughter and keep us posted on the outcome.

My son was the same. What worked for us was to go ahead and switch to the afternoon nap, but in a different way than just waiting until after lunch. My son would act sleepy around 10:30, but if I put him down then he'd only sleep a short time before he'd be ready for lunch. Then he wouldn't go back down. So, I started feeding him lunch at 10:30. He would eat, be awake for a little while to get the rest of his energy out, and then be ready for a nap around noonish. It took about a week to get used to the new schedule, but after it was established he thrived on it! As time has gone on he has been able to go longer in the mornings before lunch, and now he has lunch with the family and naps around 1:00 with his sisters. We started this around his first birthday - he's now two.

V.,

My daughter is about the same age. I recommend you get the book "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child" by Dr. Marc Weissbluth. It's good for parents who are expecting to those with children clear up through adolescence. It's been a HUGE help to us. We used to have napping problems as well, but the tips in this book helped us sooooo much! One tip I can think to share that might help you right now is this: If your daughter is down to only one nap (usually happens between 12-15 months), then you might need to make her bedtime a little earlier to compensate for her no longer taking a morning nap. That way she'll be more rested in the mornings, and she'll make it to the afternoon before she's ready to nap. You didn't mention what time you put her to bed now or when she gets up. I can tell you both from my reading and from experience that an earlier bedtime will likely help solve your napping problems. A lot of parents don't honor an early bedtime due to a lack of knowledge, a busy social life, etc. It's a sacrifice at times to be home early to put our baby to bed, but it's one we willingly make because we know it's best for her and we've seen what a difference it makes. By early, I mean 6:30 - 7:30 pm. Dr. Weissbluth recommends a bedtime between 6 - 8pm and a wake up time around 7am. This schedule will help ensure quality naps and natural sleep rhythm. If you now put your baby down much later than this, then a gradual (about 20 minutes or so each night over several nights) shift to an earlier bedtime is recommended. I won't go on any longer. Just get the book!! It helps so much! Good luck!

If you want her to sleep longer in the afternoon cut out the morning nap. You can't expect her to sleep all day at this age. You will have to choose which time you want her to sleep. she is growing up and naps do become fewer so you could just keep her up and put her down after lunch. She is not sleepy in the afternoon if she is sleeping through lunch and then you are putting her down again.

I highly recommend the book The Baby Whisperer: Solving all your problems

I don't know about anyone elses child as they all are different but I guess around one maybe 1 to 1and 1/2 minde started taking just one nap after lunch. She always took 1 and 1/2 hr to 3 hr naps though. When she gets hyper that is a sure sign she is getting tired because she is bouncing around trying to keep awake. Try making her sit and watch a movie or read to her then lay her down and see if that is not what she is telling you....(that she is tired she is just trying to stay awake).
When mine doesn't go to sleep, I at least make her have quiet time and be still and lay down because when they go to preschool and kindergarten they are gonna make them do that and if you don't make her do it at home she will have a really hard time at school and get into trouble for it.
I would say try different things and see what works for you.