What's your 18 month old's routine?

[Pocket1]

I don't think our current routine is working for DD but I'm not sure what to change...

5.30am she wakes (pretty much every day!)
6.00am bottle
8/8.30am brekky (cereal and/or toast)
11.30/12- 1.30 nap
2.30 snack
5.45 dinner
6.45 bath

She is just sooooo tired by the end of the day that she's so unhappy. And her one daytime nap seems so short / but she won't nap longer. And the 5.30am start is a killer for us all!

Any ideas???

[Pocket1]

Sorry I forgot to all lunch about 11.15/11.30

[littleducks]

I was going to say that lunch might be a good addition but looks like you have got it covered!

When do you tend to go out/do an activity? Is she more tired and likely to nap after a morning trip to the park?

[Pocket1]

It's mixed. We do something every morning and although she's tired after, she sleeps early and wakes quickly so it's a long stint till bedtime (and of course she won't sleep in the afternoon now).

Despite all that, today she slept on her way TO an activity. She's just so knackered.

[GotToBeInItToWinIt]

She has a longer daytime nap than my 13 month old . Have you tried pushing lunch and nap back a bit? Or would she just be too exhausted/grumpy? I find if DD wakes from her nap before 2 it's a long old slog til bedtime so I don't usually put her down til 1.15, with lunch at 12.30ish.

[Artandco]

At 18 months our day was much later that that.

8am - wake
8.30/9am- breakfast
1pm -lunch
1.30-4pm nap
7pm -dinner
9pm -bed

Occasional morning nap also if out in pram/ sling.

I cope far better keeping them up until 9pm, than I would super early wakings. Plus both dh and I home from 7pm so can share evening parenting!

[purplemurple1]

DS is 16 months but has been on the same schedule since 9 months.

5am wake up and milk
800 breakfast
930 fruit
1100 lunch
12 to 1400 nap
1430 snack
1630/1730 dinner
1830 snack and milk
1900 in bed
1930/2000 asleep (chats and sings to himself normally).

[Rinkydinkypink]

6.30-7 wake up bottle
8-8.30 breakfast
10ish snack
12 lunch
12.30-2 nap
3.30 snack
5.-5.30 tea
6.30 bath/bottle
7 bed

She wakes once in the night.

[cuphat]

7-7.30am wakes and has some milk
8.30am breakfast
11.30 lunch
12-1.30pm nap. Milk after she wakes up.
5pm dinner
6pm bedtime stories and milk
6.30pm bath and last bedtime story
Asleep by 7pm

[cuphat]

I should add, she sleeps straight through. DD is 18 months.

[HazleNutt]

7.30-8 wakes
8 breakfast
10-12 nap
lunch
snack
3-5 nap
6ish dinner
8ish bedtime snack
9 bed.

He's dropping his morning nap though, so I'm expecting just one nap per day soon.

could you try 2 naps and bed later? 5.30 is a very early start indeed.

[calilark]

DD is 17 months and at nursery 4 days a week, but for the other days:
7am wake up
7-7.30am boob
8am breakfast
10am snack
11-12.30/1pm nap
1pm lunch
3pm snack
4.30/5 tea
6pm bath
7/7.30pm bed

[calilark]

oh and boob at bedtime as well

[Fattyfattyyumyum]

At 21 months ours is

Wake between 7 & 8 am. Milk straight away.
8.30 breakfast
11.30 lunch
12-2 ish nap
Snack on waking
Dinner 4.30/5ish
Milk & bed between 6.30 & 7pm

I'm lucky in that nap can be flexible to start anytime between 11am & 1pm really so this does vary depending on if we have social plans for morning or afternoon or both. 3 days at nursery nap is 1-2pm rigid.

[BlueberryWafer]

DS is 18 months. His routine is generally:

7am - comes through to our bed for a cuddle (if not already in with us from earlier!)
7.30am - up & breakfast
10am - snack
11.45/12 - lunch
1-2pm - nap
Small snack when he wakes
5/5.30pm - tea
6.45pm - bath
7.30pm - milk & story
8pm ish - bed

Sometimes wakes between 5&6 (usually when he's peed out of his nappy) but comes through to us and goes back to sleep for a while!

[nottheOP]

The general rule for early waking is the nap being too early. 11 hours nighttime sleep is a reasonable expectation imo.

I'd push it back 15 minutes every other day

[Pocket1]

Thank you for all the replies.

Well, DD woke at 5.25am this morning (!!!). I handed her her morning bottle while she was still in her cot and walked out. She drank it. Chattered to herself till 6.15, then fell asleep. She's still asleep now so she should be a happier little thing today.

Will try a snack at bedtime tonight too.

Thank you again