Is 21 months too young to stop all napping in the day?

[Slavetominidictator]

My 21 month old dd had always been a dreadful sleeper. She currently apps for 60-90 mins at midday but will not go to bed for the evening before 9pm. Yesterday she missed her nap and slept from 7-7. She woke at 1am and 5am but she went back to sleep quickly. I just hear of all these 3 year olds who still nap and wonder if it's too soon to stop it completely. She is a serious sleep fighter so it's actually much nicer not to have to struggle to get her to nap and she went to sleep far more easily at 7pm too. Usually it takes between 60 and 90 mins to get her to drop off in the evenings. Last night, it took 15 mins.
Any experience please?

[Slavetominidictator]

Of course I mean naps rather than apps.....

[imip]

No, not neccescarily. Dd1 and 2 stopped at 24 months. I see it as a period of transition. Some days they need it, some days they don't. I've had 4 dcs, youngest 2.2mths, been the same with all of them. Dd4 did nap today, but I try to limit it to one hour.

You might find on an active day dd will need a nap, or when she has risen early.

The hanging around waiting for them to go to sleep is an arse. It is usually that stage that I test actively avoiding a nap to see if it is because they are dropping them.

At this age, I'd suggest it may take a good couple of months to drop the nap entirely. This has usually been the case with my dcs.

Dd1 was my worst sleeper. Turns out she does just need less sleep than my others. Will wake up much earlier despite going to bed at the same time.

[StarlightMcKingsThree]

DS doesn't have naps, at least not consistently.

At night, he toddles around until he falls asleep on the carpet/on the sofa/in our arms/on the stairs around 10:30 - midnight. Then we carry him to bed.

[Slavetominidictator]

Thanks very much for the replies. I do think, as you say, imip, she just needs less sleep than most. I will try letting her not nap if she doesn't seem tired over the next week or so.

[Slavetominidictator]

Thanks very much for the replies. I do think, as you say, imip, she just needs less sleep than most. I will try letting her not nap if she doesn't seem tired over the next week or so.

[Slavetominidictator]

Starlight - presumably he isn't exhausted by going to bed so late? With my dd, she does get tired but won't give in...

[Oly4]

I'm watching with interest as also have a shocking sleeper (22 months). Naps an hour at nursery or two hours when at home. I'd happily exchange this for a full night's sleep but he still seems to need naps. Argh, am sick of being up every few hours

[Slavetominidictator]

She had a phase a couple of months ago where she would nap for two hours at 12, then as long as awake by 2pm, would go down at 8pm. She has just gone down at 9.45 because she napped from 1-2.30 today.
That's it, I'm banning naps!

[StarlightMcKingsThree]

I don't know whether he is exhausted or not tbh. I know I was trying to get him to nap against his will.

I also know that it all worked without my interference when he was in the womb, and that many other cultures don't expect their babies to sleep as much as we seem to like ours to.

[Slavetominidictator]

Anyone else want to tell me this is in the normal age range for giving up naps? I won't be doing her any harm will I?

[jaybirdsinginginthedeadofnight]

I think you have to trust your instinct, you know her best. If she is getting increasingly whingy etc as the day goes on chances are she could still do with a nap. But if she can cope the whole day without then she doesn't need it. Does she go down for naps easily? I think once they start fighting going for a nap it's time to let it go. I don't think there's any set age, they are all such individuals just do what you feel is right for your DD.