when do you stop day naps?

[proud_mama]

My DS is almost 19 months and up until the last month DS used to still have a 2 hr nap in the day.

During the last month he has had days where he wont nap at all, and the days he does nap it's at a later time than usual. He used to nap at 12-1 for 2 hrs now he wont have a nap till 3

I'm starting to wonder is he growing out of naps? I still put him down to give him the chance to nap if he needs it..when i put him down he doesn't cry, he just sings and chatters and looks out the window laughing :banghead: Am i doing the wrong thing? :confused:

Also at night he seems tired so we give him a milo bottle at 8pm and once he's drank that he will start to say goodnight to everyone then starts walking off to bed. We put him to bed but then as soon as i come back into the loung i hear him singing and chatting to himself :banghead: and he will continue to do this till we go to bed..then go to sleep.

I have no idea on what to do? do i leave him? i mean he's not crying and doesn't even try to get out of his cot??

Has anyone else had this trouble? DS used to be such a good sleeper till now and so it's got me stumped :detective:

[sasa]

I think it can vary dramatically form child to dhild... My DD is 25 months and still has her lunch time sleep, although it has in the past few days reduced from almost 2 hours to about an hour... She sleeps from 6 pm till 6.45 am on the dot every night. She will sometimes play in her cot for a little before going to sleep, if she is not crying or carrying on then we just leave her.. she will usually call out for more water at some stage and we go in, give it to her and lay her back down and she goes to sleep..

I would just leave him in there till he gets the idea that he is in there to sleep not play and see how you go.

Do you have a lseep time routine so he knows that bed time is approaching??

We have always, brushed DD's teeth then gone to our bed to play cubbies under the sheets for a bit. Then she chases (me) the cat to her bedroom an goes to bed, and we have never had any arguments about sleep time..

Just an idea.
Good luck!

[Areca]

DD looked like she was giving up day time naps about a month ago. I figured it wasn't worth it and stopped trying. Like your Ds, she changed her nap time, then would just sing and chat etc. The only problem was she'd crash out at 5pm she was so exhausted and I'd only let her sleep for half an hour (so she could be awake enough for her bath/dinner etc.) but then she wasn't going to bed any earlier either and would sing and chat etc. at bed time.
We fixed the problem in the most bizarre way....we moved her in to a single bed! I was dreading it but she sleeps more now. Today she only had a one hour day sleep, normally it's been at least 2 hours but she pooped and then wouldn't go back to sleep.
What I kept hearing was 'oh she's way too young to give up day sleeps, force her to have one' but it was impossible to get her to have one and it wasn't worth the stress. I gave up day sleeps at 14 months. Not recommended but my mum just couldn't get me to have a sleep and even though I got tired and cranky at the end of the day I made up for my lack of sleep during the day of a night time and it made for a happier house over all.
If he is coping fine during the day (ie. not crashing out) then I'd just go with the flow...give him the oppurtunity to nap but don't stress if he doesn't have one.

The only thing I'd say about night time is the milo bottle. I haven't drunk milo in years but check the sugar content. He could be having a little sugar rush which would keep him up at night for that bit longer.

[MCNmummyof2]

I agree with the opportunity to nap. maybe call it quiet time. Give him some books, and some toys and give it half an hr or so as long as hes happy. Hes still rejuvenating (sp?) cause he isnt running around like a madman!

[mum2bubba]

Hayley is 2 and a half and no longer has naps, but SHE was the one that decided to stop them, she still has some quiet time in her room though (reading books etc). Up until she was 8 months she was having 2 naps in the day (one in the morning and one in the afternoon, 2 hours at each) then at about 8 or 9 months I noticed she was only sleeping for an hour or less at each (esp her morning nap) so my SIL said "why don't you just make her have one long nap rather than 2 small naps?" so I did that (she had a nap only in the afternoon for 3 hours)

Personally, I think kids should decide when THEY are ready to give naps up.

She still sleeps if shes really tired.

[sarahbelle]

MY ds is also 19 months and has just started missing day sleeps. He does the same thing..talks and laughs etc and eventually he will crack it and cry out. I usally leave him for as long as possible. Sometime he is happy in there for an hour or more which to me is fine coz at least he has had some quite time. (And I've had some peace!)

Night time are no problems, we have a routine which he knows very well. Dinner, bath, milk with dad and bed. No problems.

I think we may be getting to the satge where sometimes we have day naps and othertimes we don't. I can see pros and cons. Sometimes you just want to be able to go out and not wait for the sleep or for them to wake. Other times I am dying for some peace and quiet or I have stuff to do..like cleaning etc!

So you are not alone! It coudl possible be the age although I do have frioends with kids that are much older that still have a day sleep. Each to their own I guess!

[whatwasithinking]

Bec (23mths) still has two naps a day - morning and afternoon.

Hannah (4.5yrs) still has either 1 nap during the afternoon or at least an 1hr rest in bed reading (which she ends up falling asleep anyway most times).

I'd die without my "sanity breaks".

[FourAngelKisses]

Jacob and Brooke were napping 4hrs a day until the day the started school. Jacob was 5yrs 4.5mths, Brooke was 5yrs 1mth.

Matthew (3yrs 1.5mths) will still sleep for 3hrs if I put him to bed.

[SassyMummy]

DD's nearly 2 and still has a 2-hour day time. THANK GOD.

I think I'd go mental without that break... I hope she never gives it up until she goes to school! :p

[Roxy]

DD (now 5.3yrs) still has a nap on one of the weekend days (she's at school during the week).

DS (just turned 3) still has a nap everyday. He can manage without one, but dinner and bath times are much more pleasant if he does have a nap.

[mum2bubba]

DD's nearly 2 and still has a 2-hour day time. THANK GOD.

I think I'd go mental without that break... I hope she never gives it up until she goes to school! :p

Thats what I was hoping with Hayley but she doesn't sleep anymore. :banghead:

[3cherubs]

My DD1 who is 3.5yrs still has her day nap ( about 2 hrs), some days she may miss it but them makes up for it on the next day nap.
DD2 who is 2ys old has a 1-2 hr sleep, but i have a feeling they may be getting shorter..:thumbsdown: