Is my son ready for only one nap?

Amanda - posted on 07/02/2010

my daughter is almost 13 mths and still takes 2 naps a day. She goes to bed between 8:30-9pm and sleeps until 8:30am. then usually goes down for a morning nap around 10:30 or 11am and sleeps 1.5hrs. then goes down for an afternoon nap around 3:30 or 4pm and sleeps for 1.5-2hrs depending on what we did that day. Some days she doesnt fall asleep right away for her afternoon nap, and kinda seems to be fighting it. so we tired cutting her down to 1 nap and she was the biggest grouch ever, so we just went back to the 2 naps, seems to work well for her. i know a few 1yr olds that still take 3 naps a day, each child is different and some kids need or like more sleep. i use to look after a 2 year old that took 2 naps a day

Natasha - posted on 07/02/2010

My son is 1 years old and he dropped his morning nap a couple of months ago. Just let your son decide when he wants his nap he will let you know. Most kids only take one nap at this age Ive noticed.

CARRIE - posted on 07/01/2010

My son has also been sleeping through the night since 8 weeks and up until recently has taken 2 naps......one in the morning and one late afternoon. Lately the morning nap has gotten longer and then he only sometimes takes the afternoon nap. I just go with the flow and only really push for that second nap if he seems extremely tired and irritable. What's funny is that if we are in the car around the time he would take his second nap he always falls asleep. He just isn't old enough to fight that car nap......lol!

SIAW YEE - posted on 07/01/2010

My son changed his nap time as well recently. He took 2 naps in a day previously. Now, he take his nap time from 12pm to 3pm and he sleep at 8pm / 9pm at night.

Tara - posted on 06/30/2010

Thanks everyone! I tried for the past two days to push his morning nap until lunch time. By 11:30 he is exhausted and doesn't eat his lunch well. I guess I will play it by ear.

Katherine - posted on 06/30/2010

My son started fighting his afternoon nap too. We decided to push his morning nap back to right after lunch. Now he naps 12ish to 3ish. We had to move bedtime up though, so now he's going to bed around 7:30 instead of 8:30. He still sleeps through the night and wakes up at the same time. I think I actually prefer this schedule!

Andrea - posted on 06/29/2010

My little guy just turned 1 and he varies from day to day on his naps too. The past few days he's taken to getting up earlier (6 or 7 as opposed to 8 or 9) and is ready for a nap by 10 or 11 and sleeps for 2 or 3 hours and doesn't do an afternoon nap. He may lay down for a a little bit, but doesn't sleep again until it's time for bed

Jenny - posted on 06/29/2010

My 12 month old is still very happy with 2 naps but I remember when my now 3.5 year old starting dropping her second nap she was still tired and ready for her first nap by 9am. She survived the rest of the day without another nap but only just. So after a while I just very gradually pushed her morning nap out. It took a few weeks but eventually her one nap became an after-lunch nap. Good luck!

Nira - posted on 06/29/2010

i was told by a friend who works at a daycare that most babies need their two naps until they're around 18 months, and will sleep between 2.5 to 3 hours. my 12 months old started doing the same thing as your LO, with wanting her morning nap and dropping the 2nd one, but as it was too long a stretch for her in the evening we started waking her up after 1 hour in the morning and getting her to sleep in the afternoon again for as long as she wanted to (which normally is 1.5 hours). she now wakes herself up after 1 hour in the morning and sometimes takes the longer nap in the morning and the shorter one in the afternoon. but as so many here said before - there is no wrong or right, it depends on what you feel is good for you and your baby.

Rowan - posted on 06/26/2010

My son is 13 months old and does the same, he goes down well in the morning for 1 and a half hours but only sometimes takes his 3pm nap. I just go with his flow really. :)

Bridget - posted on 06/25/2010

Hi Tara, my little one who is also 12 months changes day to day as to whether he wants 1 or 2 naps! Some days he will be scratching his eyes in the morning and will go down easily for a morning nap which means he then has to have an afternoon nap, some days he doesn't show any signs until lunchtime so he has lunch and then a big noon sleep and then doesn't need any other naps. I have found that as long as he gets 13.5 hours total throughout the day and night he is a happy little chappy! If your bub if refusing his afternoon nap and not showing any tired signs then it sounds like he doesn't need it anymore but if he just refusing it but is tired then it is probably just a phase and will work itself out. Let him guide you as to what he needs - after all he knows what he needs!

Melissa - posted on 06/24/2010

I would think if he not acting tired then I wouldn't worry about it. Now if he is fussing and acting tired I would really push for the 2nd nap. Good Luck and there really is no right or wrong way on this one!

Jaime - posted on 06/24/2010

my son has just turned 1 and he dropped his morning nap a while back and sleeps through the night, There is no right or wrong way with kids, if he decides he needs a nap he will let you know, but he very well may be ready to drop the second nap altogether. Just pay attention to his behavior and let him lead the way.