Can a two year old get too much sleep?

[Issymum]

I know this sounds like one of those "threads that you wish you could start", but I am actually beginning to feel a tiny bit anxious.

DD2 turned 2 at the end of September. On an average day she will sleep from about 7.30pm to 7.30am (with a nappy change at 11pm and a bottle of milk and nappy change at 6.30am). If the previous day has been tiring she will sometimes sleep on until 8.30am or even 9.00am. She normally wakes up singing in her cot (wouldn't you?!).

Then she has a nap after lunch for at least two hours, but will easily nap for three hours if we let her. So some days we wake her up for tea at 5pm and she's back in bed two to three hours later!

When she's awake she attacks life with total commitment and enormous enthusiasm and energy. She will sit still and concentrate, but she never 'chills out'. I'm pretty confident that her development is on target. She was under-fed (by her orphanage, not me) for her first year and seems to be catching up somewhat now as she is actually climbing through the growth percentiles.

So, Mnetters. Should I worry or should I relax, put my feet up and enjoy it while it lasts? Does anybody else's two year old sleep like this?

I should add that DD1 (now 3.5) will still sleep for at least an hour at lunch time without affecting her bedtime. Maybe I just got lucky!

[Gem13]

Hi Issymum. Just off to bed but wanted to let you know that I have a DS (was 2 in July) who easily sleeps for 3 hours every afternoon. I usually have to wake him at 5/5.30 and he's back in bed (and asleep) by 7/7.30 until 7.30 the next morning.

I started one of these 'should i be worried threads?' when he was having 6 hours during the day when he was 1.

Some children are like that I guess. He is very active, a good eater and 98th centiles for height and weight. The drawback is that his 8 month old sister has 2-3 hours in the morning so I'm pretty housebound...

[tylersmum]

my ds will sleep 7.30 till bout 8 now. he also finds he needs a few hours sleep through the day and he is 21 months. i used to try and stop the nap but found he got over tired and would not want to go to bed at night.

[muddaofsuburbia]

Oh Issymum! - I was going to start this thread too!!

Ds (2.2) usually sleeps from 7pm til 8:30am when dh wakes him up to say goodbye to leave for work. If he's not woken up then he /has/ been known to sleep until 9:45am. Then he'll sleep from about 1:30pm til just after 3:30pm but would also do 3 hours if left! On our summer holidays this year he regularly slept in til 10am which was bliss.

Ds is also a big 98th centile boy - not hugely physical but always /busy/ doing something.

As I have the same "problem" I don't really know what to say other than tell you I've got one too!

[muddaofsuburbia]

Grr those new italics didn't work for me!

[joash]

My 23 month old grandson sleeps from 6.30pm until between 7.30 and 8.00am the following morning (doesn't wake for nappy changes or anything). He has twice slept from 6.00pm to 10.00am, and has occasionally asked for bed at 5.30 (still sleeping until 8ish the next day). In addition he has between 1 and 2 1/2 hours in the daytime for a nap (I usually wake him if he is still sleeping at 3 in the afternoon), and if he's tired, he will ask for bed. Like yours, he is very active when awake, and his development is on target. He was underfed by his parents for the first 6 months (one of the reasons he lives with me), but has just about caught up (still very slightly under height, but has shot up enough recently to allay any medical concern). My advice - put your feet up and enjoy it.

[Issymum]

Thanks for this ladies. All very reassuring. There seems to be a common thread of rapid growth, extreme 'busyness' when awake and keeping pace with developmental milestones.

I'll see what comes up at DD2's two year check with the health visitor, otherwise I'll sit back and enjoy it. After all, it won't happen again until she's a teenager!

[popsycal]

anyone want to swap?

[nailpolish]

issymum

freaky but this is the exact pattern that my 2 year old takes (she was 2 in oct). i hope its normal! i dont let her sleep longer than an hr and a half in the avo cos then she doesnt want to go to bed at 8 which is her usual. although even if she wakes from her nap at 5 she still goes to bed ok at 8. i like you put it down to high energy during the day. i like to think that its not just physical energy but the energy they put into all the learning they are doing, mental energy. dont worry! just enjoy the avo p and q

[throckenholt]

my twins are nearly 2 - they sleep 7pm to 6-6.30am, then a 3 hour nap in the afternoon (go to bed about 3 hours after getting up from that nap). Sometimes they sleep a bit later in the morning - or at least that did til last week when one has decided 5am is getting up time .

[Issymum]

I've booked DD2 in for her 2 year old check with our very nice and very sensible Health Visitor. I'll discuss the sleep thing (I can't bring myself to call it a "problem") with her and report back.

My guess is that she'll say it's just fine!

[prettycandles]

Definitely enjoy it while it lasts! My 4yo ds still naps for a couple of hours in the afternoon, goes to bed at 7.30 and gets up between 6.30 and 7.30 - and that's usually only because we've got him up! Absolutely nothing wrong with it, sleep helps the brain to develop.

[Gobbledigook]

Wouldn't worry. DS2 was 2 last week and he sleeps 7.30-7.30 (no wake ups, nappy changes or milk in there) and will have a good 2 hour nap in the day too (like yours, he would sleep for 3 hours but I wake him).

He is also full of life while awake - he's not lethargic or anything. I think, like adults, some kids just need more sleep like others and if you have one that sleeps alot you should just be thankful!!