18 months is too young to be dropping naps isn't it?

[decaffeinated]

My 18 month old has gone from napping from 1-3pm every day after lunch, without fail, to jumping up and down in his cot wailing when I put him down, and only napping either after 3pm, or in the car, and only about 3 times a week.

When he doesn't nap, he's pretty grumpy, especially when he wakes at 4.45pm - he just wails until bedtime, although he does go to bed okay.

When I put him down at naptime in his cot, he's always got a clean nappy, has been fed and watered, and we've usually (unless the weather's been stinking) been at the very least for a walk into town, to playgroup, or to visit some friends for a play so he's burnt off some energy and had some fresh air.

The 1-3 after-lunch nap has been a routine since he started his naps. When he dropped his morning nap a few months ago, he kept the afternoon one, so I thought it was pretty ingrained in him.

The only thing I can think that has changed is that I sometimes take him to playgroup on a Monday from 1-3pm, when we go out straight after lunch, and he falls asleep on the way home, and I'm wondering whether now he's a bit older, whether this change in routine on one day has upset the routine totally!

Has anyone else experienced this? Any hints on how to get it back? Or do I just have to accept that he doesn't need a nap every day, or get more creative about where / when he has it?

My thoughts are that I'm wondering whether I should drop the playgroup again, and re-establish the daily routine of napping after lunch, by gradually bringing the nap forward by 15 mins a day til we're back to 1pm.

I'm pregnant and knackered, and need my own nap, and can't help but feel he's a bit too young to be giving up napping entirely.

I'm in the same boat. 20 mo, dropped her two regular naps at around 18 mo. Sometimes she does one, very seldom both, often she skips both and is horrible for the rest of the day. I'm 38 weeks and not loving it. The only thing I can do is stay at home and quiet play until 10, then put her into bed. Helps a bit, but after doing it just now eg she is walking around in her room, clonking stuff and I already knwo she won't sleep. Ugh. if I go out, it's even worse. She would sleep in the car for a few minutes, but if I don't let her and bring her home, put her to bed etc she just won't sleep at all. And she never slept in the car, but always in her bed.
Don't know what to do either. She's cranky if she doesn't sleep, and I KNOW she is really tired. Everythign from eye rubs to yawns.

Persist with it. I think about this age they do start to resist- my 18mo dd2 has started shaking her head and crying a bit when I put her for her naps (used to just smile and giggle!) but it only lasts a couple of minutes and then she sleeps.

I have also found with the older 2 that they go through little phases where they don't want/need so much sleep and then they do again so if you persist you may find the naps get longer again.

My older 2 didn't drop their nap till they were 4 and 3- actually the 3.3yo still sleeps on the sofa quite often in the afternoon- especially since starting nursery.

My dd dropped her morning nap at 11 months, her afternoon nap at 13 months.

Depends on the child. It's too soon if they're tired.

My 23mo son started to drop his lunchtime nap a few months ago. He naps maybe every other day on average. He slept today, at home with me, for 90 minutes but this is unusual and probably catching up from two days of not napping.

I agree with thatsnotmymonster - sometimes he needs a nap and sometimes not. It doesn't seem to tie in with how much sleep he had the night before or how much exercise he had in the day. I can't really see any particular correlation. Although I wonder if it ties in with teething and growth spurts?

dd hasn't napped since that age, she's 4 now.

it was a pain in the arse but irt didn't do her any harm, she's just a ridiculously lively child, doesn't like to stay still.

It does depend on the child, but my d dropped her name at around 18 months - I remember her climbing out of the cot! DS continued until he two and a half, but then dropped it. He is very tired at the end of the day though, and asleep daily by 7! If he's really unhappy I wouldn't do it - maybe move bedtime a bit earlier if poss?

My DS fights it at 2.1 but still really needs it. he sleeps best in his pushchair though and usually outside wrapped up if not chucking it down! Occasionally he will not go to sleep at all and tis a nightmare all round but generally he does. Stoped putting him in his bed as he just messed about

At least my dd really needs to nap still, but she won't. I can leave her in her room for an hour, she won't sleep if she doesn't right away. She usually whines a bit, then plays with her books etc, but she won't sleep.
I have noticed she will usually sleep in the mornign when DH is at home too. What's that about?? I can do loads of things with her to tire her out, but that's not what it takes, apparently.
She does go to bed at 7 and sleeps till 7, though. But still really tired during the day without at least one nap.

Weird that there's a playgroup right at most toddlers' naptime. None of mine napped beyond 18 months or so. They got very cranky at the end of the afternoon; I have pictures of all of them asleep in their dinners . I aimed instead for a quiet time in the afternoon where we read lots of stories or listened to music or watched a video. I also put a sheepskin on the floor where they could curl up if they felt a bit tired and sometimes they actually napped there, instead of the cot, which they all hated anyway.

Mine stopped napping at 13mo, she just didn't want or need to sleep in the day any more.

It's a question of whether they need it rather than the age.

I have a 3.5 month old now and DD1 had dropped her naps before the pregnancy - it is really hard so I do feel your pain.

If he really won't nap then mathanxiety's quiet time idea is a good one. DD1 had never really had any TV before I got pregnant but towards the end I discovered cbeebies and it saved my life

all mine stopped regular naps at this age, sorry. you can still keep having yours if you baby proof the room and both settle down on the sofa while he watches tv/plays with toys so all hope is not lost!

Thanks all for your advice, and reassurance! I think I'll persist, and if he's absolutely not napping, then do the 'quiet time' idea, which with a bit of a shuffle in the house should be possible.

He has never had much tele in the past, but I guess it's getting to the point where I just may succumb for the sake of sanity ;)!

Just bumping this thread back up (I know its an old one) because my own 19 month old DS resisted his lunchtime nap today & yesterday. What's that about? . Even last week he slept more than 2 hours at nap time (sometimes 2 & a half) so not sure what's up. Today & yesterday he just sang to himself when I put him in his cot, kept clapping & shouting happily, just seemed wiiiiide awake. Should I persist in putting him down for naps? It's always around 1 pm that we put him down for a nap, until 3 pm or so at the latest.

What I worry about is overtiredness at bedtime. He usually sleeps at 8.00 pm. Yesterday (since he hadn't napped) I put him down at 7 pm but he was just so hyper, it took 2-3 'visits' from me with extra milk to calm him down...

Any tips?

Maria, you said he seemed hyper - did you try 30 mins calming down routine before his 7pm bedtime - or even an hour? Calming down routine - stories, cuddling, lullablies, bath, milk, quiet voices - before bed?

Yesterday he didn't nap again God, really hope this is just a phase. I dread the idea of a nap-free life!!!

Quiet time before naptime/bedtime sounds good though.