Long lunchtime nap - is it portable?

[SisterCarrie]

Am in the process of getting DS 9mo to move from 4x30 minute naps to one morning nap of 30-45 mins and then the long post-lunch nap of up to 2 hours. It's sort of working but yesterday we went out for lunch and although he dropped off in the car seat on the way there, he woke up after 30 mins and then had to have another short nap in the afternoon.

Today I've had to resettle him a couple of times since 12.30, but he's in his cot and sleeping, which is reassuring that the pattern hasn't been broken - but am wondering how long I should leave it before I try to take him out over the period of his long sleep again. Maybe just under a week isn't enough to get him "bedded down" (pardon the pun) into this nap rhythm.

Any thoughts/experience most gratefully received - he's not been a great sleeper/napper to date, but this strategy seems to work as he's getting more sleep than he's ever had before, and is eating better...

We have always done a rough Gina Ford for dd (18m).

If we went out when she was younger (and on 2 naps a day as you describe) she would sleep as normal for her morning nap, but then we'd stay out having lunch etc until about 2.30/3pm, and she would stay awake, and then she'd sleep on the way home. This sleep was generally shorter than normal (about 1-1.5hrs rather than the usual 2 hrs) and I found that if I let her have a 2hr nap that late in the day she wouldn't go to sleep until ages after her bedtime.

I guess it's just trial and error to find out what suits them... and then they'll grow up a bit and it'll all change! :-)

I've always just made sure I'm at home for the long nap 12-2:30pm ish and fit in social stuff around that. from about 12 months babies tend to just go down to one nap a day.

Sad to say my DD's lunchtime nap was never very portable - well, it was, but if we were out it was much shorter, in the same way you describe for your DS. As she's got older, this doesn't really seem to bother her but when she was younger it was merry hell if she didn't get two decent sleeps in her cot! Up until about 10-11 months of age she was a naturally short napper like your DS has been. I think some of them just are.

thanks for your replies - think I will just try to limit our outings over lunchtime as he's definitely one of nature's short nappers.