Nap Advice

Updated on May 18, 2007
L.K. asks from Lisle, IL
4 answers

My 19 month old son has not been taking his naps for about the past three weeks. We do our usual nap routine/schedule and he does not sleep. He will quietly play in his crib, no crying. I leave him in there for about an hour and a half and a few times as long as two hours. At around 4 or 5 o'clock he will become very over tired. Prior to that he shows no signs of being tired or over tired. He used to take 3 hour naps consistently.

His old schedule was wake up between 7 and 7:30, three hour nap sometime between 12 and 4, in bed for the night at 8:30 falling asleep around 9.

I have tried putting him down for his nap as early as 10:30 and as late as 1:30 with no change in results he will play quietly in his crib for an hour plus. Occasionally maybe once or twice a week he will nap on his normal schedule, I'm not sure why. Since the no naps have started he has been waking up earlier between 6 and 6:30. I've been putting him to bed really early on the days he doesn't get the nap he needs.

Has anyone else had this experience?

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More Answers

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T.J.

answers from Chicago on

My son is 15 months old, so maybe this is premature, but I think your son needs to go to bed at 7 or 7:30 every night - 8:30 sounds late! 19 months old seems a bit young to start skipping naps, but I have heard that it does happen. At least your son plays quietly for an hour or two - maybe that's all he needs with an earlier bedtime. (When my son refuses to nap from time to time, he cries and carries on, so be happy!) Maybe this is just a phase, too. Keep making him go down for a nap - maybe he will go back to his old routine. Good luck!
- T.

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J.L.

answers from Chicago on

Hi Luann,

Keep up with what you are doing...I would like the other response said try to put him down earlier at night by 7:30 especially if he is up by 6:30. Gives you extra time and still keeps in line with how many hours a child his age should be getting.

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S.G.

answers from Chicago on

Hmmm... my daughter is 17 months & is still wanting 2 naps a day ( mid- morn & mid afternoon) I'd try activites to wear him out so he'll want to nap. Some days we struggle with naps as she is just to excited & wound up to sleep.
I'd try putting him to bed earlier, so he'll wake up earlier & get tired sooner for the nap. My 17mo old goes to bed between 7:00-7:30 generally & wakes up in the morning around
6-6:30. It's a tad too early in the morning than I'd like her to wake up, but she's ready for a nap come 9-10am.
Just try different times, your son will adjust sooner or later.

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T.S.

answers from Chicago on

Luann,

I have a feeling this is a just a phase with the warm weather and probably additional outside activities. Your son sounds as if he is on a very similar schedule to our 23M old. He goes to bed at 8:15PM, wakes up at 7:15AM and takes a 1.5-2.5 hour nap at noon.

If it were our son, I would just continue to put him in his crib at the same time every day to get him back on the routine he was so good at. If he just wants to play quietly for the time, leave him in there for as long as he's content.

Then, put him to bed at the 8:30pm time like it used to be for him. He just may be a little out of sync for one reason or another. As long as you give him the opportunity to rest, I feel that his body will make him rest.

Good luck and congrats on the new one in August! We have one coming at the end of August, too!

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