Getting them to sleep later in the morning?

Ok.. So my little guys will be 1 in a few weeks and I can't complain, they are GREAT sleepers... BUT ever since the darn time change they've been getting up at 6 am instead of between 7 and 8.. It doesn't matter if I put them to bed at 5:30 pm or 8 pm (or any time in between) they still are awake by 6... By 8am they are ready for a morning nap, and will sleep for 2 hrs then wake up and play/eat lunch and are back down by 1 at the very latest for an afternoon nap..

I'm ready for them to drop their morning nap and take a longer afternoon nap, but I can't remember when my older son started doing that.. But really mostly I'd love it if they went back to sleeping until at least 7am..

Any suggestions?!

 

We have started to transition the kids to just an afternoon nap. With my oldest, he didn't drop his morning nap until he was 17 months (a month after the twins were born) but we kept him on the 2 naps a day just to help me out while I was at home with him trying not to have the babies early. So, this go around, we are ready for them to stop the morning nap. We have sort of just gone cold turkey.

We are also noticing that with just this afternoon nap, we are getting more of a sleep in.

So, I can't really give you any tips, but you are the boss and its all a matter of trial and error. Ever though of just cutting out the morning nap and putting them down a little earlier than 1pm? Maybe like 12-12:15?

 

LOL...I'm dealing with early riser too but mine are up in the 4's!! 6am sounds like a dream over here so I'm no help there

DS dropped his nap morning around 12 months. He did it himself and it didn't take much work from me. He stopped going down in the am, or would only sleep for 30 min when he did so I just stopped putting him down at 9am and would wait until after lunch around 11:30 or 12. It took about a week for everything to adjust and his bedtime got a little earlier, sometimes 6:30 depending on when he was up from his nap and his fussiness level. If you want to do it I say just pick a new nap time and stick to it, it shouldn't take too long for them to adjust if they're ready!

 

I dont know how to move them to wake later. Mine just did it after about a week they readjusted their inner clock. I didnt really do anything special

For dropping the morning nap it really depends on the kids. My oldest was 19 months, closer to 20 months, before he dropped his morning nap. The twins dropped theirs at 10 months. I would LOVE for them to still be napping 2x a day!

 

I agree - totally depends on the child for the dropping of a nap - my eldest dropped to one nap by 9mths of age, my 2nd was 17mths before he dropped one! My 3rd was about 14mths and the Duo were right about 1 yr when they dropped.

I found it was a rough transition when we dropped that nap - very grumpy and the nap seemed to be earlier than their traditional aft. nap time. We would do a good breakfast, then snack and then down for nap with lunch when they got up.

Now at 14mths we are able to push that nap to after lunch.

 

Have you tried dark curtains, that can help sometimes but I don't think there is a great solution.

About 1 year we went to 1 nap. It was from 10:30 or 11 until 2 or so. It was great. I fed a snack before putting to bed and it helped them to sleep longer and stay awake happy before I was ready for them to go down.

 

Thanks everyone... I guess we'll just wait it all out and see if they decide to start sleeping later or not.. I'm pretty sure if I cut out that morning nap they'd be miserable all day.. Today I made them stay awake an hr longer, then woke them up after an hour and they were dragging butt all day.. I can't complain they're good sleepers, I just don't want to be up at 6am..

 

If you figure out how to let them sleep later in the morning, please tell me! Our boys are early risers - this morning they started rousing up around 5am. Some mornings they make it to 6am, but usually it's more like 5-5:30 and I leave them in their cribs until 6:30.

 

Try an EARLIER bedtime Seems crazy but works

 

Omigosh, I was just coming here to see about average age for dropping to one nap. My girls have been fighting their morning nap more and more lately. I thought it was because we just recently dropped to two naps (about a month ago), but I'm wondering if they're ready for just one nap a day. They're only 9.5 months, so I thought it was probably too early.