5am wake ups/how much sleep is too little for 18 month old?

[MsFrog]

Just wondering - my LO is 18months and he never seems to sleep longer than 9.5 hours a night, at the most. He usually wakes up once through the night, but settles fairly quickly. He'll nap about 2 hours through the day, split over 2 naps about 9.30 and 2pm. He still really seems to need the two naps, but I'd be open to changing the schedule.

The 5am wake up is hard to stomach every day, but I'm just wondering if it's normal for some toddlers to sleep less than 10 hours a night? Anyone try anything that gets their LO to sleep a bit later, or anyone got a similar schedule? TIA

I reckon you should cut the naps down to 1.

Some sleep less. Mine was always a 9 hour sleeper for years, even on no naps. Now he sleeps about 11 hours. Dh always slept for only about 10 max too apparently when he was a baby.

My 18mo sleeps about 12 hours in 24, 10 at night and a 2-hr nap in the middle of the day. I suspect his nighttime sleep won’t lengthen until he stops having a nap, but who knows. My son has been on one nap a day for several months now (though occasionally if there is eg a family event at lunchtime we will give him a short morning and afternoon nap), but they’re all different

He’s probably catching up on his sleep at 9.30 as he’s having his catch up sleep then?

You should try moving him to one nap a day - it might be a longer nap and you might find a couple days where it’s a bit hit and miss!

Having said that I have a 20 month old and when he was transitioning to one nap he had some days of two naps and some of one naps. But he will want his nap earlier if he’s woken up earlier but I try and push back.

He does
Wake up: 6.30-7.30
Breakfast: 8.30
Snack:10am
Lunch:11.30
Nap: 12ish - sometimes later at 1pm
Then meal and play until 7pm bed.

I meant could boy should!

I meant could not should.

Also mine woke up early sometimes if he was hungry. Making it all up as a go along as he’s my only one!

My DD has never slept longer than 10 hours overnight in her life. At 18 months it tended to be closer to 9, with a 2-2.5 hour nap in the day. Several people suggested dropping or at least shortening the nap, but she really didn’t cope well with it. At 2.5 she’s starting to drop the nap herself. It’s made no difference to how long she sleeps overnight. She’s happy, healthy and developing well.

Thanks, all, it's really good to hear other people's experiences and perspectives.