Almost every baby book I've read states that somewhere between 15-18 months, many toddlers transition from 2 naps to 1. By two years old over 90% of little ones are on the one nap/day schedule.
I've watched as one by one, our favorite toddler friends make the leap. Some very early on because of daycare schedules, some in their own natural transitions. This pretty much equates to us not getting to see these friends anymore, because their one nap/day time is usually during Iyla's awake and ready-to-play time.
It also seems that every single fun toddler activity in town happens in the 10-11am hour. There are oh so many story times and train rides and play dates that we end up missing because up until last week, we were still on the two nap/day schedule.
Then Iyla decided to shake things up.
This past week, Iyla started playing & partying in her crib more often than sleeping for her 2nd nap. I wondered if THIS WAS IT. The transition was upon us! And promptly began experimenting with pushing her first nap back later, thinking it would get longer in duration to make up the difference in total daytime sleeping hours.
Not so much.
Iyla appears to be a one hour nap wonder. No matter what time we try putting her down, no matter how we tweak the pre-nap routine (lunch first? No sleep sack? Wearing her out with a long walk?) she wakes up exactly 60 minutes after nodding off.
One 1 hour nap/day = a very cranky toddler (and- let's be honest. A very cranky Mama).
Which had me wondering if maybe Iyla wasn't quite yet ready to join the ranks of the one nap crowd.
Yesterday I decided to try going back to our two nap schedule, putting her down early for her first snooze.
She slept from 10:30-11:30, and when put down again at 3:30, partied it up - running back and forth across the crib, throwing pacifiers out, chatting to the pictures on the walls- basically anything but sleeping. Letting me know quite definitively that she was a BIG GIRL now and didn't need that 2nd nap. *Sigh*
She did sleep in a lot later today, which I guess I could get on board with. Perhaps in lieu of the 2+ daytime sleeping hours she will continue to be a one hour wonder and make up the other hours at night?
This transition may see us finally reconnecting with long lost toddler friends. And needing to reschedule Iyla's swim lessons AGAIN.
I've watched as one by one, our favorite toddler friends make the leap. Some very early on because of daycare schedules, some in their own natural transitions. This pretty much equates to us not getting to see these friends anymore, because their one nap/day time is usually during Iyla's awake and ready-to-play time.
It also seems that every single fun toddler activity in town happens in the 10-11am hour. There are oh so many story times and train rides and play dates that we end up missing because up until last week, we were still on the two nap/day schedule.
Then Iyla decided to shake things up.
This past week, Iyla started playing & partying in her crib more often than sleeping for her 2nd nap. I wondered if THIS WAS IT. The transition was upon us! And promptly began experimenting with pushing her first nap back later, thinking it would get longer in duration to make up the difference in total daytime sleeping hours.
Not so much.
Iyla appears to be a one hour nap wonder. No matter what time we try putting her down, no matter how we tweak the pre-nap routine (lunch first? No sleep sack? Wearing her out with a long walk?) she wakes up exactly 60 minutes after nodding off.
'Just go ahead and TRY to wear me out, Mama!"
One 1 hour nap/day = a very cranky toddler (and- let's be honest. A very cranky Mama).
Which had me wondering if maybe Iyla wasn't quite yet ready to join the ranks of the one nap crowd.
Yesterday I decided to try going back to our two nap schedule, putting her down early for her first snooze.
She slept from 10:30-11:30, and when put down again at 3:30, partied it up - running back and forth across the crib, throwing pacifiers out, chatting to the pictures on the walls- basically anything but sleeping. Letting me know quite definitively that she was a BIG GIRL now and didn't need that 2nd nap. *Sigh*
She did sleep in a lot later today, which I guess I could get on board with. Perhaps in lieu of the 2+ daytime sleeping hours she will continue to be a one hour wonder and make up the other hours at night?
This transition may see us finally reconnecting with long lost toddler friends. And needing to reschedule Iyla's swim lessons AGAIN.
'Two naps is SO for babies. Let's party! And read books!'
Now if only there were some way to let Iyla know that BIG GIRLS no longer need to drink from bottles….
One step at a time, right?
So, Jett took a long time to make this transition. He started out doing what Iyla is doing so I made the switch but he was SO tired in the morning so our one nap days started out at 11am. He'd sleep for an hour or an hour and 15 minutes most days but wouldn't go down for a 2nd nap, sound familiar?! We just kept at it, eventually we ended up where we are now, he takes a nap at 1pm and sleeps for 2 hours. For the longest time it was only an hour and then one day he just started sleeping more. We gradually pushed 11am back to 12pm and then eventually to 1pm (he was PARTYING in his crib rather than sleeping for an hour...time to move nap time!) It wasn't quick like the other transitions, it took time and we've moved it quite a bit. Just watch Iyla's signs, you'll figure it out!
ReplyDeleteOur son Carter- (born Nov 24 the same year as your sweetie!) Dropped his second nap a long time ago. I was super bummed. Now he sleeps from 11:30-1 maybe 2 if we are lucky. Sometimes, like today, he'll only sleep for an hour. It's all over the place. We also haven't gotten rid of the bottle either. :(
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