Nap after half day at nursery

[napafternursery]

My DS (22months) started nursery yesterday for half days 8am - 11.45am. He was exhausted when I picked him up, quiet in the car, red eyes and showing all the signals so when we got home at 12 I put him in his crib, we had a story then I left him to settle to sleep as usual.

Only sleep didn't come 😅as soon as I closed the door he was wide awake, chatting to his toys, singing to himself. Not at all upset but not at all asleep. I left him there for 40mins to see if he would drop off but he didn't and I ended up going for a drive with him and he nodded off in the car 1.30-2.30 but this isn't ideal or sustainable.

Currently he goes to sleep in the evening at 6.45/7 and wakes up at 6 so I'm going to try and push those both back to see if that makes him a little less overtired.

Is it entirely normal for sleep to take a while to settle again after a big change like nursery? Would it be best to keep him up for 10mins or so in the living room with me after nursery before trying the nap just to wind down? Any other tips for easing this transition with the nap? Thank you

I guess lo had lunch at home? Or was it nursery? But before 12 for nursery to do lunch is unusual 🤔 maybe Los belly wasn't full enough? My lo doesn't eat as much at nursery as she does at home.

While lo is getting used to it, may be a little trial and error. But soon adjust. Though some days my lo still gets overtired and doesn't sleep at nursery.

I would say lo was too wired and perhaps hungry to sleep?

When did he have lunch? Any chance he was hungry? Also he might appreciate a bit of wind down time first. I’d offer food first, even if nursery has served lunch, then maybe a bit of TV, nap at 1pm.

I’m guessing they do lunch at 11:30 as you didn’t mention feeding him.
So at home I’d offer a snack (like a small yoghurt, or a biscuit) and while he’s eating chat with him about what he’s been doing at nursery, then try a story and sleep.
It might take a while to get used to a new routine, but they say you can make or break a habit in 3 days.

Thanks all for taking the time to reply.

Yes he has lunch there at 11. We have always had lunch at 11 with the morning routine looking something like

6/630 wake
7 breakfast
9 snack
11 lunch
11.45 put in crib and usually asleep within 20mins

Today was a non nursery day and he went down as usual. I have shifted everything back by 10mins so hopefully by Friday when he is next in nursery he won't be as overtired when he gets back. I agree @ChittyBang1987 he was probably really wired up from his first day. This was his first ever time in a nursery setting so a lot to take in.

@GoAround a good idea to offer a snack when we get in just incase he is hungry. A banana and a book would work and maybe help him to wind down. 1pm just seems so late for his nap if he's up at 6/630 so need to work on that.

@SBAM I like what you say about making or breaking in 3 days! I'm a creature of routine and habit myself so suddenly changing our routine which has worked so well for so long is a challenge. He's off tomorrow, back in on Friday then every morning from Monday.

Can bedtime be later? So lo wakes up later?
Push 15 mins each few days. Most toddlers from what I read do 1230/1pm nap finish at 3pm.

I used to give a yoghurt and big drink. Wow lunch at 11 never thought of that 🤔

Yes I think we do need to get towards a 12.30 - 2.30 nap to give him time to wind down a bit after nursery. Pushed bedtime by 10mins last night and will do the same again at the weekend to see how that impacts his waking up time.

DH thinks we're mad having lunch at that time 😂

Did he defo have lunch. That seems very early for a nursery who will likely have their own routine for mealtimes

He had his snack at 9.15 (apples and cauliflower crackers) and from what was left in his lunch box it seems he had - a whole boiled egg although he left some of the yolk, 1/2 a pita with avocado, cheddar and turkey breast, some cherries and kidney beans.

The nursery have an app where they upload photos during the day and he definitely did eat!

He probably had about the same amount of food at lunch time today and went down for his nap no problem which makes me think it's not so much the food as the overtired/overstimulated. Offering a banana or yoghurt before nap though is a really easy thing to try so will do that and see if it helps next week

Definitely give it a go. I have to say I could never have lunch at 11, though its not far off 1145 which I have done a few times. As lo acts as though I have never fed her in her life 😆 🤣

Good luck 👍

My son (24 months) started nursery 4 mornings a week last month. At home, he naps at 11.30 for 1.5/2 hours. His session at nursery finishes at 1pm but we pick him up as soon as he’s finished his lunch, around 12.30, so he can have his nap at home. The first few weeks he was so wired and I guess overstimulated (even though he has loved nursery from his very first day), that he really struggled to nap, even though he was exhausted. He is just now starting to settle for his nap properly.

So I guess give it some time?!

I hate to say it, but mine stopped napping daily around that age.

he’s now, erm 28 month I think. Naps maybe twice a week, only in pram pushed outside or if falls asleep in the car. Today he had no nap, woke 6.20am, fell asleep 8.15pm. With nap bedtime is then more like 9-9.30pm now.

Thanks @sleepslikeababy that's really reassuring to read that you went through something similar and have come out again the other side. Do you do some wind down time before putting him in his crib?

@Caspianberg he still needs a nap, I think I was more surprised that after being so tired when I picked him up from nursery he then didn't go to sleep

@napafternursery - oh mine def needs a nap too. But it’s takes longer and longer faffing now so he only naps sometimes. In cot he can play around for 2 hour and not nap now, but still look shattered