Wellllllllll, a couple of weeks ago, Molly Anne started waking up at 5:30am and she did for 4 days in a row. Umm no. That does not work in our house when you've gotten up at 6:30/7 your whole life. I knew something was up.
Her Doctor and Ms. Becky said to keep two naps until 18 months. We tried, we really did. I talked to Becky one Monday and we decided that Tuesday would be the start of her new schedule! Since we switched to one nap a day, she has been sleeping later in the morning. We're still in that transition because this is the 3rd full week but it's getting better. She's still a bit grumpy around 11am but we keep her busy so she stays awake. I think it'll take her at least a month to fully get used to it.
There was no real magic of actually making it happen, I simply just didn't put her in her crib one morning and haven't since then. She goes to sleep between 12:30-1pm at Ms. Becky's so we try to keep on that same schedule at home. She falls asleep much quicker now so that's been nice. Right now she sleeps until 3ish, sometimes later.
Pros and cons to not having that morning nap. I miss that time to get things done around the house but it's been so nice to actually have an entire morning to do fun things on the weekend!
Okay, I know, boring post but I wanted it here so I remember for next time!
What was their reasoning in waiting until 18 months? I'd always heard 15 but of course, we are so far from that that I don't know from experience, just research! I'm glad MA is back to sleeping in. We don't do 5:30 wake ups over here, either, and I would be so sad if all of a sudden she started!
ReplyDeleteWe dropped Mary Mac from 2-1 naps/day right before her first birthday! I think you'll find that in the end, it allows for a little more flexibility in your schedule. Granted, having a longer nap does tie you down during the weekends BUT it also gives you a solid 2-3 hours to be productive or heck, even take a nap yourself! She turned 2 in June and typically naps from 1pm-3 or 3:30pm most days. Now the real trick is getting our 4 month old Henry on a similar schedule!
ReplyDeletePS. Not a boring post at all. Maybe I'm just getting old but I'm fascinated by sleep schedules and what works/doesn't work for parents. Everyone is different but I think the common denominator is finding a schedule/routine that works and sticking to it.
ReplyDeleteWe just went through this at 11/12 months. My doctor said the same thing about holding on to two for as long as possible, but the 2 naps were actually giving Leo less sleep than when we switched to one.
ReplyDeleteOur mornings are LONG, - and I have to watch him like a hawk if we are in the car around 11/12 because he will totally pass would. But the 2.5-3.5hr afternoon nap is worth it!
You are so lucky to have gotten a solid 15 months of 2 naps...Ella dropped her morning nap shortly after she turned a year old! But...it is so nice being able to get stuff done in the mornings!! We are approaching "nap jail" phase for Lucas pretty soon and I am counting down the days till he is down to one nap!
ReplyDeleteI am counting down the days till T is ready to drop to one nap! I was hesitant to go for it with M (she did it around 15-16 months), but once she did drop it, it was the BEST! So much more freedom with our mornings and a nice long nap in the afternoon.
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