18 month old - feeding & sleeping schedule questions.

[mamaoftwins]

Hi all, would you mind sharing your approximate feeding and sleeping schedule for your 18mo old? We're still at 2 naps, but I suspect they are getting ready to give one up soon. My real issue is that they are refusing dinner lately (both of them), so I'm wondering if they're eating too much throughout the day to be hungry at dinner. So, I just want to compare what we're doing with what you all are doing. Thank you!!

6a - awake, breakfast by 6:30
9a - nap (abt 1 hour)
10:30a - snack
12:30p - lunch
1:30p - nap (abt 2 hrs)
3:30p - snack
5:30p - dinner
7:30p - bed

[clb]

19month old

8a -awake breakfast by 8:30
10:30 snack
12:30 lunch
1:30 nap (2hrs)
3:45 snack
6:00 dinner
8:30 milk and start bed routine

DH does the bed routine and he sometimes gives DS a snack depending on how much DS ate during the day. DS had tried doing the same thing as your boys at dinner. I tried giving him a smaller afternoon snack and than I tried dinner a 1/2 hr later. The 1/2 hr later seems to be working for us, but now some days he doesn't want an afternoon snack. Those are the days he needs the snack before bed.
I worry that DS doesn't eat enough. He is lightweight and picky in a strange way. (Loves arugla, mushrooms... doesn't like grilled cheese or chicken)
Re the naps, DS just changed by himself. My issue now is when we are out and he falls asleep in the car for 20minutes. If I can get him in the house without waking him up-okay. Otherwise, no more naps for the rest of the day.
My DN gave up naps by 2yr. I hope DS will not follow suit.:praying:

ETA: Someone posted this link once. It helped me realize that DS is eating enough.
http://www.earthsbest.com/toddler_nutrition/articles/how_much.php

[SnuggleBuggles]

17m old here...

Sleep:
9:30pm- 9:30am mostly through the night
1 nap from 1:30/2-4

Eat:
breakfast at wake up
lunch around 1
snack when he wakes up
dinner 6
yogurt before bed

Beth

[MontrealMum]

20 month old here, but he's had the same schedule since he started daycare in Sept.

6:30-7:30 wakes, and breakfast, DH takes to daycare
if he arrives before 8, snack is offered at daycare - usually fruit
11:00 lunch
1-3 naptime, but can extend to 3:30 if nap started late
3:30/4 another snack
4:30-5:30 I pick DS up and feed him his dinner immediately
7:00 milk, and then goes to sleep

On the weekends, and when I keep him home (for my mom's recent visit, for example) he really prefers his schedule from before the daycare which still has two naps. We don't have much control over the daycare days as all the kids are on the same schedule. It is hard, though, as he's a picky eater and often comes home ravenous because he's refused snack and/or lunch at daycare.

His alternate schedule which has 2 naps is:
6:30/7am eat, back to sleep
9 am wake, play
10:30 bowl of cottage cheese or yogurt
11:30 -1:30/2 nap
3:30/4-5 another nap
5 dinner
7 milk, then bed

[gobadgers]

DD is 20 month old, and we've finally switched to one nap:

6:30 - 7:00 - wake up
7:30-ish - breakfast
10:00 - sometimes a snack (depending on activities and how much she ate for b-fast)
11:30-ish - lunch
12:30 - nap (1-2 hours)
snack after nap
5:00-ish - appetizer if required
6:30 or 7:00 - dinner
in bed ~8:30

Dinner is our least popular meal also, it's been really hit or miss. My latest theory is, it's the one meal a day that is not tailored to DD, she eats exactly what DH and I are eating for dinner. Sometimes she likes it, sometimes not. Our breakfasts and lunches are pretty boring - which, to DD, might mean more predictable and likable. That was just my latest theory though... now that I've written down our schedule, it seems possible that we have a grazing problem :-) We spend all day eating!

The Earth's Best link is great, thanks PP for posting! I feel much better about how much (or really, how little) DD eats after reading it. The one question I have is that my ped recommends 16 oz of whole milk per day until DD is 2 YO. Their chart shows that two 4-oz servings of dairy are enough. Maybe they mean 2 dairy servings in addition to milk?

[mamaoftwins]

Thanks so much everyone! After reading through all of your replies (and that great link - thanks!), I'm wondering if the boys are drinking too much milk during the day, leaving them less hungry for food. They drink around 16-20oz of milk per day (I'm guessing here, I will keep track for a few days and see where we're actually at), and we have an appt with our pedi next wk for their 18mo c/u, so I'll ask him where he thinks they should be at.

And I am now considering pushing dinner a half hour later as well - that's the easiest to do, so tonight I'll do that.

And a second thank you, b/c your 'schedules' help me see what I can do as far as timing of eating/sleeping when they drop to one nap/day.

Thanks, everyone!!