Long morning nap at 8mo - problems later on?

[WibblyPigRocks]

I am FINALLY having some success with regard to my 8mo and sleep - we have a long way to go, but I'm feeling human again and, as many of you on this thread know, that's a massive step forward.

Therefore, I am hesitant to mess with the way my DS is sleeping and napping at the moment, but I am also trying to think ahead.

Currently, DS seems to be napping for an hour and a half (sometimes a bit more) in the morning - approx 9.30-11 - and about 45 mins to an hour in the afternoon - approx 2-3. It's taken me a long time to get him to nap longer than 30 mins and I was trying to encourage this in the afternoon, but I also never wanted to wake him and he has developed this schedule kind of by himself!!

I've read that taking his long nap in the morning will make it harder for him to graduate to one good lunchtime nap - is this true, and if so, what should I do about it?

[peachsmuggler]

I wouldn't change a thing as it sounds like you've got a really good thing going there!

He'll move to a lunchtime nap when/if he's ready. My 1 year old still has 2 hours in the monring and then sometimes nothing in the afternoon, though sometimes 30 mins.

I wouldn't rock the boat if I were you, just enjoy!

[lovelymama]

Wibbly, I keep meaning to write this post but every time i sit down to write it, i think i'm worrying about nothing so end up not writing it! DS 9 months has always had an hour and a half in the morning and then not much in the afternoon but that seems to suit him so i'm hesitant to mess with his sleep. i think it's best to just go with it, especially as you've spent so long getting him to nap well. it is a bit of a pain as DS is pretty knackered by tea time and sometimes won't eat tea because he's so tired. but the nothing every works out perfectly with babies......!

[onlinemummy]

It sounds good to me. As he hets older he will stay awake for longer in the morning and possibly his morning sleep will push onto his lunch sleep. Go with your DS at the moment,

[WhereTheWildThingsWere]

Dd has 2 1/2 to 3 hours in the morning and 20 minutes in the afternoon, ahe has done this since she was about 7 months, I really wounldn't worry about it, there is only so much you can do to shape their sleep patterns.

[HeadFairy]

My ds's morning nap turned in to a marathon 2-3 hours when he was 8 months old, he dropped the afternoon nap pretty soon afterwards so I let him sleep in the morning as it was the only sleep he was getting during the day. As he's got older (he's 17months now) the morning nap has gradually moved later and later. It started out at about 9am, now it's nearer 11-12 when he sleeps for 1.5 - 2 hours. I wouldn't worry if I were you, your ds may well do the same, esp once he's more active in the morning and there are more things to do to keep him awake a bit longer.

[TettyLouBar]

Same here - DD 8.5 MO - sleeps for 1.5-2 hours in morning and normally 40mins sometimes 1.5 hrs in afternoon. She is a late riser (thank the lord) and normally wakes at about 0730-0800 so she doesn't go down for her nap until 1030 sometimes nearly 11 ish!

Recently a friend of mine criticised the way I'm letting her rule my daily routines and that I dont make her fit around me! ( this is because I let her morning nap be the big one of the day always in her cot and then in the after noon I sometimes let her nap in the pushchair/car if I'm out, subsequently I'm never out and about in the morning, which at present suits me fine!! )

She said she's "not a baby anymore"!!??
hem hem, oh dear, I thought she was - I've been reading wrong books!

[WibblyPigRocks]

Thanks for all these messages.

As it happens, after a few unsettled days and a REALLY bad night, I also realised that if something going well - don't mess with it!!

[giantkatestacks]

Wibbly - I think that as long as they have under 3 hours for all their naps in the day then they are ok and it doesnt really matter when they have them - ok it matters than they're not late afternoon but apart from that I think its all good.

Well done btw