Baby nap clash with 3yo class

[Blueowlnight]

My 1yo is transitioning to a one nap day, but my 3 yo has a 1pm swim class. She loves her swim teacher, and she has preschool earlier in the day so this is the time that works for us.

How have others managed this situation?

Your one year old naps in the pushchair while the swimming is on 🤷🏻‍♀️

In our swimming class babies slept in pram or car seat at the side of the pool whilst mum watched the swimming.

Walk or get public transport to swimming so baby can be in the pram and have their nap there.

Have the baby in the pram/buggy and let them nap, it is a day a week you might be able to move it about to suit. I know you don't think it atm but there is life beyond naps 😀

Pram or baby carrier for the nap

That’s the obvious option but it has to be a drive, there’s no public transport. My thought was to let them sleep in the car and attempt to transfer to carrier but he’s not great at transferring (and buggies aren’t allowed poolside)

Oh the dreaded nap transition! Reconfiguring your day like that is always fun! Is your 1yo happy to nap in a buggy? Neither of mine would so I feel for you if not, but could maybe be an option. Or (and I'm sure you've thought of this already) but is there anyone who'd be happy to watch 1yo for an hour or so at this time of day?

I was much tougher on my 2nd DC when it came to naps, as I didn't have much choice. So he'd have had to wait until we got home to nap or reluctantly nap wherever we were. He was always a rubbish sleeper though and could handle it quite well most of the time. I hope you find a solution that doesn't involve changing things for your 3yo.

I would try and jig the nap around or it might be a nap of two halves 1 there and finish it on the way home ?

Can he nap 11-12.30? Thats what my son naps and it works well for us.

Why are you poolside? Are you not sitting in the viewing area while the class is happening at that age?
If you can't have a pushchair I would just do nap either earlier or later

When DS would only fall asleep while in a moving pushchair we would go places early if we needed to, to get him to fall asleep at the right time. So you could go early, transfer to carrier in time to fall asleep

I agree, nap of two halves as it's only one day a week. My 14 month old is transitioning and will only do one nap at nursery, but on the days at home with me or DP, usually does two naps still, especially if we go out in the car or for a walk in the pram mid-morning.

If your 1yo spends most of the week with you then you can control the bap schedule to a certain extent. Couldn't because DS was in nursery 4 days/week.

Alternative is finding someone to watch DS in the car or buggy at the cafe or similar, during the class and changing.
Any other parents in a similar situation?

Is there not a separate viewing area where you could have the pram? But I suppose that even if there is you’d still have to transfer out of the car then back in 30 minutes later so viewing area, pram, sling, whatever realistically nap time is going to be a disaster every week. Either you need to get the nap in earlier on swim days, like 11-12.30pm, and do early bedtime or if that’s not an option because you’re in and out of the car for preschool pick up then personally I’d move the class to a post 3pm so we could go post nap or drop it altogether. I wouldn’t consider swimming for a 3YO worthwhile enough for me to deal with a grump overtired baby!

Have you got a cleaner? Can they come on this day and mind the toddler napping

Just transfer and hope for the best. Baby here has to have various naps interrupted going in and out of the car for school pick up and drop offs, we have no choice. I wouldn’t disrupt your 3 year olds class.

Can you go to a park or soft play within walking distance of the pool earlier so baby gets a play then sleeps in buggy without any transfer waking risk?

😂

I’d do this too. Just make a bigger day of it. Drive to the park with scooter for the older one and play, then one year old can nap on the walk to the pool and back again to get the car after the lesson. Older kid can scoot there and back. Depends on the stamina of older child I suppose but mine would love this.