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Afternoon nap for a 2 year old - how long do yours sleep?

16 replies

migolapland · 09/12/2008 15:58

I'm sure this has been done before so apologies, but wanted a bit of advice.

DD still has an afternoon nap (she is nearly two). She has it after lunch, so normally goes down at about 1.45-2ish. By this time she is yawning so is clearly tired. The problem is, I put her in her cot and she will talk/sing for up to an hour sometimes, then will fall asleep (about 3pm) for a couple of hours. This means the doesn't naturally wake up until 5pm which is teatime. She then has food, a bath at 6.30 and bed at 7.30 once she's had milk & stories. It is then taking her another hour to fall asleep (singing and talking).

She's happy enough in her bed but I feel that she isn't quite tired enough at bedtime because her afternoon nap has gone on until 5ish. So, do I wake her from her nap at 4 regardless of how long she's slept? Part of me thinks that if she's sleeping it must mean she is tired & needs it...?

How long do your two year olds sleep in the afternoon?

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basementbear · 09/12/2008 16:19

DS2 slept for about 1.5hrs till he was nearly 3. Usually from about 1-2.30ish. DS2 on the other hand dropped his almost as soon as he was two, no amount of persuading would make him sleep! If it's taking her ages to sleep I would be tempted to try her without - but I do understand how hard it is to give up your precious free time!!

migolapland · 09/12/2008 16:23

thanks bb. she has gone without a couple of times (mainly bec we've been at someone's house or out and about) but she is absolutely knackered by about 5 and is too tired to eat - she's been underweight and is not a brilliant eater anyway so I don't want to miss any meals (plus I do love my couple of hours to have a cup of tea, eat chocolate biscuits, watch reruns of strictly come dancing and browse MN do the housework

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migolapland · 09/12/2008 16:24

hmm, why didn't that strike out work?

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bookthief · 09/12/2008 16:28

Ds (just turned 2) didn't have a nap on Saturday & Sunday and only 25mins yesterday at nursery. I'm devastated not too happy about the prospect of no more naps but I've got to say he slept amazingly well Sunday & Monday nights.

He's a chatterer in his cot too and he went off far more quickly without a nap. Dammit!!

migolapland · 09/12/2008 16:31

DD falls asleep immediately at bedtime if she doesn't have a nap during the day. Hmm, pros and cons. In a way I'd rather have a break in the afternoon and her stay up later in the evening because that way DH gets to see a bit of her too..

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Gemzooks · 09/12/2008 16:35

my DS is 2.2...

He has a nap between 1-3 pm, same at nursery. It seems a bit long but it's a good break for me! He is so exhausted and just really needs the nap, he even asks for it!

He goes to bed at 8 pm. I try to make sure he's knackered by bed time, by always taking him out in the afternoon to run around, play etc. and he always has a long bath with playing. If I put him to bed more like 7, he wakes earlier in the morning.

I would just try to knacker her out (in a good way!) with lots of physical play and fresh air in the afternoon. It's hard in the winter months, isn't it, because it seems natural to snooze into the long winter afternoon! easier in summer...

Gemzooks · 09/12/2008 16:35

just wanted to add, we naughtily sometimes keep him up till 9, he has dinner with us as a treat, then he'll sleep till 8 30 am. bliss!

SnowOfHands · 09/12/2008 16:38

My 19 month old dropped all naps at 14 months and is awake 8am-9pm.

I am envious.

migolapland · 09/12/2008 16:39

gemzooks my problem is that she doesn't wake up from her nap until about 5, by which time it's too late to go out and do something (especially because it's dark now!). If we had a garden I could let her go & play for half an hour before dinner but we're stuck in a flat which we can't bloomin shift in this market, aaargh. We WILL have a house one day (hopeful emoticon)
ah cute, DD sometimes has dinner with us when we're on holiday or at my parents, it's really sweet

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eandh · 09/12/2008 16:40

my dd2 is 23months and only naps about twice a week around 11.30 when we leave to get dd1 from preschool (sleep maximum of 40minutes) dd1 dropped her naps at by 2.1 but does mean she sleeps 6pm to 7am at night!

migolapland · 09/12/2008 16:42

maybe I should just stick her in the pram after lunch and take her for a walk, she drops off quicker in the pram

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littleducks · 09/12/2008 16:44

either move it to 1pm, so do lunch bang on 12.00 (which can be tricky with am activities) or wake her up after one hour, we do one or the other depending on how morning has gone dd is 2.7 and would far rather sleep all afternoon that at night!

migolapland · 09/12/2008 16:48

I do try and do lunch as close to 12 as possible. I just don't think she would fall asleep if I put her down at 1..
I might try that for a week littleducks, then try waking her up after an hour for the second week and see which works best

snowofhands!

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Gemzooks · 09/12/2008 17:44

could you try to get her up earlier? I can see that if she sleeps till 5 she won't be tired at 7-8... it's a minefield with these tiny ones!

littleducks · 09/12/2008 18:41

i would put her down at 1 and wake her at three regardless if she went to sleep at 1 or faffed about til 2

migolapland · 09/12/2008 18:45

ok will try putting her down at one then waking her up 2 hours later regardless
thanks everyone

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