Need help transitioning to one nap

In the last week DS just talks and plays in his crib when I put him down at 10am. He doesn't cry at all so I leave him there until 11am to get some quiet time. DD usually sleeps for that hour. I then do lunch around 11:30am and then we play until I notice them getting tired, somedays it's not until 1pm. But then both of them only sleep an hour before one of them wakes up crying (they are in different rooms). They can't go from 2-2:30pm until 7pm bedtime. I've tried doing an earlier bedtime of about 6:30pm but DS just talks away for at least an hour before going to sleep.

Am I doing something wrong? I really need some baby-free time as I'm getting overwhelmed and disorganized which is leading to hormonal imbalances and crying spells on my part. I'm not suffering from PPD, I just need some me time during the day to get some things done around the house.

How did you go about transitioning to one nap? Should I forget about putting either of them down for a nap at 10am and just do quiet things like books, teddies, dolls etc, instead? Also, they eat breakfast around 8am so what time should I be doing lunch?

Thanks...a frazzled mommy!

 

I'm glad you posted this, we are going through the exact same issue, but DD can't decide which nap she wants from day to day. I hope you get some good responses.

 

Sorry, no help from me, but just an amen, we are having the same problem and don't know what to do about it either. Our trouble is what they really seem to need is three short naps. But three short naps gives very little me time (actually dh time, since he stays home with them) in a stretch and doesn't allow for a big enough awake block of time to really get out and do something with them.

They nap in the morning, going down anywhere from 9 to 10 and sleeping for about an hour or maybe less. Then they're good to go until about 1 or 2, and then they sleep for another hour or less. Then our problem is like yours...they can't make it from when they get up from that nap to bedtime, even though their bedtime is super early. So sometimes we throw in yet another short nap at about 4.

This can't be right! I'm hoping some others can help us!! If we cut out the morning nap, will that get them to sleep longer in the afternoon so they'll actually make it from nap to bed?

Sorry, didn't mean to hijack your post, but it sounds like we're having some similar issues. Help!

 

Same issues here too. Our naps are so random lately. They used to take 2 really good naps, but lately have been crying or talking through one or sometimes both. One time they took 1 3-hr nap, but that was a fluke, because now when I put them down for just one nap they only sleep 1 1/2 hrs at most. There was about a week in a row when they would take one 2 to 2 1/2 hr nap, but not anymore. It is tough because they're awake longer and crabby longer because they're tired and wont sleep. I'm dreading putting them in toddler beds because I'm sure it will get worse. I will usually leave them in their cribs even if they're crying if they wake up early until its been at least 2 hrs since I put them down when they only take 1 nap.

 

I suppose we all have to go through this sooner than later, I was just hoping for some words of wisdom! lol. DH has been kind enough to give them their bath tonight as I have a horrible cough and am exhausted. He usually helps me anyway, but for him to do it all by himself is a huge adventure! lol.

I think tomorrow I will try putting them down at 11am. I'll give them a snack at 10am instead and give them a nice big lunch when they wake up and a small dinner instead. It would help if we could get out and about but since we only have one car and it's the dead of winter, it's kinda hard. I will have to come up with some new activities a 15-16 month old can enjoy.

Keep the responses coming, sounds like there are a few of us who could use some advice on how to get through these difficult weeks.

 

When we moved to one nap I started giving them a snack at 10:20, nap at 1, lunch when they woke up (around 2:30 or 3) and dinner at 5:30. Now they get lunch at 11 and nap at 12.

Sorry to be brief - I have someone clinging to my leg!

 

Thanks Hillybean, that helps a lot, I'm definetly going to try that route tomorrow. Weekends are easier because DH is home and we can venture out in the mornings to keep them busy. Keep your fingers crossed something works, I hope it doesn't last weeks or months of this.

 

My two went to one nap at 17 months, mostly because their big sister's school was starting up again the next month and I needed them on one nap for that, it was getting too hard to cram 2 naps into her school day.

So they used to nap from 9:30-11:30 and 1:30-3:15. For one nap they needed to be down by 12:15 because I needed to get them up at 3:15 at the latest to leave to get their big sister from school. We tried a few times on the weekends keeping them up longer before a nap and it seemed okay, so I just went cold turkey and moved them to one nap one day. We have lunch at 11:30 and go upstairs for books/quiet play at 12 and then they are in bed by 12:15. It took a few weeks for them to get used to it and sleep for a long period of time. For the first couple weeks they only slept 1.5 hours. Then they gradually started sleeping longer. Emilie usually sleeps until 2-2:45. Trevor most of the time sleeps the full 3 hours. They were cranky for the first few weeks as well, but eventually that went away once they got used to one nap. I liked it because I was able to get out in the morning and go to playgroups because we had a nice big chunk of time after taking big sister to school.

They still eat lunch at 11:30 and go down for a nap at 12:15. It works well for us. Good luck!