1 year old and sleep schedules

[KatO79]

So my 1 year old son is now on a crazy nap schedule Not sure if this is within the realms of normal?

He wakes at around 7-8 AM, is awake for 2½-3 hours, naps for about 1-1½ hours, awake for about 3-3½ hours, naps 2½ hours, awake for about 4 hours and then bedtime anywhere between 8-10 PM most nights

Needless to say that especially the 9-10 PM bedtimes are especially crazy as I feel those are late bedtimes. Any advice or suggestions? I do't like to wake him from the 2½ hour nap (so he gets 1½-2 hours instead) but my DH and I have done so the past couple of days. Should we continue to do so? He used to sleep 1½ hours for each nap but had increased the 2nd nap of the day by a whole hour.

 

[MindUtopia]

I think you're right he's sleeping too much during the day. At that age, mine woke probably 6-7am and then had two naps during the day: a mid-morning one (10/11am ish) for about an hour and then another in the afternoon (maybe 2pm ish for about an hour to 1.5 hours). Then bedtime was by 7pm. They need about 12-14 hours of sleep at that age, I think, so if you can get more of it at night and less during the day, that might help.

 

[KatO79]

I think you're right he's sleeping too much during the day. At that age, mine woke probably 6-7am and then had two naps during the day: a mid-morning one (10/11am ish) for about an hour and then another in the afternoon (maybe 2pm ish for about an hour to 1.5 hours). Then bedtime was by 7pm. They need about 12-14 hours of sleep at that age, I think, so if you can get more of it at night and less during the day, that might help.

Should I wake him then from naps longer than 1½ hours? I was also thinking of trying to wake him around 7 AM in the morning but have been nervous of doing that when he has late bedtimes.

 

[Babybum35]

Hi. I think don't wake him. Every toddlers sleep needs are different. Mine at that age was up by 7 and took 2naps. One am one pm for about 2 hours each then transitioned to one 3 hour nap by 18 months around mid day which is now down to 1.5-2 hours at 2. That said I know some kids who wouldn't nap after age one and another who would sleep 5 hours in the day and through the night. My suggestion would be to try cutting out the shorter nap and see if that helps. If not try delating the second nap. I have found sleep just varies and not all toddlers have the same needs or transition in the same way

 

[Livvy]

I'm thinking he may be ready to transition to one nap! Mine did at 11 months and his bedtime was 7:30. He napped from 10 am-12 or 1 pm, then we kept him awake till 7:30. It might be a little bit of a struggle at first (all transitions are), but once he gets used to it he'll probably stretch his nap out longer. And then you'll have evenings to yourself, which you need!!

 

[cupcake.]

My LO just turned 1 and her Nap situation is kind of also starting to not work as well any more as it has the last couple of months.

She wakes between 6-7 is awake for 3 hours, sleeps 1 1/2 hours, is then awake for about 3 1/2 hours, sleeps another 1 hour and is then awake for about 4 hours until it‘s bedtime between 7-8.

I already wake her from those naps sometimes if she doesn‘t wake herself after 1 1/2 hours for the first and 1 hour for the second one. If I don‘t she then sleeps up to 2 hours for her first nap leaving her not tired enough for a second nap until quite late in the afternoon, pushing bedtime way too late.

She‘s now often fighting her second nap for quite a while, meaning she falls asleep later than i plan and then sleeps longer, again pushing bedtime later than I‘d like.
I‘m actually considering waking her after 1 hour for both naps to make sure she is tired enough for both naps and then also bedtime. Haven‘t had the heart to do it yet though.

You know your child best, maybe he really is ready to drop to one nap?
I know my LO isn‘t, she can‘t handle the awake time she would need for only one nap to work so even though people often say „never wake a sleeping baby“ if it helps to make sure both naps fit into the day while allowing a reasonable bedtime then I do that. I should also add that even when I wake her from her nap, she wakes up instantly happy and refreshed and ready to play again, so I know she gets enough sleep even though I wake her up a lot of the times.
A 2 1/2 hour nap as a second nap is really long and I admit i would definitely wake after a set amount of time (if my baby isn‘t ill obviously).
Maybe try waking after an hour/ish and see what difference it makes to his bedtime, night sleep and mood during the day/after the nap. If he‘s happy and energized after his nap and bedtime changes to a more reasonable time and night sleep stays the same, then waking is probably the way to go

 

[Bonnie11]

I think it's the later nap that's causing the issues. Around that age we had about a 2/2.5hr nap at lunchtime and then one in the afternoon about 30 mins which was gradually dropped. Maybe try cutting down last nap To 1 hr and then see, more if needed. Eventually you will get a long lunch one and bedtime around 6-7. Bear in mind you need to give any change at least 4-7 days to see a difference so you will have to put up with some overtiredness inbetween!

 

[KatO79]

I think it's the later nap that's causing the issues. Around that age we had about a 2/2.5hr nap at lunchtime and then one in the afternoon about 30 mins which was gradually dropped. Maybe try cutting down last nap To 1 hr and then see, more if needed. Eventually you will get a long lunch one and bedtime around 6-7. Bear in mind you need to give any change at least 4-7 days to see a difference so you will have to put up with some overtiredness inbetween!

Yeah I think so as well. I don't get why he's extended the 2nd nap and not the 1st one though When he dropped naps it was always the last nap that started getting shorter before being dropped.

I think after discussion DH and I want to try and drop the 2nd nap because after it he's up for 4 hours, sometimes a bit more But not sure if it's feasible? We may have to experiment a bit.

 

[Bonnie11]

Cut it down by 15 mins per day in the beginning, makes it slightly less horrendous! His lunchtime will gradually extend to what he needs once the second one dropped x

 

[minties]

I've tried to drop Emma's second nap but she isn't ready for it yet. My other two were down to one nap long before now.

Her sleep schedule is a lot like your LO's.

I did try for about a week to help her drop nap #2, but all that happened was she would wake about 8pm, thinking bedtime had been a nap and then she was up till at least midnight! My alarm goes off at 3:45am so that was hell.

 

[Bevziibubble]

When my son was 1 we moved to one nap a day of around 2.5 hours. I tried to make sure that the nap ended by 2.30pm or bedtime would be really difficult. I've found that the naps have got earlier and shorter as he's got older or they have such an impact on bedtime.

 

[elsiegrab]

! year old sleeps at least 12- 14 hours a day. Because the sleeping time is so long you should care about his feeding on time. For that you can make a chart for his food time to time. This will probably help.