Naptime - Kaneohe,HI

Be SO glad that your little one takes 2 naps. Sometimes I can only get my 13 month old son to take one 20 minute nap (those are really hard days). My doctor told me to let a child sleep as much as they will. Some kids need more sleep than others. If you put your child down for a nap and they go to sleep then let them sleep. The days when my son won't sleep long I still insist that he stay in his crib for at least 30 minutes to unwind (he is a VERY active child).

my son started batteling his morning nap at around 14 months so i moved him to one nap and he slept for like 3 hours. it was great.

my 20 month old still takes 2 naps a day and sleeps 11-12 hrs a night.Same time everyday.

Sometimes, what APPEARS as a "refusal" or a "change" in nap habit, is them hitting milestones or a developmental change. Then the phase passes and it goes back to normal.

Before you move her nap time to just once a day, I would keep to what you are doing, since this seems to be her pattern and a good sleep routine you got going.

Then, after a time, if it doesn't work, then perhaps move her to 1 nap a day and consolidate it so to speak.

My son is 25 months old and still takes 2 naps a day (morning and afternoon). It's not ME that is "making" him nap, but he gets tired and this is his pattern. But yes, I keep it consistent. Same time, same pre-nap routine- everyday.

I did try to "skip" his morning nap one week... to see how he'd do and so I could take him to toddler groups/classes....BUT, it didn't work with him and it just made him super tired and clingy and grumpy. So, I reverted back to his nap "schedule." When and if he starts to outgrow the morning nap, then I will go according to his needs. The 2 naps a day still works for my son... if he only naps once a day, even for a long stretch... he still gets too tired by afternoon and can't last the whole day with only 1 nap.

If you don't need to, I wouldn't "change" her nap routine/timing. Like any baby/child, they sometimes go through hiccups in their sleep length/times. Its normal.
Each baby/child is different. There is no one "rule" as to when to switch a child to just 1 nap. Go according to your child.

Good luck,
Susan

Hi Nashes Mom, Good to hear from you. It sounds to me like you are doing everything right with your little girl, Their nap and sleep times do change as they grow becasue the needs change as well, I would change her 2 naos times a day, until she only needs the one nap a day, I have a 14 month old in my daycare and he takes 2 naps a day. I don't think there is a magic age to where you change their nap times, cause all kids are different, if her naps are shorter now but still sleeps good at night, I think that's ok. Hope this helps. J. L.

my daughter was down to one nap a day by that age. what i was put her single nap in between her two normal nap times. maybe this will work for you! good luck!

Just from experience, I'd keep giving her the two naps as long as possible, until she starts refusing the morning nap. My son is 20 months and still has a better day when he gets two naps.

My first 2 kids gave up their morning naps at about a year. With my first daughter, I was really bummed to have her give it up. However, it became really clear that she didn't need it. I would put her down like normal, but she just wasn't sleepy. She might take a morning nap once every week or two, until she never needed one. With my second daughter, it was almost a relief when she didn't need it anymore, because it made morning playdates and activities so much easier.

Naps need to work for both of you, so if it works better for you to have her nap twice a day, maintain the structure to encourage her to continue her morning nap. Be prepared for it to not work occasionally, but you can probably keep it going for a while longer. If you'd prefer one longer nap in the afternoon, your little one sounds like she may be ready for that transition soon.

My third child is almost 11 months old, and is still needing his morning nap. I'll be sad when he is ready to give it up! Good luck!!!