Transitioning to 1 Nap

[marcieandpie]

I have two dck, 15 mo & 16 mo who are currently on a nap schedule of 9ish to 10ish (depending on what time parents got them up and brought to me) in the mornings, then 1 to 3 in the afternoons. They have been great nappers after working on a consistent routine here, but at home they are all over the place. Both parents say they only nap once a day for 2 hours or so, if that. Here's the issue...the 16 month old recently started taking a lot longer to fall asleep in the afternoons. Could she be ready to transition to 1 nap a day? The problem is that she often comes in so tired in the mornings and is more than ready for her morning nap. How do you handle the transition?

[Lovisa]

I have a 14 month old who only naps once a day. He wakes around 6am at home. Gets dropped off here at 7:30. Then naps from 12-2:30ish (sometimes longer sometimes shorter).

With my own kiddos, I remember it took a month or two for them to completely transition to only one nap. After that month or so, the grumpiness didn't happen anymore.

[Rockgirl]

If she is really tired, I would let her sleep in the morning, but shorten it to around 30 minutes. It seems to be long enough to refresh a toddler, but not long enough to interfere with afternoon nap. Then after maybe a couple of weeks, you could try cutting out the morning nap altogether.

[MunchkinWrangler]

If she is really tired, I would let her sleep in the morning, but shorten it to around 30 minutes. It seems to be long enough to refresh a toddler, but not long enough to interfere with afternoon nap. Then after maybe a couple of weeks, you could try cutting out the morning nap altogether.

I agree. I basically transition once the morning nap starts affecting the afternoon nap also. Once that starts happening it's time to start slowly eliminating that first nap. Expect their afternoon nap to be earlier.

[SnowGirl]

I had to transition three small toddlers simultaneously. I cut out the morning nap entirely and moved the afternoon nap to really early (11:00 at first). Then I gradually pushed the nap back a half hour until I got it to where I wanted it.

[marcieandpie]

I have a 14 month old who only naps once a day. He wakes around 6am at home. Gets dropped off here at 7:30. Then naps from 12-2:30ish (sometimes longer sometimes shorter).

With my own kiddos, I remember it took a month or two for them to completely transition to only one nap. After that month or so, the grumpiness didn't happen anymore.

Okay, our times are about the same, so I'll try that. Thanks for the input!

[marcieandpie]

If she is really tired, I would let her sleep in the morning, but shorten it to around 30 minutes. It seems to be long enough to refresh a toddler, but not long enough to interfere with afternoon nap. Then after maybe a couple of weeks, you could try cutting out the morning nap altogether.

Great idea. I'll give that a try and then give them a nap earlier in the day once I cut out the morning nap. Thank you!

[marcieandpie]

I had to transition three small toddlers simultaneously. I cut out the morning nap entirely and moved the afternoon nap to really early (11:00 at first). Then I gradually pushed the nap back a half hour until I got it to where I wanted it.

I wish they both seemed ready for this transition, but unfortunately one of them sometimes wakes up at 4 or 5 in the morning and if she doesn't sleep a solid hour during morning nap on those days she SCREAMS until her next nap. Sometimes She gets up super early at home, and other times they will wake her up at 8 and bring her straight in. Until now they have been on the same nap schedule with me.