To drop the nap!

[Linzi14]

DD is 2 next month, I know it’s generally young to be dropping the nap but I’ve been upstairs waiting for her to go sleep since 845.
Typical day she’s up at 7. Naps 12,45-1.45. Bed 8-8/30.
Past week or so it’s been gone 9 o clock by the time she’s asleep. Yesterday my parents had her whilst I was at work, couldn’t get her to nap. She was in bed half 7 and woke up 12 hours later! She was cranky come 6 o clock but she had been awake since 6.30am.
I was at home today so napped as usual and here I am. Should add most nights she generally sleeps through but moans, cries out for mama , don’t often have to go in but sometimes I do.. last night.. not a peep.

So.. fluke? Or is it time for the nap to go?

P.s i wouldn’t deprive her of a nap if she was tired .. I explained to my partner if we were to have a busy morning, I’d let her nap.. but if we were at home .. maybe a quiet afternoon instead. But partner seems to think it’s too early but he’s probably just enjoying the hours fricking peace!

As long as she can make it through the day without becoming an emotional wreck by evening time, I'd go for it.

I too dreaded the end of naps as I enjoyed the break but once they did end I realised how much they restrict your day. I'm glad to be rid of them with eldest child at least. Better night sleep is also worth sacrificing a nap, for both you and the child.

Anyway you don't have to make a final decision. Give it a try, see how she handles it. It will soon become very obvious if she can't handle it, which I'd say is likely given her age but all children are different. You might ease into a nap some days, no nap other days kind of set up. You might have to reinstate them entirely. Worth the experiment though I'd say.

I’m in the exact same position as you. DS is coming up to 2 now and I am almost crying at the thought of no naps ever again. He hasn’t napped today and was in bed before 7 tonight and can guarantee he’ll sleep until 7am. I’ve found limiting his naps to just 1 hour means he is tired enough to go to bed by 8ish with little fuss but this can sometimes go on a bit later, can vary day to day sometimes. He would nap for 2-3 hours previously so have been having to wake him. Have also found it will depend on what we’ve done that day, I.e if we’ve been swimming or the park he is more tired at nap time and bed time but if we’ve stayed home reading and colouring etc, less so. It’s hard to know what to do for the best isn’t it, but I think just playing it by ear is all you can do for now. Let her nap if she seems tired, and have a later bed time and if she doesn’t want to nap early bed time.

I would limit it rather than drop it completely. My DS is slightly older than your dd at 2.4 and was becoming a nightmare at bedtimes not going to sleep until 9 and waking at 5.30. He was having a 2-2.5 hour nap every day. About two weeks ago we started waking him up after an hour and the improvement has been amazing - asleep before 8 (from a 7.30 bedtime) and not waking up until 6.30/6.45. He would struggle too much on no nap at all right now so this is a happy medium.

My youngest was just over 2 when he dropped the nap. From what I remember it was fairly easy to tell if he needed a nap that day or not as he gradually dropped it. A busy morning, playgroup toddler group etc and I’d take him up to his bed or go for a drive for half an hour or so.

It’s a balancing act, good luck!

DD dropped her naps at 17 months, I will be delighted if DS gets to 2 still napping. Sounds like it's time.

It seems young to me (my 2yo is napping 2 hours and sleeping 12 at night) although I know they're all different.

Ds had a couple of evenings in June where he wouldn't go to sleep before 9. I decided to bring him in from the garden or playroom at 6, shut all the curtains and either let him watch ITNG or read to him til 6.30 then bath & bed. This worked straight away, it was the bright sunshine making him think it wasn't bedtime. Could you try that first?

YANBU... my mum swears blind I didn’t nap in the day from well before I was 2, then my DS was a nightmare to get to sleep at night if he had a nap without being completely worn out first, even 10 minutes in the car in the afternoon would affect bedtime hugely. Some of us just never need much sleep... neither of us need much now even though he’s a teenager! I genuinely reckon he never slept more than 12 hours in 24 after he was a few weeks old. DD was different and more typical in her requirements... so she did nap until she was 3+ I think. I would definitely opt for her only having occasional naps if it gives you both a 12hour night.

Thanks everyone
I’ve limited the nap to an hour for a few months now as the nap kept getting pushed back and with that so did bed time.
I’ll see how tonight goes, she’s at my mum and dads tomorrow until the afternoon so will see what happens!

Have to laugh - this time last year she used to get up at 5am nap at 8-10am. Would not nap in the afternoon - was asleep by 630pm!

DS dropped his nap at 18 months, but he was a fab sleeper right from a few weeks old. DD woke every night without fail but dropped her nap at 16 months and her nighttime sleep has been really good ever since touch wood

I get so envious of all these parents talking about their children napping right up to age 4! But I actually like having the whole day to do things without fretting to get home for a nap, as they both would only have a decent nap in their cots.

Well she went to sleep 945 and was up at 630am 🙄and hasn’t slept at my parents. Easy night tonight hopefully. And possibly a lay in...