Should I shorten my toddlers day time nap?

[RubyRed401]

Hello!!
Just looking for some advice please
My 21 month old doesn’t sleep well at night at all.
She usually has 2 hours nap in the day from about 12.30-2.30.
I’ve heard that sleep breeds sleep and I was very much a believer of this with my first.
However, the nights are so desperate now, I’m trying so many different things and clutching at straws - will it help if I cut my child’s nap down to say 1 hour? She really goes into a deep sleep when she has her daytime naps but if it means she will sleep better at night, I’ll try it!
She normally wakes up in the night ( after settling fine) for 3-4 hours. Usually after midnight. Banging her head on the cot. She’s literally wide awake.
I try wear her out in the day, lots of fresh air. But there seems to be no pattern to it. Apologies, I have posted a few time previously but I’m getting desperate!!
Thank you in advance xxx

Charljay - I really hope that nursery helps for you!! X

@babouchette

I tried so many things before I cut (and eventually dropped) DD's nap. Nothing worked! Some kids just don't need much sleep. I would definitely reduce the nap little by little.

I'm the same. My 18 months old will be awake until 11pm of we let her have a huge nap of over 30 mins!

Best things we ever did for night sleep were 1) I night weaned from BF at 21 mo
2) stopped naps full stop just after 2yo- suddenly bed time was about half an hour not 1.5 hours

Someone will surely tell me I should have sleep trained blablabla but i have always responsively parented rather than imposed and I now have a 4yo with a good routine who sleeps in a normal single bed, falls asleep by himself, mostly sleeps through, isn't an early crack of dawn riser and doesn't get in and out of bed repeatedly. If he needs something, he shouts, I go through, minute of reassurance/ tuck back in and he rolls over, says night night and that's it.

Harry’smum246 - that’s really interesting!
What kind of time does he go to bed on an evening?
My little one slept at her grandmas last night, she had a 2 hour nap in the day. Then she went to a big outdoor play thing and was worn out, had a late bedtime of 8.30!! But then slept through till 7am this morning!!!
So now I’m thinking, I need to go to this play centre every day!!!
Xx lol

He's now 4 and we aim for upstairs at 7, bath, read together etc and lights off to be asleep at 8 but it's usually more like half 8 unless he is absolutely shattered. But yes, the days he's been more active, he definitely seems to sleep better.
He's not an early riser though, never has been. It's likely he will stay asleep even now til I wake him (8ish before I go to work today )

There is quite a bit of evidence that exercise in the afternoon helps nighttime sleep