Going back to two naps at 18m

[lampshadehat]

Has this happened to anyone? My dd was doing well on one nap for a few months, she would wake about 6 or half 6 and I'd try and get her to nap at 12 (although it was often a struggle keeping her awake in the buggy on the way back from a group or whatever).

Anyway she's started waking up at 5, and on some occasions even earlier, ugh! She's still tired but will not go back to sleep. There's no way of getting her through the morning till 12 or even 11.30 and I'be been putting her down about 8 where she'll sleep for 2 hours and then again about half 2 for another 1.5/2 hours and then bed about 7.45! She obviously needs the extr sleep right now but is it a temporary thing? I was quite enjoying the one nap schedule! And really could do without the 5am starts although I know it's pretty common.

Also wondered if putting her down at 8 is only encouraging the 5am starts, but it's impossible to do anything without it cos she's so bloody grumpy!

Sorry that was long.

8am is too early for a morning nap, it will encourage early mornings. It's a bit like a reward for being up so early.

However having 2 nap days at 18 months isn't a problem. My DD didn't move to 1-nap days until 22 months. She would nap 9.30-11am (I'd wake her) and 1-3pm (again I'd wake her). But she was sleeping 11h at night too - 8pm to 7am.

Hmm ok, she's definitely not getting enough sleep at night but she insists on getting up at 5. Maybe I need to push for one nap and put her to bed earlier?!

Yes, that might work.

I wouldn't compare to my toddler though, she's on the high end of the sleep scale. In my experience 'average' at 18 months would be one 2-3 hour nap, give or take, and 11-12h at night.

2 naps is unusual past 18 months. I would suggest your daughter doesn't 'need' 2 nap days, in that she is capable for staying awake for longer chunvks of time. It's more than the early morning is the problem. Not the lack of a second nap.

Oh the 5am start is definitely a problem