Did you switch to 1 nap cold turkey?

[okinawama]

My son is 10 months old, and although I know we may have a long time yet, I have started to think about the 2-1 nap transition.

I know that some people go cold turkey and some take a more gradual approach. I know I made it a poll but, if you'd like to share what did you do, and how'd it go? How long did it take for yor child to get into a sleeping "groove"? Also, if your child was a short napper, did they start to extend their day time sleep when you went to one nap?

[mommylamb]

My son wasn't ready for just one nap until well after he turned 1. Probably about 14 months. But, his daycare (grrr) tried to switch him to 1 nap a day around 11 months, which meant he was exhausted and cranky. He always took 2 naps at home on the weekends, but his old daycare teachers would insist that he would refuse the morning nap (I kept telling them to try to put him down for his morning nap, and I now know they weren't doing it and were just telling me they tried to no avail). Needless to say, we left that daycare. But, considering, I definitely would say he transitioned gradually, if not painlessly.

[citymama]

I voted gradual, but it was really DD who made the switch on her own at around 11 months. In general, we've followed her lead on stuff like this. I wouldn't rush it if your baby isn't showing signs of needing to switch. Now my DD is almost 4 and I wish she would drop that one nap altogether, but she seems to really need it!

[hillview]

I voted gradual, but it was really DD who made the switch on her own at around 11 months. In general, we've followed her lead on stuff like this. I wouldn't rush it if your baby isn't showing signs of needing to switch. Now my DD is almost 4 and I wish she would drop that one nap altogether, but she seems to really need it!
:yeahthat:
/hillary

[Babymakes3]

My DS is 16 months and still on 2 naps, he NEEDS the morning nap for sure and if i'm really lucky I get 2 hours, usually less though. Afternoon nap he skips sometimes which lands him in bed early. I'm dreading the switch to 1 nap/day, he better start sleeping longer when that happens!

[okinawama]

My little guy has been a short napper his entire life. Even now with two naps a day we're getting about anywhere from 1hr-2hrs of total daytime sleep. I guess I'm holding out hope that maybe when he goes to one nap we'll be able to extend his one nap and get a decent amount of daytime sleep.

I predominantly "use" baby whisperer (but we haven't really had success with any book...I've read them ALL) and many people on their start by shortening the am nap and hopefully extend the p.m. nap ( example: 30-45 min morning nap and 1.5 hr-2hr afternoon nap until the morning nap is gone and you move the afternoon nap up), however from what I've read it can take around 3-5months of chaotic daytime sleep to iron it out. If that's the best way to do it, I'll go that route, but good grief, that seems harder than it has to be.

[pastrygirl]

My son dropped his second nap cold turkey when he was 11 months old.

[MomToOne]

My daughter dropped her second nap pretty much on her own at 10 months. It was actually a big relief and freed up the whole afternoon.

[Melaine]

There isn't an option for "I don't remember"....but I kind of think it was probably gradual. I know I didn't give up any naps without a fight!

[mimi2008]

DS1 dropped his second nap when he was almost 2 years old.
DS2 is 15mo and still takes 2 naps a day, 1-2hours each.

I think the kids will drop their second nap on their own. like DS1, the 9am nap became a 10am nap, then noon. He would wake up at 2pm and there were be no need for a second nap.

[ormc]

DS2 is 10 months, and I'm already dreading this!

Here's what happened with DS1: around 14 months we were on vacation staying with my parents for about 2 months. During this time, I noticed that he would play/talk through his morning nap. I'd leave him in there for an hour, and if he didn't sleep, would get him up and just try again for the afternoon nap. (I still wonder if it would have happened as early if we were at home in our normal routine. I've read most kids transition closer to 18 months.)

I was having a hard time getting him to make it until his usual 1pm afternoon nap, so I just moved it up earlier. I think it was about 11 or 11:30 at first. Then, over time just gradually moved it to 1pm. In total, I think it took about a month and a half to solidify it. I have bad memories of it, because I was pregnant and exhausted and loved being able to nap during his morning nap. So I was really resistant to dropping it.

But, in hindsight, it was nice when he went to one nap. We could spend our mornings out doing things and had more time to get out and enjoy stuff. Good luck!

[slworld]

Between 9-11months DS was doing 2 1hr naps (until then it was 2 30min naps). At around 11months he started daycare and all the other kids there did only 1 nap. The provider tried keeping him on his 2 nap schedule but he just didn't want to nap when all the other kids were awake (even thoughhe was in a different room). Then for about 4months, he did 1 1.5hr nap at daycare but still did 2 naps at home. But slowly he dropped to 1 nap at home too. I wish he were still on 2 naps because now his 1 nap is < 1.5hr, so he is not sleeping longer for having dropped a nap. All the other kids in his daycare sleep for 2-3hrs.

[LexyLou]

It was gradual but happened pretty quickly. I'm pretty sure it happened around 15 months or so. I think I just worked on pushing her 30 minutes every day to a later nap and soon she was napping at 11:30 for 2-3 hours so by the time she woke up it was too late for another nap.

She then pushed to 12:30 pm for nap and then big sister started preschool and I had to push her nap time to 1pm. Now she doesn't even get to go down most days until 1:45 because preschool doesn't get out until 1 pm and by the time we get home and settled it's 1:45.

[okinawama]

thanks again for all the replies. We are in the 2 one hour naps phase (and I occasionally have to wake him in order to keep to a decent bedtime), which has been great, but I know that it will change again. I'm glad to hear that nobody had awful sleep issues while transitioning, I guess that's my biggest fear.