WWYD re this nap/sleeo situation

[nowa]

DD2 has always been a great sleeper for the most part. Easy to put down for naps especially. She pretty much goes right to sleep and stays asleep for 2-3 hours. And she's relatively easy to put down at night except that we need to rock her and she won't fall asleep until 8:30 and lately even 9. This is starting to feel too late. Would you drop the nap even though she's happily napping or would you stick to the status quo? I can't decide what's better. 2-3 hours during the day or a more reasonable bed time.

[andrewsgal]

How old is she? Honestly nap time is my saving grace I would let her keep. Could you shorten it to 1.5 hours?

[nowa]

She's nearly 22 months. DD1 dropped her nap completely at 2 on her own. But DD1 likes her nap so much. Shortening it is a good idea though. I can just wake her up earlier and see if that helps. I forget to do that because the silence and/or one-on-one time with DD1 is so nice...

[andrewsgal]

Aug 5, 2015 19:42:44 GMT -5 nowa said:

She's nearly 22 months. DD1 dropped her nap completely at 2 on her own. But DD1 likes her nap so much. Shortening it is a good idea though. I can just wake her up earlier and see if that helps. I forget to do that because the silence and/or one-on-one time with DD1 is so nice...

I hear you I would do anything for nap time.

[cna]

Can you try moving her nap up earlier so there is more time between nap and bed? Or doing something close to bedtime to wear her out? I dreaded when my kids gave up naps and tried everything in my power to keep them napping.

[quesyrah]

DD did this so I stopped laying her down for a nap. As long as her attitude/behavior don't indicate she needs a nap. I like the early/easy bedtime as oppose to a nap. So when mine both starting having difficult/late bedtimes on days they napped I dropped the nap

[dizzycooks]

Oh dear God I would cry if my kid stopped napping. I'd shorten the nap and try for earlier bedtime a bit at a time. Also shorten the rocking, etc a bit at a time. Good luck!

[auroraloo]

Dd is a month older than yours and she's doing this too. I tried waking her up earlier from nap and it was worthless, she still stayed up late (PAST TEN!!! FOUR NIGHTS!!) and was crabby as fuck this morning. I'm attributing it to growth spurt and teeth and mental leap all at once, because she is not ready to give up her nap, and I think ~2 is generally too young to stop napping. I'm just rolling with it for a week, then we will readjust.

[ashb62]

My boys are also 22 months and if they stopped napping I would seriously have a meltdown. I NEED that break. I agree with trying to shorten her nap instead of cutting it completely.

[gastro]

The 9pm bedtime wouldn't bother me if nighttime sleep otherwise was good. Is she getting enough quality nighttime sleep?
We dropped DS's nap because bedtime was getting late but also because he would get up in the middle of the night, have restless sleep and was still getting up early.

I would try for an earlier nap if possible. I could never successfully shorten DS's naps because then he would be the crabbiest kid ever for the rest of the day.

[sparkythelawyer]

Is she otherwise happy and content during the day with a 9pm bedtime and a long nap in the day? If yes, leave it be.

[mamaalysson]

DS is this exactly - will sleep easily and for a long time, but it pushes bedtime waaaay back. For me, I far prefer an earlier and easier bedtime than the nap during the day. DD (5) no longer naps, and DS is happy to miss it as long as we stay active, so it is actually kind of nice to have our afternoons free to go to the Children's Museum or the zoo or whatever.

The one thing I have discovered since being released from the half day preschool schedule this summer is if DS falls asleep for a nap between 10 and 11 am, it doesn't seem to ruin bedtime. I'm really hopeful that with DD in full day kindergarten this year I can get a little more time out of this late morning nap. I also try really, really hard to avoid being in the car around 4:30 or 5, because he will almost always fall asleep and then I'm just screwed.