Dropping to one nap...when to give lunch?

[Sarah Lou 80]

My almost 16 month old seems to want to drop to one nap. Last week he started fighting the afternoon one and this week. He's kind of transitioned himself to wanting to sleep at midday.

The trouble I'm having is that he is too tired to eat much lunch. I've been giving it to him at about 11- half 11 (normal time anyway). He has breakfast at about 7.45-8am. Should I make lunch even earlier? Seems crazy to give him lunch earlier than 11!!

Any tips greatly appreciated. How long does this transition period last?

 

[AngelUK]

11 is when we did lunch during the transition time too. As they got more used to it and less tired in the morning, I pushed lunch back by 15 minute increments. They now have it around 12ish and nap from 1ish to 3ish. So I think continue what you are doing and he will soon get used to it.

 

[Sarah Lou 80]

Thank you! I never remember there being any issues with dropping naps before! I'm certainly not ready to drop the nap even if LO is!

 

[jd83]

It takes a little while with the transition, but eventually the nap will get pushed back to after lunch. During the transition, I did a bigger healthy snack mid morning, and then late lunch after the nap. Then once he was finally able to push the nap back until after lunch sometime in the afternoon, we went back to regular meal times.

 

[the why bird]

We used to do breakfast, morning snack, nap, late lunch, dinner. Now she naps (if I'm very lucky) at about 1 so we do breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack and dinner.

 

[Sarah Lou 80]

Thanks guys! All very helpful info

 

[ImSoTired]

We do- Breakfast between 830 and 930
Lunch at 12 or 1230
Nap at 1

It took us a while for me to get this schedule in order but it's going great now. Good luck!

 

[Nurse1980]

We do breakfast 8.30, snack at 10.30

Lunch at 12.30 and nap at 1.30 and it works well.

She has just turned 19 months

 

[x__amour]

We did breakfast at 8am, lunch at 11am, nap at noon, snack at 2pm and dinner at 5pm.

 

[SarahBear]

What happens if you wait until after the nap to give lunch? Violet often has her lunch after her nap.

 

[Sarah Lou 80]

What happens if you wait until after the nap to give lunch? Violet often has her lunch after her nap.

He actually seems ok. I thought it might make him wake too early with hunger but he's having a good 2 hour nap so I think it's ok. This seems to be with him having a snack around half 10 and then a little something just before his nap. It seems to be working so going to keep on with this and give him lunch after he wakes. I thought it just seemed a bit late to eat lunch afterwards but it's working!

Having said that he's just flaked out for a nap now at 9.30am so thinking this must be a 2 nap day!

 

[baileybubs]

We are going through this at the moment too and I was wondering the same question, I've decided that we just do lunch according to what we are doing that day. Yesterday for example we went out in the morning into town, got back by 11 and she was full of beans so I gave her her lunch, then she had a nap at 12-2.
Today however we have to take df to work and it's an hour long round trip for us and we set off at 10.30 so she's just had a little snack and will more than likely fall asleep in the car and we will have lunch when we get back.
I'm hoping that once my df changes job (nearer to home so shorter journey or he can get bus) we can get more into having lunch 11-11.30 then have her nap.

 

[Sarah Lou 80]

We are going through this at the moment too and I was wondering the same question, I've decided that we just do lunch according to what we are doing that day. Yesterday for example we went out in the morning into town, got back by 11 and she was full of beans so I gave her her lunch, then she had a nap at 12-2.
Today however we have to take df to work and it's an hour long round trip for us and we set off at 10.30 so she's just had a little snack and will more than likely fall asleep in the car and we will have lunch when we get back.
I'm hoping that once my df changes job (nearer to home so shorter journey or he can get bus) we can get more into having lunch 11-11.30 then have her nap.

I think that's what we will do....just play it by ear, depending on the day. We are going away for a few days this afternoon so he had a half 11 lunch so he didn't wake up hungry in the car on the way! It's tricky but I going to try going with the flow!

 

[baileybubs]

It's hard work isn't it because you can never predict what mood they will be in too!! This morning dd did sleep in the car but only for about half an hour and had lunch at 12, so I've just put her down for another nap coz she's sooooo cranky!!!