2.3 year old and dropping nap

[Wilberforce2]

Dd is my second child so I feel like I should know this but I don't!

She was 2 in February and has always napped really well in the day, normally for up to 2 hours (I don't let her go longer than that). The last 2 weeks she has been taking longer and longer to go to sleep at night, she is in bed by 7.30 at the latest and tonight was still awake at 8.40! She doesn't seem at all tired when I put her to bed so I'm wondering if it's time to drop the nap? My ds was 3 when he stopped napping so this just feels really early!! She can get through the day without a nap, if we have been out and about she has grabbed 15mins in the car and been perfectly fine.

Is 2.3 months too early to get rid of the nap? She starts pre school in September so I was thinking she may need a nap after that!

Thanks!

[Haroldplaystheharmonica]

I'd say that 2.3 years is definitely the age when they start to drop the nap. You did well to get to 3 with your eldest!

The only rubbish thing is that sometimes they can't quite get through the whole day and end up nodding in the car or on the settee at 5pm and then wont go to bed til 9pm... or you have the hour from hell between 6-7pm when they're on their knees but it's just that bit too early for bed.

It doesn't last long though and then life actually gets easier as you're not tied to napping at all although you already have one child so probably know this already!

[TiredOfSleep]

Dd is the same age and isn't going to sleep til about the same time at night, but but she's usually happy enough chatting in her cot, not overtired the next day, and I value the time during the day so I'm not planning on dropping it.

I reckon it's partly the light evenings.

[CoodleMoodle]

My DD was 2 in March so about the same age. We're in day 5 of no nap and barring a couple of major meltdowns the first couple of days, she's getting the hang of it now. And she was the same about bedtime, now she's flat out in seconds! Pus sleeping a full (ish) 12hours and hardly up in the night.

I still put her in the cot and leave her for a bit. I figure if she falls asleep then great, but she's quite happy to sing/play with whatever teddies she has in there, and if she gets upset after a little while I go and her. I guess that time will get shorter and shorter until she doesn't go up at all.

I've got to say, I'm mourning the nap!

[CoodleMoodle]

*Plus, not pus, obviously!

[Gardencentregroupie]

My DD isn't 2 for another month and rarely naps now. She was poorly last week and napped, but then didn't go to sleep until 10pm after a 1.5 hour nap, so she won't be napping again if I can help it. It's been this way for a few months, so I would say your DD is more than old enough to drop hers with no issues.

[ODog]

I'm in the same situation with DS who has just turned 2. We are experimenting with waking him after an hour for his nap which seems to help. I didn't let him nap on Monday and he flaked out at 5.15pm on the sofa but slept through until 5.30am which isn't far off normal wake up time for him. I think I just need to play it by ear a bit while he gradually transitions.

[babyblabber]

Both of mine dropped naps at that age exactly.

[TiredOfSleep]

I've change my mind. DD was still awake at 9pm tonight and then climbed out her cot (another challenge I've yet to tackle).

Will be telling the childminder in the morning to start limiting naps...

[Banana82]

My DS was the same. Turned 2 a couple of months ago. Used to have a 1.5 hour nap after lunch but the time he was actually falling asleep was getting later and later. Half 8/9 most nights. I cut out his nap and he's conked out by 7pm and sleeps a good 12 hours most nights. He does still have a nap at nursery for the 2 days a week he is there but I have told them to limit it to half an hour max. I find the days he spends at nursery hes much more active so needs a little afternoon snooze.

[MeredithShepherd]

DS is the same age (2 in feb) and he still needs a nap in the day. He's awful and is overtired at night if he doesn't nap. I let him have 1.5 hours then wake him otherwise he is awake late too. I can't see him dropping his nap for a loooong time thankfully! Maybe just cut her daytime sleep to an hour and see if that makes a difference

[waitingforsomething]

Dd dropped hers at 2.3. She loved it but was settling later and later and was fine without it.

[VeryNaice]

DS went through a nap strike at this age. I remember it lasted about 2 weeks and then he started going back down for his usual 1.5 hour nap. I think it was developmental as he acquired a lot of new words shortly afterwards.

I remember reading somewhere that toddlers don't usually give up their nap until between the age of 3-4 so it's worth persevering. I'd keep offering a nap (or at least rest time) for a few weeks to avoid overtiredness.

At this age DS was definitely not ready to give up the nap.

[seriouslyclueless]

My dd is almost 2 and we've had to cut her nap from 2 hours to just over 1 as we had the same as you.
The 1 hour nap takes the edge of the afternoon tiredness and means she goes to sleep quickly at 7pm.
When she has a 2 hour nap she wouldn't be ready for bed at 7pm and would crash about in her cot for a good while.
Could you try to just limit her nap to 1 hour ?

[Frazzled2207]

I think in your situation I would reduce it to an hour and see how you get on. My 2.10 yo has rarely napped more than 1 hour for about a year. I count myself lucky though because most of his friends have stopped completely!