Q for parents of babies down to 1 nap a day

[Countingsheeeep]

How do you go out for the day long distance?

DD is nearly 13 months, she is not quite ready to drop her morning nap, but we are getting closer to it. Both of our families live a good hour or so away, therefore at the moment if we need to visit she has a sleep in the car on the way there, we stay for 3-4 hours and then she sleeps on the way back, which generally means her bed time isn't affected.

I can't work out in my head how we are going to continue doing this when she reduces down to 1 nap in the middle of the day. For context, she does not sleep anywhere these days apart from her cot. We have tried to get her to nap in travel cots at others houses but it's always failed, she just likes her own bed.

How do you do it?

I used to have trouble with dd napping late afternoon and being wired at bedtime. Now cautious travelling between 3.30-6 and sometimes leave late so if she does doze off it's more like bedtime.

DD 15 months does 1 long nap 10-12! So long drives we leave after a bottle at 9.45 and always goes to sleep! Not all babies drop to just a middle of the day nap, goes down 6.45 wakes up 6.30ish

We don’t go out for the day. She doesn’t sleep in a buggy anymore (hasn’t in ages) and gets so ratty and miserable if she doesn’t nap. For us it’s really not worth it. It won’t last forever though and DD is starting to drop the nap now at 2 years.

We e never had set nap times my dad will just nap in the car or pram but won't nap in a cot during the day if I think she's a bit tired I take her for a walk and she'll nod off. She's down to one nap a day she usually has this in the car I've found where she used to always nap in the car in every journey now she will often just chatter away to herself in the back

Dd not dad

I don’t think you should just stop travelling to visit your parents and PILs. This could easily go on for another two years and by then I guess you might have another baby?

I agree with the people saying leave straight after breakfast (so she doesn’t fall asleep) and then drive home after lunch (and she can have her nap in the car).

Dc1 napped once a day for 2 years, I couldn’t imagine being in the house for every nap for 2 hours plus in the day!

We took a travel cot and he slept in it or he slept in the pushchair with a snooze shade. When they’re so used to having that big afternoon nap I think they’ll settle easier elsewhere because they need it

DS dropped to one nap ridiculously early (9 months!!) We take the pram with us and rock him off to sleep in that and he usually sleeps for the same length of time as at home. The good thing about it being over lunchtime is then we can sit down and have a nice lunch with family while he sleeps. We do it so he's parked up outside but the other side of a window where we are so we can see him and he sleeps beautifully in the fresh air all wrapped up. Need a snooze shade though, no chance without that!

Just to clarify when I say outside, I mean at someone's house in an enclosed garden with us watching, not leaving him on the street like the Scandinavians do!

Yes agree with PP that you may find your DC will nap in a travel cot or buggy once down to one nap, as they will be more tired (especially at the start)