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Nap timing 2 year old

14 replies

Theanswersarewithin · 18/05/2022 10:51

Dd is 22 months old. Her sleep the past 8 weeks has been so difficult so I’m clutching at straws to see if nap time can be altered.

if you have a 2 year old what does their nap look like?

my Dd has about 45mins - an hour at about half 11. She used to go to bed at 6.30 but now some nights won’t sleep til 8 so I’m guessing she’s awake too long after her nap.

I know some people do nap time about 1, but I just can’t imagine her being tired 3-4 hours after nap time. Don’t want bedtime to be even later.

mat the moment she is waking 6.30-7, napping approx 11.30-12.30, attempting bedtime at 6.30/7 but often won’t sleep til 8.

any suggestions?

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
MulberryBush700 · 18/05/2022 10:56

OP, I think it's the bedtime you need to adjust. 6.30pm seems incredibly early.

My DS (26m) wakes around 7-7.30am each morning. Has a nap after lunch, around 1.30pm till about 3pm then goes to bed happily around 8.30pm. His wake windows are also quite active with lots of climbing, swimming etc so he is definitely tired. They should have awake window of around 5-6 hrs at this age if I remover correctly.

Theanswersarewithin · 18/05/2022 11:26

@MulberryBush700 the thing is she wakes from her nap at 12.30 so by the time 6.30 rolls around she’s already been awake for 6 hours which seems a lot. That’s why I though alter nap. I think I might try an afternoon nap like your son, rather than lunchtime. I guess they’re all different aren’t they. Thanks for your reply.

OP posts:
MulberryBush700 · 18/05/2022 11:35

Theanswersarewithin · 18/05/2022 11:26

@MulberryBush700 the thing is she wakes from her nap at 12.30 so by the time 6.30 rolls around she’s already been awake for 6 hours which seems a lot. That’s why I though alter nap. I think I might try an afternoon nap like your son, rather than lunchtime. I guess they’re all different aren’t they. Thanks for your reply.

I do apologise, I really wasn't clear. So yeah, I meant that you should alter the bedtime and let her go to bed 8pm - 8.30pm if you find that's when she falls asleep anyway, but with that also try a later nap starting between around 12.30pm - 1.30pm and see how that works.

My son used to nap around 11am just like your DD but as he got a little bit older, instead of his usual 1hr-1hr 1/2, he napped only 40-45m because he wasn't tired enough. So I started waiting until after lunch with the nap and that worked much better. Now I just need to make sure he doesn't nap past 3pm coz that will mean bedtime of 9-10pm which I absolutely can not deal with haha!!

It's all trial and error, isn't it? Hope you settle into a new routine soon enough :)

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 19/05/2022 16:03

toddlers need anywhere between 11-14hrs sleep a day- I suspect your child might just be on the lower end- like my youngest.
6.30pm would be a very early bed time given her wake time and the fact she still naps.
Either can the nap or try a 7.30pm/ 7.45pm bed time.

Theanswersarewithin · 20/05/2022 06:32

@OnlyFoolsnMothers thank you. We have been trying 7.30 for the last few nights and it’s taking her an hour to get to sleep so going to sleep at 8.30 😣
seems no matter what I do her sleep is disturbed at the moment 😞

OP posts:
KatieKat88 · 20/05/2022 06:36

I reckon she's overtired by then. Push the nap back and keep an earlier bedtime and see what happens.

SoggyPaper · 20/05/2022 06:37

DS3 is the same age as your DD. He has a nap about 12 which is usually about 2 hours, sometimes longer.

Bedtime is 8ish. He is currently waking up at 5 because it’s light. He was waking up about 6.30 previously. I need to sort that out as I’m exhausted.

Lazypuppy · 20/05/2022 06:40

Agree 6:30 is very early. Bedtime isn't necessarily a quick thing. My dd always takes about 30mins or so, we read her stories at that age and then put some music on and left her sleepy in her cot. Couple of times to pop back up and resettle

Findahouse21 · 20/05/2022 06:43

I'd try a later nap too. Dd can sleep from 1-3 and then be asleep by 7.

LillyLeaf · 20/05/2022 06:45

DS is 22 months. I tend to follow his lead with nap time but it generally falls around 12.45-1.15. He sleeps until 2.30-3, I don't let him sleep past 3. I put him into bed 7.30-7.45 and he sings and talks to himself until about 8ish. Wakes for the day anytime between 6.30-7.15. I think this is quite common timings when I've spoken to patents of similar age toddlers. No way would be fall asleep at 6.30.

JurassicShay · 20/05/2022 06:46

My DD is 23 months and being a pain with naps at the minute, every day is slightly different.

Yesterday wake up was 5.30am nap at 12.30 until I woke her at 2.30 then tried getting her to sleep about 8.30 but didn't fall asleep until 9.15ish.

The day before she woke at 5ish refused nap was asleep at 5.15pm and slept for 12 hours. This is an anomaly - normally if she doesn't sleep enough in the day she will wake at night.

I need her to sleep before 12.30 & to wake her after 2 hours otherwise she's not tired until 9. At this age the awake window before bed is roughly 5.5 6 hours before bed.

jevoudrais · 20/05/2022 06:47

DD is 22 months and has a two hour nap. Often up about 5.30am, nap 12.30-2.30, bed around 7 or 7.30.

Sweetpea1989 · 20/05/2022 06:59

Very similar to you, we put our LO down for the night at 6:30pm (although she goes straight off) and nap time at 11:30am usually, but sometimes we do after lunch. If we're out etc. she's 23 months.

AliceW89 · 20/05/2022 19:49

DS’ (just 2) day looks like:

Wake 7
Nap - aim to have him in the cot by just before 13:00. Sometimes he’s asleep straight away, sometimes rolls about for 15 minutes. We wake him by 14:30.
Bed 7:30-7:45, asleep by 8.

Sleeps about 12.5h total in 24.

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