Toddler naps when newborn DC2 arrives....

[Littlerayofsunshine]

My DD (17.5m) still has a 2hr ish nap each day (around midday after playgroup.

I am due with DC2 in 4.5 weeks.

how can I try to make this stick? i know DD will gradually have less but what are your tips for when yor frst DC is still small and they both need naps?

Its a while ago now, but as far as i can remember my ds did grow out of his nap midday nap at about 19 months to a certain extent.

I simply moved his nap on till 1.30 or so, It meant he was up a little later in the evening but I had Dh at home the to share the work. and i had a bath when dd was asleep before her last feed.

When ds did not need his nap until about 3 or 4 pm I tried to stretch him out with baths, out side play etc. and an early bed time of about 6.30. He will still go to bed at 7 pm now he is 4.9

I remember a blissful month or two when both dc's slept for an hour and a half in the middle of the day.

The best advise i can give is to play it by ear. and as the nap routines change tweek them to suit yourself as much as possible. You may find you toddler is up with you for the early feeds at 6am and might need longer naps in the day time. If you don't force it it will all fall into place . I have the same age gap between my two.

When I had my second my eldest still had a 2hr nap after lunch and I think the best thing I did was to keep it going, it was what let me keep some sanity!

I kept to a routine (I know it doesn't suit everyone) and it meant I knew who was sleeping when and I worked towards them both having the same 2 hr nap each day. The eldest is just starting to drop her nap now at nearly 3.5yrs and I am seriously going to miss the little bit of the day where I could prep dinner, do laundry, mumsnet , make phone calls etc in peace and quiet!

For a while she looked like she wanted to drop the nap at about 2.3yrs, so I said she could have quiet time instead in her room with books and a few quiet toys. After a week or so though I used to go up to find her curled up back in bed and asleep so we went back to doing a normal nap.