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Behaviour/development

2.6 year old started having 3 hour naps in afternoon

10 replies

iwouldgoouttonight · 25/03/2009 15:26

My DS had almost dropped his daytime nap and maybe only had one every three or four days, but recently he seems much more tired so we're putting him down for a nap in the afternoon and he sleeps for 2-3 hours. Yesterday, he slept from 2pm - 5pm when we had to wake him for his tea. And then he went to bed at 7pm as normal and slept for 12 hours.

Do you think its normal for a toddler to have this much sleep? He seems tired by the end of the morning but we try to give him lunch before he goes to sleep.

We don't eat meat and it crossed my mind that he could be anemic which is making him lethargic? Although we do try to make sure he gets a good balanced diet. When he's awake he will run around and throw himself about so he does have energy. I think I'm just concerned about it because he's never had long naps in the day before so this is quite unusual (although does give me a nice break!!)

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Chaotica · 25/03/2009 15:49

Bump. My DD frequently still has long naps (although not everyday) and she's 2.11. (We don't eat meat either - now I'll be watching to see what other people say.)

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IwishIwasmoreorganised · 25/03/2009 15:52

Do they appear anaemic (pale, especially the inside of their bottom eyelid)?

Chaotica - I think at 2.11 that's pretty normal.

Iwouldgoouttonight - perhaps he's having a growth spurt. My ds1 had a similar phase - only lasted a couple of weeks (it was bliis while it lasted though!) and seemed to shoot up at the same time!

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geraldinetheluckygoat · 25/03/2009 15:55

I wouldnt be worried. My ds's both love their sleep. DS2 is asleep now and has been since half one, if hes not awake by five, i wake him for dinner. then he goes back to bed at seven. And sleeps till seven. DS1 slept like this too, he gave up his afternoon nap when he was about 3.4 or there abouts. He would also sleep for 3-4 hours in the afternoon. I think some kids just do sleep alot.

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amidaiwish · 25/03/2009 15:59

how long has he been doing this? i only ask because my DD went back to having a long sleep for a few weeks, then no problem going to bed, and got chicken pox. she was obviously coming down with it.

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LEMAGAIN · 25/03/2009 16:23

My advice - ENJOY!!!! . I think so long as you are providing a balanced diet then why would he be aneamic. Might be a grow spurt - my DD slept for 3 hours in the afternoon - oh how i miss it!!!

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geraldinetheluckygoat · 25/03/2009 16:27

agree with memagain, you can get so much done, like sit on mumsnet all afternoon during a 3 hour nap!

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Habbibu · 25/03/2009 16:33

My dd took to doing this, and has being doing it for months. Still wakes at 5:30, but the 2-3 hour nap is worth it...

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iwouldgoouttonight · 25/03/2009 17:13

Sadly can't spend all afternoon on MN as DD (9 weeks) has never napped at the same time!

He doesn't seem especially pale (although will have a peek in his eyelids when he wakes up.

He's been doing it for about a month - when DD was born he became quite easily upset, which we put down to DD's arrival, but we then realised he was just tired and if he has a long nap he is absolutely fine.

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pavlovthepregnantcat · 25/03/2009 17:18

DD (2.8) stopped her naps just before christmas, and recently has restarted them, about 1.5-2hours..she sleeps for about 10-11 hours at night, which is what she has always done.

I have put it down to growth spurt, either physical or mental as she is developing speech understanding and communication at an enormous rate.

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UniS · 26/03/2009 20:13

boy does this when he is growing. so we have weeks of no naps then a week or two of needing a nap most days. then back to no naps and every one saying - gosh hes grown.

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