My 16 month old son has always been a great "napper", taking 2 naps a day each around 2 hours long. Love it! Recently he has still been taking 2 naps but each are barely an hour long. He goes down fine and quickly with no trouble on both naps, so it shows that he is tired, but they just don't last very long. Is this a sign that he is ready for one nap? Another thing at 15 months I thought he was ready for one nap and I tired it and it was horrible! He wouldn't sleep for long and was cranky ALL day.
Yes, most children especially the ones in child care are down to one nap by the age of one. Some do take longer at home due to them seeing their peers do the same thing. It is much easier there.
He is plenty old enough to do this. I would just start by skipping the afternoon nap or just putting off the morning nap until he is not taking it.
My son made the transition to one nap about this age. Sounds like he is getting ready - yes. BUT beware, I think the transition is rough even when they are ready. Because I think there is a time when they can't take two good naps, but one's not really enough either. You will have to start with a pretty early nap and early bedtimes to compensate for awhile until you can work on pushing that one-naptime late enough. Also - I always thought one nap kids were going down around 1 or so but my son totally can't do that. If he does - he is over tired and naps poorly. Our one nap time is at noon (early lunches!) and he sleeps until 2 or 2:30. He can still stay up until bedtime around 7. I hated this transition time though. It's okay to do 2 naps every couple of days to keep him stocked up on sleep and MAKE SURE he is getting early bedtimes while he's adjusting. If he gets overtired, you're going to have big problems!
The bottom line is: you need to go according to his cues and needs for a nap.
And, everyday, can or may, vary.
Some days, needing it, some days not.
Overall, a kid this age needs 12-14 hours of sleep per day.
Lack of sleep/naps, makes a fussy child.
In the mornings, do physical activity. It gets out a child's yah-yahs and pent up physicality.
Boys, are very physical and need run around time.
Then have an early lunch. I'm talking, by 11:00
then nap.
Their ability to nap or not, is also because as they get older.... their cognitive development changes. Hence, they fight naps more and/or they are going through growth-spurts etc.
My son at that age, was still napping 2 times a day, everyday. He needed it. It was not forced. He napped for at least 2 hours. And still slept fine at night at a good normal hour.
My daughter went down to one nap a day around 10 months old - a bit early. Her 2 naps were about 1 to 1.5 hrs each. I did not do anything...all on her own she just stopped taking a morning nap. She just was not tired. I'd say if your son is falling asleep easy that he might still need 2 naps a day. My daughter (she is just over 2) now takes one 2 hr nap after lunch. When she was younger it was 3 hrs but now it is 2 or even less some days. She does not get cranky but that could be personality. I guess what I would do is keep putting him down for the morning nap. If he stops falling asleep easily and fights it then I would say he is ready to drop that nap.
I think the transition is hard too, even when they are ready. It sounds like he's ready for one, but it will still be hard, but not too hard! I would just skip the morning nap and move the afternoon one up a bit. When I switched my son over I was putting him down right at about noon...so sometimes I would make sure I fed him early, but then sometimes we were out or something and he'd fall asleep during lunch so I just put him to bed and other times he would skip lunch all together b/c he was just so darn tired! It wasn't a big deal and I always fed him when he got up and it didn't seem to hinder his nap schedule at all. Apparently sleep was more important than food! ;) Eventually I was able to push the nap back a bit so that we had plenty of time to eat and then he could nap after. My son turned 2 in Sept. and still take a good 1.5-2 hour a nap every day and is much more flexible than he once was!
my baby is 16 mon old and takes one 2 hr nap a day. She used to nap in the morning but now shed rather play. shes very good at letting me know shes ready to lay down, she sits by the stairs with her baby doll and in baby gibberish lets me know haha, as soon as i say do you want to lay down? she smiles and up the stairs she goes! for us the naps do vary depending on what activities are going on or how well she slept the night before. I also have 2 other kids so that could influence her to stay up and play. as long as your son seems rested i wouldnt worry about the naps, a mother can tell when they need more sleep as apposed to what you think they should have.
