the sacred morning nap

[charlottep]

My boy has just turned 14 months and is resisting his morning nap - he used to sleep for 45 mins every morning at about 9:30 giving me some much needed time out, but now he's got no interest in napping in the a.m. and is happy to potter around until 12:30/1 p.m. when he has his 2 hour afternoon nap.

Should i be persisting and trying to get him to nap in the morning, I'm just not sure whether this is a phase, or if he's testing his boundaries, or is this about the age when babies typically stop sleeping so much in the day?? Any insights would be very interesting, as I'm keen to keep his napping routine up for as long as possible!

Thanks very much

[catgirl]

My daughter dropped hers about this age and moved to just a lunchtime nap although that could then last up to 2.5 hours if that's any consolation! My 14 month old son is also just starting to be able to last the morning too, I think it's pretty standard about this age. I tend to give him an early lunch at the moment and then put him down about 12 - 12.30 for 2 - 2.5 hours. It obviously varies from child to child but I know a lot of friends have found their children moved to just the one lunchtime sleep at around 1yr.

[The Nappy Lady]

Agree - I'd say he's just ready to drop that nap I'm afraid....

[Fuschia]

Mine nap from 9.30 or 10 for an hour, and a couple of hours usually 2-4 but can be as late as 4-6! I'd much prefer them to have just one nap, middle of the day! (15m mine are)

[Moos]

Yes, sorry Charlotte I think you may have to let the morning nap / cup of tea bow out gracefully. Looking on the bright side, at least you can take him for mornings out or classes with fewer restrictions.

[chantelle]

my little guy went to just one nap at 10 months, so you've done well, i'd say! he's one year now and sleeps 11-1, or longer.

[Bishberro]

My son is 15 months and for the past few weeks has just been having the one nap. He can last the morning although still gets really tired so I give him lunch around 12 and then he goes down for two and a half hours. It's a pain dropping that morning nap though as I used to love having a shower and getting dressed in peace.

[Quaywegirl]

Like Chantelle mine dropped his at 10m, he's now 15m and I'm finding if he sleeps for more than 1.5h at lunch that he wakes up at 5am the next morning so I think I may have to cut down the lunch time nap. I really miss the early days!

[schpan]

I'm so jealous. My 6 month old sometimes has a half hour morning nap but that's it for the rest of the day, apart from the odd 10 minute power nap. Might be time to get out the Gina Ford judging by all these posts.

[charlottep]

thank you for the helpful responses and goodbye morning nap, you've been a good friend and i'll miss you.

[sanity girl]

Just to give you hope, my daughter was rubbish at napping when she was tiny, but from about 14 months (I think it coincided with walking and stopping breastfeeding) she started having one good nap per day and now aged 2 and a bit she is capable of sleeping for 2.5 hours in the middle of the day!

schpan Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I'm so jealous. My 6 month old sometimes has a

> half hour morning nap but that's it for the rest

> of the day, apart from the odd 10 minute power

> nap. Might be time to get out the Gina Ford

> judging by all these posts.

[citizenED]

One of the little lessons that we should all learn as parents (but never do) is to "go with the flow". I remember deperately trying anything to keep my first born's morning nap going for as long as possible before finally realising that it was over. I was only allowed to mourn the loss of that cherished moment of quiet for a couple of days; by then I had got completely taken up by the new regime of no-sleep mornings.

Just go with the flow, charlottep. Puts you in a better position to face whatever is the next big change.

[Fuschia]

sanity girl Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Just to give you hope, my daughter was rubbish at

> napping when she was tiny, but from about 14

> months (I think it coincided with walking and

> stopping breastfeeding) she started having one

> good nap per day and now aged 2 and a bit she is

> capable of sleeping for 2.5 hours in the middle of

> the day!

>

My first one never really napped... used to feed for an hour.. catnaop.. feed for an hour.. catnap and even at the age of 2 he'd obly nap if I was driving. Drove me mad. He's still a high energy 6 yo (but has put all that extra awake time to good use learning things!)

Without me doing anything at all, I now have twins who do nap.. the girl you can just lie down with her blanket when she's tired and off she goes.. the boy gets overtired and cries furiously till he conks out. Both sleep for about 3h during the day...

So.. it might just be your child, schpan... but you can encourage napping by maybe taking a walk with the buggy at times you think she's tired... eatching particuularly for the very first sign of tiredness.. glazed look, touching eyes, crotchety.

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > I'm so jealous. My 6 month old sometimes has a

> > half hour morning nap but that's it for the

> rest

> > of the day, apart from the odd 10 minute power

> > nap. Might be time to get out the Gina Ford

> > judging by all these posts.