Naps

[mermaid101]

My 9.5 month old DD sleeps fairly reliably 7-7, which is great. She usually has a half hour nap about 8.30am, another one after lunch for about 1.5 hours and then another half hour around 3.30/4pm. The last couple of days she hasn't wanted her 8.30am nap. I'm assuming this is normal for her age? Do most babies start dropping naps around this time?

However, I usually used this time to have a shower. What do other people do with their DC if they want a shower in the morning? Or will I just have to get hair washed and stuff at night when she is asleep? I could get up a bit earlier but sometimes she is awake from between 6 -6.30 but just chats to herself. I think if she heard me moving about she would cry to get up. I'm going back to work soon and my DH is going to be looking after her and he won't welcome getting up any earlier than he needs to!

Yes it is normal to drop nap at that age. You could take dd in the bathroom with you and give her a toy to play with. I let me dd roam around upstairs while I shower as I have a stairgate. I am just as quick as poss

Thanks Nevercan. I think I'll need to get gates and other baby proofing stuff. I could take her into the bathroom right enough. I'm awfully paranoid thought and I'd be worried she banged her head on the tiles.

On a slightly related note, do you have socket covers? I bought some last week, but then my friend told me that they were really dangerous. Do you (or anyone else) know if this is true?

mermaid my understanding of it is that socket covers aren't necessary, as all british plugs are built safe. The reason socket covers are dangerous is that they can be partially removed, and used to make the socket live, so that if little fingers then got in, the fireworks could start. With no implement to help, small fingers can go in but it won't do any damage. I spoke to our electrician about it when he was rewiring and he had a proper long rant about it. That's what I gleaned through his extremely broad Scottish accent!!

Thanks Dame,

I think that's what my friend was saying, but my mum was horrified I didn't have them in. I'll not bother with them then. I've heard this from a few people now. Good to hear an electrician says so too.

Yes they drop naps and need less daytime sleep as they get older.

It was the late afternoon catnap that my DD dropped first (at around 7mo). At 9mo she was having a 30m catnap about 2.5 hours after waking, then a 1.5 hour nap after lunch finishing around 2.30 to 3pm. That saw her through until bedtime. The wake time between the lunchtime nap and bedtime tends to be the longest of the day.

Have you tried pushing back the times of your morning and lunchtime naps? Your DD might be happy to go down a bit later at around 9.30, allowing you to have a shower then.

But every baby is different and it's obviously working for your DD at the moment with such great night sleep!

Never thought of that Poosnu, but sounds like a great idea! 9.30am would be a better time for a nap as she will be going to nursery 2 days a week and that would fit in better. Also, she has her lunch pretty early just now (about 11am) as she gets so tired. Later naps would make lots of sense. Thanks! I'll try that and see if DD complies with the logic!

agree with poosnu - I think she isn't tired enough to nap at 8.30am anymore but she probably isn't quite ready to drop the morning nap completely (most babies do it between 15-18 months), so I think you'll find if you put her down a bit later 9/9.30am she will settle down for a sleep.