Will capping my toddler nap improve his night wakings?

[TheCaretakerNadine]

Toddler just turned 2. Wakes 2-4 times in the night, where he'll come to our room or call out for us. We go in, sit next to his bed, and he usually lies down to sleep. So its a comfort/reassurance thing.

Sometimes he goes back to sleep quickly within mins. Other times, it can take upto 90mins where he'll groan, sit up to check someone's there etc

He usually wakes between 0730-0800, naps around midday which I cap to 1hr otherwise he could go on. Bedtime starts at 1845 and asleep for 1930-2000.

Bedtime and getting him down to nap are straightforward- he doesnt protest...its the night wakings that are the issue.

Any thoughts to where we are going wrong? Im a bit hesitant to totally drop his nap if he isnt refusing it

[Pinklilly]

This is tough and I’m not sure but I think nap caps generally work if he is waking at a consistent time? Is that the case?
how does he fall asleep? Does he fall asleep with you in the room? In that case he might be waking still looking for you. A tuck in and goodnight followed by independent sleep might help.
if not and it is for reassurance maybe try and explain before bed that he can call out for you and you will come but you will tuck in and leave him to sleep.
this has worked very well with my 2.5 year old and now if she calls out I go to her “fix the issue” ie a cuddle. Tuck in and she says goodnight and I leave. But that’s also how she falls asleep- so I feel it helps

[Mystro202]

My two yo refuses naps and will only sleep at night. 7-7 , hv said this is ok. I could really do with an hour during the day to get things done but he absolutely refuses!

[Speedweed]

My toddler did exactly the same OP, so I stopped the naps (had already limited them to 45 mins to no avail), and after a few weeks of adjustment, they slept right through. The adjustment was mainly me getting the evening routine smoother and faster because they were so tired, but dropping naps was the best thing.

[TheCaretakerNadine]

@Pinklilly

This is tough and I’m not sure but I think nap caps generally work if he is waking at a consistent time? Is that the case?
how does he fall asleep? Does he fall asleep with you in the room? In that case he might be waking still looking for you. A tuck in and goodnight followed by independent sleep might help.
if not and it is for reassurance maybe try and explain before bed that he can call out for you and you will come but you will tuck in and leave him to sleep.
this has worked very well with my 2.5 year old and now if she calls out I go to her “fix the issue” ie a cuddle. Tuck in and she says goodnight and I leave. But that’s also how she falls asleep- so I feel it helps

Yes that makes sense. He does fall asleep with us in the room. We are working on this-we would lay next to him and now we've managed to move to other side of room.

Hoping to move out of room

[TheCaretakerNadine]

@Speedweed

My toddler did exactly the same OP, so I stopped the naps (had already limited them to 45 mins to no avail), and after a few weeks of adjustment, they slept right through. The adjustment was mainly me getting the evening routine smoother and faster because they were so tired, but dropping naps was the best thing.

Ahh good to know! During your adjustment, did you also shift bedtime to a slightly earlier time?

I think I'll try capping to 45mins first.

A few friends have advised letting him nap for however long he wants as its probably overtiredness that is causing night wakes. This doesnt quite make sense with me

[Speedweed]

Sorry, just seen your question op!

I didn't shift bedtime because I always did it at the same time but my little one would then remain awake afterwards, which caused its own problems with wanting stories/milk/new nappy/not wanting to be left alone - so they'd be in bed by 7/7.30 but wouldn't actually sleep until 9 or so. Capping the naps didn't make much difference (and my child would be in a foul mood from being woken up, which didn't help!), it was only when I stopped the naps entirely that they then fell asleep within 10 mins or so of being laid in their bed.

[Speedweed]

Just to add, I was always in the 'let them sleep as much as they want' camp, but even I realised it wasn't helping at this particular point - at a certain point mine seemed to switch from baby sleep patterns where the more the better, to child/adult sleep patterns where too much during the day means a sleepless night.