How to survive the 2 year nap regression

[Annie456]

DS1 is 2.4...DS2 is 8 weeks old. DS1 has stopped napping but will usually fall asleep around 4pm when we're out and about. If he doesn't have this nap he is absolutely beside himself by late afternoon.
According to "the books" toddlers drop their nap between 3-4 but they have a regression at 2. I think this is the regression as he seems to really need it. But what should I do? He just bangs / kicks his cot and shouts that he wants out...but he needs this nap!!
Would love to hear from people who have come out of a sleep regression with naps still in tact (don't really need to hear lots of stories about 2 year olds who we're ready to give up their naps as mine is not!)
Thanks...

Honestly, I don't know any children who napped past 3. Most seem to stop napping at about 2 and a half.

I would just carry in with what you are doing, letting him nap where he will. You can try to have quiet time in the cot, but if he's not up for it there's not much you can do.

Two of my four dropped naps by 2, 2 napped beyond age 2 (and DD3 now 4 y 3 m, still does sometimes).

Most 2 yo need only 10-12 hours sleep in every 24. Some need even less. DS was in that last category, alas...

But he does need the nap otherwise he wouldn't be tearful and whingy all afternoon and fall asleep in his buggy at 4pm because I've decided we can't possibly stay in the house any longer. Do I persevere with the 1pm nap in the cot or do I give it up and do the buggy thing at 4? Or somewhere in between! Help, no one is having much fun right now! X

my 2.2 yo also fights the nap and is either slightly crazy for the rest of the day if he skips it entirely, or will nap around 5pm. he will, though, fall asleep in a few minutes if i pop him into the buggy after lunch, so i've just resorted to taking a walk around the block every day around 2.
it's comical how much he cries, tries to climb out of bed, etc. in a nice dark quiet room, but then as soon as we're outside his eyes start to droop and he's fast asleep within moments.

my 2.2 yo also fights the nap and is either slightly crazy for the rest of the day if he skips it entirely, or will nap around 5pm. he will, though, fall asleep in a few minutes if i pop him into the buggy after lunch, so i've just resorted to taking a walk around the block every day around 2.
it's comical how much he cries, tries to climb out of bed, etc. in a nice dark quiet room, but then as soon as we're outside his eyes start to droop and he's fast asleep within moments.

Thanks. Maybe I should just try the buggy earlier each day until it's a sensible time. He'll sleep for ages once he's gone and I struggle to wake him up. What time does yours sleep at night if he has the 5pm nap?

My 2.2 is currently having a shot nap, only one hour, as she still needs it and goes to bed by herself. For the past month she wants to nap later in the afternoon, but i let her sleep for one hour only as otherwise she is up until 11pm. Not sure where we are going with this, but we will see.

How interesting. My 2.2 yr old formerly rather good daytime napper has started messing around during naps on about 3 or 4 days a week. I'd never heard of sleep regression, thought it was down to her having enough sleep at night.

I'm not sure what to do (sorry OP, am no help!) but am now feeling alarmed at prospect of nap having been dropped particularly as have young baby too. Aargh!

I find it much easier to get him to sleep in the car, or the buggy. Then I transfer him. I tend to take him somewhere active in the morning, have lunch and then he goes to sleep on the way home. Getting him to sleep in his bed can take ages!

My ds is 2.6 and hasn't napped at home for over a year !

Buggy or car every day but the swine sleeps beautifully ON THE FLOOR at nursery.

Bottom line is that he needs to sleep. Today was a good eg. Had ds2 in sling, big one in the buggy. Got home and he was still awake so I shoved him in the downstairs loo with his bunnies etc and he had to be woken up after an hour.

I'll continue to do whatever it takes. Saying that, he didn't go to sleep until gone 9pm. He is happy to stay in bed singing and not causing any bother. But in my heart of hearts I know that he'll prob drop his nap entirely in the next few months.