My twins, 15 months, seem to be inching to one nap per day. Can anyone provide some helpful tips/tricks in making an easy transition?
- Ideally I'd like to keep them both on same schedule. We have been doing that for 14 months and it seems to work for all of us.
- Should I still always try two naps (normal schedule)? If they nap, great. If they don't, then stick with normal schedule (i.e. PM nap later in day) or move up nap for that day?
- Anyone just decide to move them to one nap cold turkey?
- What were your schedules like at two naps and then when you moved to one nap?
I would go cold turkey. I did this with my daughter and she did just fine. I had to move the afternoon nap closer to after lunch rather than 2. Good Luck!
Hi Nicole, being a licensed childcare provider for 11 years I have lots of experience with the switch to one nap. Cold Turkey is definitely the way to go! I am currently caring for twins and it works better to keep them on the same schedule. Usually after 1 year I work on switching children to one nap, which helps them sleep much better at home for mommy and daddy! You may have to keep them busy during the day so that they are not so crabby that they can't function. It usually takes about a week for my littles ones to adjust, but the results are fantastic! Good Luck!
Ms P.
Childcare provider since 1996
My son was 13 months when he dropped his PM nap. He would fight me and cry etc so I just dropped it. He knows how much sleep he needs so I sort of let him drive the schedule. He was napping at 9:30 and 2:30 so when I dropped the PM he would go down for the one nap at 10 at first, then 10:30, and it has worked its way to 11:30 now. But this process has taken us five months. I am assuming that I will just continue to push it later until it is a normal later afternoon toddler nap time. He naps for two hours and goes to bed by 7/7:30. I also watch another boy so I had to keep them on the same schedule. He wasn't as ready to move to 1 nap but he came around and now they nap at the same time. I would just say follow the sleep cues and be patient because it seems to take awhile to change. Good luck!!!
At 15 months you should try to keep them both on an afternoon nap. I have a 14 month old niece who is just now transitioning to a 'one nap a day' and so far it seems to really be working out! Her schedule is she's up in the morning around 7:00ish and they struggled to keep her up til about 1:00. She will nap til 3-3:30 but her bedtime is around 7-7:30 and she is READY to go by then. She'll sleep all night long too. It's easier now to keep her up til 1:00 but she does rest soundly for her afternoon nap! The "routine" or the "schedule" is the trick for her. Just keeping her active until naptime and it's really been working out well!
C.
Oh boy, I remember this wonderful transition with my twins. They dropped the morning nap so I put them down after lunch around 12-12:30 and it was a struggle at first but if you stick with it they will get used to it. Mine were crazy for about a month, some days not napping at all but eventually they got it and they are on the same schedule which you definitely need with twins!! In the morning try to stay close to home as mine would fall asleep in the car while I was doing errands and then I could kiss the nap good-bye for the day.
Good Luck!!
