Should I just cut my losses with this afternoon nap?

I can't remember the last time my almost 14 month took a "real" afternoon nap. If she takes one at all—somedays she'll play for an hour in her or cry for an hour, if I let her CIO—other days, like today, she'll sleep for less than 30 minutes. And wake up extremely cranky because she should've slept more. She takes a good morning nap (1 1/2-2 hours). I'd like to move that to early afternoon, but the problem is that she's up by 6:30-7 AM and is usually ready for an morning nap around 10-ish. Even if it's 2 hours long, it's still way too many hours until bedtime without an afternoon nap. When I've tried to make it a midday nap, she only sleeps 1-1 1/2 hours tops—still too many hours before bedtime.

I'm just not sure if I should keep trying with two naps or should I go to one and hope that she'll start sleeping longer?

Any thoughts from the BTDT crowd?

Message edited 2/28/2012 8:06:15 PM.

Re: Should I just cut my losses with this afternoon nap?

All 3 of my kids only took one nap a day and gave them up completely at around 15 months. It sounds like she only needs the one nap at this point.

Re: Should I just cut my losses with this afternoon nap?

It definitely sounds like she is ready for only one nap. I would just follow her cues for a few days. Keep putting her down for her morning nap when it seems like she is tired and ready for it, but don't put her down in the afternoon. After a few days, her body will likely adjust and she'll start pushing her morning nap later and making it longer.

Re: Should I just cut my losses with this afternoon nap?

We are in the same boat over here.

Can you try pushing her morning nap a little later? My sitter did that yesterday and they took one nap from 11:30 to 1:30 and they were ok the rest of the day.

There are still days they need to go down before 11:30. So I put them down early and try the 2cnd nap. Even if they just play for a half hour or so or cry a little sometimes they just need that "time out" to rest.

Good luck

Re: Should I just cut my losses with this afternoon nap?

What time does she go to bed at night? I'd say try to push that morning nap later and later by 10-15 minutes a day so it becomes a 1pm afternoon nap.

Make sure she is going to bed at a decent time so her mornings aren't too bad.

Re: Should I just cut my losses with this afternoon nap?

Anthony has been doing the same thing for months. I finally just gave up on the afternoon nap and started putting him down later. He used to go down from 9-10i30sh and now I don't put him in his crib until 1030-11 and he sleeps longer- 2-3 hours. It stinks bc once he's up, he's up, but I like the longer stretch in the morning. Good Luck!!!

Re: Should I just cut my losses with this afternoon nap?

Thanks for the responses. She goes to bed by 7:30. I'd rather not put her in bed any earlier because then she wouldn't get to spend any time with DH. We like to eat dinner as a family and have a little playtime before I start the bedtime routine. The funny thing is that on the days she skips the afternoon nap, she's not THAT cranky by bedtime. It's usually the hour before dinner that she starts getting a little crabby, but then she perks up after she's had some food. She's typically in a great mood after dinner and for bedtime.

I guess I'll try to keep pushing that morning nap later and later or just follow her cue and volley between 1-2 naps, depending how she's acting. On a selfish note, I work from home and depend on naps to get stuff done, so I like having a predictable schedule. Hopefully this up-in-the-air bit is short-lived and she'll settle into a good routine with one long nap.