Can they be tired?

My guys usually get 2 naps a day...at 9 and then at 1. They sometimes don't fall asleep for the pm nap but usually take an hour or 1 1/2 hr nap in the am. By 530 they are MISERABLE and the bath routine is a screaming frenzy!! Once they get their blankies and binkies they are happy and when asked if they want nite nites they say yes and we put them down and don't make a peep until 630, sometimes 7 the next morning.
But there are times they take 2 naps a day and this still happens at 530 or even earlier!
When will they be able to stay up later? It seems if I try and force them to stay up later they still get up the same time in the morning so I figure they need to go to sleep earlier.
I know most moms are trying to get their kids to sleep more..I'm just hoping to get them to one nap and maybe get them to stay up until about 7 so that they might sleep in until 7- 730 even.
How do I do this? I have no idea how I can push them through the morning nap. And then I worry that if I do we'll still be going to bed early b/c the pm nap won't be long enough for them...

 

Let me see if I understand..

You want them to stay awake longer in the evenings so that they'll sleep longer in the mornings?

If so, it doesnt always work. My twins have stayed up till after 8Pm on some nights(not wanting to go sleep). When this happens they still wake up around 6 - 7am. Regardless whether they had one nap or two during the day. Also regardless when they went to sleep at night.

I have found that if they do not get enough stimulation or rest during the day that the evenings are a 'nightmare'..they'll constantly wake up during the night.

Make sure their activities are appropriate for their age group & that they move a lot during the day. Also that they are eating enough...
I found that my twins need their two naps a day! I need them to need it!

HTH

Denise

 

If I am reading correctly it seems that you should be trying for one nap instead of two (I think avg. age for this is around 15mos.) and maybe your babies are telling you they are ready for this by resisting the 2nd nap many days. If so, can you go and get out and about and push their morning nap back by 1/2 hour segments until your morning nap becomes a mid-day nap without a later nap? Maybe have a goal of getting them to go down at 11:30 or noon and then this may become a longer nap and they can wake around 2:30 or 3 and be okay to go to bed around 7pm.

We are also on 2 naps, 9:30 and 2:30 and although mine are only 12 1/2 months now I cannot imagine how it is going to go when trying to push the first nap so much later; however, I am sure it is inevitable as we get older. I think it probably sounds scary to push the 9am nap off until so much later in the day but I bet if you do it incrementally they may get it okay.

I am definitly not experienced in this as many other forum moms are but, this is the plan I am going to use when it is our time to do so. Of course, we all know what happens to our best laid plans...!

Also, I think that the best way to push the am nap longer is to take them outside or to a play area and stay busy during the morning (if possible) and I bet once the am nap is gone the midday nap will automatically lengthen.

 

My little men went to one nap at 17 months. They were having a tough time with the afternoon nap as well. We had them still take a morning nap when they got tired and just got rid of the pm nap. My guys still take their one nap between 1030 and 11 am and will sleep until 1 or 2 pm then they have lunch when they wake. They go to bed at 8 pm and there are no battles- they ask to go to bed!! They are tired by that point! They wake around 630 am.
For us this nap in the am works so well as we have to get big sister from school at 3 (and now gymnastics summer camp at 3). I am glad that their nap isn't later in the day.
Anyhow- best wishes for finding what works for your kids- but I'd vote for finding a way to get to one nap!!
lanie