Sorry I know this has been done before but when did you DC drop their nap?

[Joneseygirl77]

Just as the title says really.

How did you transition them through it? I.e how do you cope with a cranky overtired toddler. Tips welcomed!

DC1 was 3 1/2 ish
DC2 was 3 ish
DC3 was 4 1/2 ish

With all it was a gradual change. I took nights being affected as my signal to start the change. Initially we stopped the nap being upstairs in the cot, but established sofa naps/quiet time. So after lunch when DC would normally go upstairs to bed, instead they were settled on the sofa with a dummy for quiet time.

Initially there would usually still be a nap most days, but less of a deep sleep and a shorter nap. Over time DC would sleep less and spend time just resting/watching TV during this time.

Some weeks we might have a nap one day and then no nap for a couple of days, then maybe a big nap, then a short 30 minute powernap and so on. Basically I never said "no you must not nap" and encourage 'rest time' if not sleeping. It took probably a year of this until rest time was no longer needed and the nap completely gone permanently.

Thanks Fate.

DD is only 23 months so still far too young to be dropping her nap but she's never been a great napper. She generally averages 40mins and never more than 90mins.

We had a horrendous night with her last night. She went to sleep fine slightly earlier than normal but woke after 4 hrs and was then awake for 2.5hrs in the night. She just wouldn't drop off for some reason. She is cutting her second molars too so that isn't helping.

Hoping this is a phase!

Just turned 4 when they started school but they will still nap at the weekend if they're a chance and they're 5 in August!

So jealous.

Ds dropped his nap at 15 months. Now he will very rarely fall asleep in the car in long journeys (don't happen often)

Dd dropped her nap around the same time but will occasionally drop on the sofa around 4pm on days we've had a bad night but mostly doesn't nap at all.

Both mine stopped at 18 months, so 23 months is not necessarily far too young!
One stopped over the course of a couple of weeks (well he really stopped overnight, but I had just discovered I was pg, and really needed a break and refused to give in - after two weeks of screaming, I gave in). DD did stop overnight. She had been having 3 hr naps, and then just stopped.
Last few hours of the day were horrible, but just tried to keep a quiet time with stories and/or tv, and then prayed for bedtime

Dd naturally dropped hers. She just wouldn't go to sleep in the day from around 23 months.

Ds we stopped it when it started changing his nighttime sleep.

He was a bit crabby in the evenings for a week or so. A couple of times he asked for a nap when he first started nursery. Once he just took himself up and put himself in bed.

In those cases we let him have about 30 minutes.

DD1 was just over 2 but was never a great napper anyway & was in full time nursery & an inquisitive child who didn't want to miss out. I think potty training was a factor too because nursery made her wear a nappy at sleep time.

DS was 3 although must his nursery buddies still nap at 4 years old.

Ds has just dropped it at 3.5

He would sleep 2 hours every afternoon if he could, but after a few days of messing around in the evening I decided it was time.

He can be cranky in the late afternoon but if he is I just distract, feed early, bath and bed. Bed can be 6:30 if he's super tired.

Yesterday he fell asleep on the sofa for half an hour at 4, but he was still awake at 8 so I need to be more vigilant about not letting him pass out.

Thanks all. Ok we're not alone in being young to drop it. Only thing we've found so far is when she doesn't have a nap then it seems to disrupt her nighttime sleep. She's much more restless and is reluctant to sleep. Sounds like quiet time early evening with either books or TV- she's so crabby when she's not had a sleep that it makes me feel she still needs one.

We gave in last night and brought into our bed which we have done since she was 6mo. It was horrible no one slept well and it won't be happening tonight. We have done sleep training with her so know it only takes 3 nights for it to become a habit. So guess we'll see how she fares today at nursery. We both work ft so I can't cope with disruptive nights as I'm like a zombie at work!

About 26 months. We just went cold turkey, she was fine. She'd still nap now given the chance (3 today!) but it affects her nighttime sleep so it's a no go.

Interesting to hear all this. Dd1 dropped at about 2.5, she would still have slept but then it was taking her til at least 8.30 to go to sleep at night so we cut it. Now she just naps on car journeys.
Dd2 aged nearly 16 months doesn't nap for long at all. 40 mins mostly on nursery days . She usually does 12.5-13 hours of a night though which just brings her into the acceptable sleep range for her age.