Toddler refusing naps

[BunnyMummy91]

My LG is almost 23 months old and for the past 2 weeks has refused to nap I've kept her in the pram where she use to nap for an hour every day at the same time she use to nap and even tried to push it later/earlier to see if it makes a difference it does not 🤣 I can visibly tell she is tired (eye bags) but it doesn't seem to affect her mood in the afternoon most of the time, shall I just persist and hope she goes back to napping? Or is she just old enough to drop naps? Any advice us welcome 🤣🙏🏻

She's probably old enough now to drop the nap - as long as it doesn't affect her night sleep.

If you drop it and then find she is waking up early or upset or waking lots in the night then she is overtired and you may still need to go for a drive (this is my guaranteed nap method with my toddler).

Thanks! I honestly thought she would be too young to drop naps! If we're in the car in the afternoon she does nap 50% of the time like on the school run but she's an angel at bedtime sleeps 7.30pm to around 7.30-8am ☺️

I do childcare and most of the kids I’ve had kept their afternoon nap until about 3.5. When the naps stopped, they still had to have quiet time in their rooms and fell asleep half the time anyway. I wouldn’t give up on the nap if you’d like it to continue.

Yeah I kind of need it for my own sanity too 🤣 as I have her all day then work 3pm-midnight 😴 I'll keep putting her in the pram at nap time at least for chill out and hopefully she goes back to napping! Thankyou

Apparently there's a regression around this age, there certainly has been with m daughters aged friends- al around 22/23 months. My daughter was fighting them for a about a week but is back to normal now.... I really don't want the naps to end so young!!

Yeah I'm not ready for her to give them up 🤣 I also don't really think she is! Heres hoping it will pass!

@BunnyMummy91 all the people I work for are “please keep the naps going because we want them on Saturday and Sunday!”

Naps are for parents too 😂

I'm amazed when I hear of children this age still napping, surely they are far too old

I thought children napped up until they are 3ish

My eldest dropped his just before 2, my youngest was around 2.5 when he stopped if at home/nursery but would still sleep in the car if we drove in the afternoon until around 3/3.5.
i’m sure they get a sixth sense for the fact you like the nap and drop it! My eldest dropped his about a fortnight before I had his brother. I was counting on that window of peace to get me through the day!

My eldest napped until 3.5, my youngest dropped her nap at 22months- everyone is different. I wouldn’t worry too much, drop it and bring bedtime to 7pm.

@BunnyMummy91 I’ve taken care of loads of toddlers over the years (probably about 12) plus my own 3 kids. Almost all napped for 2.5-3 hours until they were over 3.

DC1 stopped napping at one.
DC2 napped for two hours every day until he was three.

Both mine stopped at 18 months!

My pair napped up to about 15 / 16 months. But they slept 10-12 hours every night from very young - so swings and roundabouts.

Mine certainly would not have slept at that age because they were in creche and they were too scared of missing out on some fun!

I'm having a similar issue with my almost 2 year old. None of the old ways of getting her nap work anymore, but if she skips her nap she is miserable and screamy and exhausted in the evening and then sleeps dreadfully overnight. Can't wait until she is properly ready to fully drop the nap as this in-between transition period is the worst.

Nope not too old. You're never too old for naps...

How long has this been going on for? As my DS is about the same age and has been a bit hit or miss with the naps over the last few weeks, he always naps but had a lot of 30 min ones. It DOES affect his behaviour in the late PM though, crying loads etc due to being tired so he clearly still needs them. I just powered through for a couple of weeks and he's been napping better the last week again. Although I've started putting him down a little later than I used to, I think he does need a slightly shorter nap now and isn't tired as early usually. But then today for example he fell asleep at 11:45 in the pram and slept for 1.5hrs whereas he almost never sleeps more than 30 or 40 mins in the pram..so who knows, they like to keep us on our toes!

My first stopped regular naps at 18 months old
My 2 year 3 month old has recently stopped napping but it's only been 30 mins or so for months and months

It's been about 3 weeks now! She is much more sensitive in the evenings now and like yours has only even napped for 40 mins at a time

Someone once told me that at first when the nap goes have down time the same length as a nap- an hour of tv time- books on the sofa, something calming with less movement- to help the transition

I completely understand your concern about your 23-month-old's changing nap habits. It's not unusual for toddlers to go through nap transitions around this age. Here are some tips:

1. Experiment with Nap Timing: Try adjusting her nap time to see if it helps.
2. Quiet Time: If she doesn't nap, introduce a "quiet time" during her usual nap hours.
3. Monitor Her Mood: Keep an eye on her mood and energy levels in the afternoon. If she seems tired, she might still need some daytime rest.
4. Bedtime Routine: Establish a calming bedtime routine with activities like reading and singing lullabies.

Speaking of lullabies, you might find this YouTube channel helpful for creating a soothing atmosphere https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGcBY5dT5cA4xajW8A_v1rQ?sub_confirmation=1. Every child is unique, so be patient during this transition. If you have concerns, consult her pediatrician for personalized advice. Best wishes! 🌙💤