Dropping naps

[Harveyrabbit76]

Hi, I have a 14 month old daughter who is sleeping badly because of a cold but I am also wondering whether it is time to drop a nap during the day?she has one hour nap at 10.30 and another 1.5 hours at 2.30pm. I then try and get her to bed at 7 30 but some nights it takes her ages to fall asleep. What were the signs that told you a nap need to be dropped? Many thanks!

I think when we were on two naps a day I tried to have about 4 hours between end of nap and bedtime. Maybe if you pushed bed back to 8pm she may be more tired? And keep two naps that way?

We dropped to one nap at around a year (although he was really tired in AMs for a few months after and had to try to avoid car journeys etc so he wouldn’t drop off too early). We dropped to one nap because he refused his morning / afternoon nap a few times and also was starting Nursery where they did one nap, so it was for practical reasons really!

It is very early. The recommended age to drop the final nap is between 2 and 3.

I think OP is talking about dropping from 2 to 1 nap. Sounds about right. Both of mine started struggling going to bed before 9pm but still waking early and being a bit grumpy in the morning but then fighting on nap. I dropped to one nap at about 11am for both of them at around the age your DC is. Worked a treat although both were very tired in the late pm and needed an early bedtime for a while.

Thankyou for the advice! Yes, just dropping one of the two naps. I have heard that the morning one goes first but dreading a irritable toddler as she seems to be so whiney anyway at the moment!

I found that he got tired around 9am but if we pushed through with distracting activities he peeked up. I would put him down for his nap then around 11am for quite a few months the until his stamina improved and now it’s around 12.

Yes, I found that going down to one nap happened around 14 months.

My DS is 19 months and still has two naps. But he also sleeps through 12 hours at night, and falls asleep quickly when we put him down. Occasionally if he sleeps in of a morning (he's normally up at 6) he won't have a morning one now but most days it's two.

I wouldn't drop a nap, unless when you're putting baby down for it they won't drop off, until it starts to affect their nighttime sleep.

I have read a lot that it's a transitional thing - rather than just dropping it suddenly a couple of days a week they have one and this steadily increases until they don't need it anymore.

14m seems quite young to me, but I only have my DS as a benchmark no other children.

My DS didn't drop to one nap until he was well over 2 years old. He then napped for 2-3 hours after lunch and continued to do this until a few months after his 3rd birthday.