I’m playing along with Finished for Friday over at Lit and Laundry. And, well, this week it’s not anything so concrete as a quilt or even an organizational project (hopefully that will be finished for next Friday). This week, I am proclaiming the end of the 2-to-1 nap transition. And may we all say, hallelujah!
It’s been a long process. I remember, way back when, hearing people say that this transition from two naps to one could take several months. That sounded like nothing less than the third circle of hell. Months of in-between, mediocre, unpredictable napping? No thank you!!
But, if I may say so myself, I think we made it through with relative grace and ease. [And yes, I know that just typing that means that I'm about to get hit with a regression of epic proportions, but oh well.] It was a combination of good fortune and hitting on a winning strategy, and I feel pretty good about it.
It had to have been around September when our nice, solid routine of two long naps started to go south. Specifically, both kids were still going down very easily for the morning nap and taking a nice long one, at that. But when afternoon naptime rolled around, they had no interest. They were talking to each other, laughing, shrieking, screaming, and otherwise not going down for a nap. I basically had to use the window between the two naps to run them absolutely ragged, or they’d skip the afternoon entirely and then be completely fried before dinnertime.
I decided I needed a plan. I consulted Weissbluth, who was of two minds. One suggestion for the 2-to-1 transition was to gradually move both naps later and later until the afternoon just went away and the morning became sort of a mid-day nap. This held no appeal to me, whatsoever. Not only did I not want to have a continually shifting naptime, but my kids were also still quite ready to go down fairly early in the morning. However, another bit I read that specifically addressed the issue of skipping the afternoon nap, suggested that one potential culprit was a morning nap that was too long. Aha!
The plan came together. My overarching goal was that I wanted the morning nap to disappear, but the afternoon nap to remain around 1:00pm, give or take. I started shortening the morning nap. I would wake them up no later than 10:30, then 10:15. It worked pretty well, and they kept that afternoon nap. They started being less in need of the morning nap, and sometimes would talk or just stay awake for the duration, though the 45-60 minutes of quiet time still seemed helpful.
Even better, they started sleeping a bit later in the morning. The 6AM wake up became 6:30, then 7 and even 7:30. Sometimes I don’t get them out of bed until 8! It’s delicious. And the later wake-up meant they were less and less inclined to sleep during the morning nap time and would often skip out entirely. Once or twice, I even experimented with skipping it entirely, and didn’t completely crash and burn.
It was a little over a week ago that I made the final call. We would no longer do a morning nap. Prime outing time quickly shifted from late afternoon to mid-morning. We started a music class and signed up for gymnastics, both before 10AM. Now, they get up sometime between 7:30 and 8:00, and go down for nap between 12:30 and 1:00. On a good day, the nap goes longer than two hours (not all days are good…). I have to be careful to keep them awake in the car, but otherwise (knock on wood) it seems to be going well. The kids are doing well, the single nap is where I want it to be. It took a while to get to this point, but it was not the complete chaos I feared it would be from September to January.
Now, when I say this transition is finished…. I’m not a fool. I know that sleep is one of those things that is never final, never perfect (at least, not for long). I know we’ll still have bad days (witness: Wednesday), and I know they may hit a nasty regression soon. But the two-nap chapter is now closed, and at least for now, things are pretty good. And for that, I am thankful.
That is definitely a reason to celebrate Finished for Friday! I have always loved the one nap routine because it is so easy to plan the day. And after months of constantly changing schedules, it’s so nice to have had the same schedule for almost 18 months!
LauraC´s last blog post..SNOW!
Congratulations! My kids were always big nappers and I remember how orderly our life was when they all crashed right after lunch. That was my quiet time too. I miss those days!
threeundertwo´s last blog post..Finished for Friday – Basket
congrats! i am kind of jealous
we are so close to making the jump to one nap…so close!
rachael´s last blog post..Thankful Thursday
So glad you’re ahead of me so I can consult the wisdom of goddess for my kids this time next year.
Mommy, Esq.´s last blog post..Like a Bandaid
Thanks for the summary. My boys are 13 months old and are just starting to transition away from 2 naps. It’s really great to see what worked for you. I’m going to try shortening the morning nap. Oh, I would love for them to sleep later.
Sally´s last blog post..Way Back When-esday
My hat is off to you! HUGE accomplishment, and while it may not feel “concrete” those transitions are labor intensive. Congrats!
Cheryl´s last blog post..Finished for Friday: I’m Just a Bill
This post is so timely for me. I am facing this right now, but have been struggling with it. It is hard for me since I am not home during the day and I haven’t really know what to tell the nanny. They have been taking two 1-1.5 hour naps and I just don’t think they are as well rested as they would be with one longer one. I am going to have her give your method a shot. Thanks!
Erin´s last blog post..Scotty and Cindy
Weissbluth is also my “go to guy” and I have been in the same boat as you, almost week by week, transitioning Kate to one nap. We still do some short naps (20 – 30 min) in the morning, but all in all, it’s normally down at 1 and up around 3-3:30. It helps that she is now sleeping in (ohmygosh, I feel like I can get sooo much accomplished now between 6-8 AM) and is well rested throughout the morning. And, as an added bonus, I like being out with her in the mornings.
So happy it’s working well for the three of you! Hope you have fun doing some “Goddess only” things tomorrow. You deserve some time to yourself
Whoa! I am so impressed. You are a nap time mastermind, Madam. I am taking notes!
Jungletwins´s last blog post..The Fish Diet
As a Gramma who just sang silly songs at the top of my lungs to keep sweet girl awake until we got home for that long afternoon nap I can so relate. We have also just made the two into one and I want the one to be a long one so I can run around like a crazy woman and cook and clean or sit here and visit blogs, like today. Great post.
Roberta Anne
Roberta Anne´s last blog post..Show And Tell Friday 1/23
I was just thinking of taking Giggles to one nap a day. But as the youngest child, she is bound by the schedules of the older 2. I made some progress on this topic today too! I am going to write about it soon. Thanks for the reminder.
Hurray! Great accomplishment!
Cynthia´s last blog post..Alaina’s First Inauguration
That’s great! Glad to hear it went smoothly. I don’t even remember transitioning my second. I think it’s because he was just taken everywhere because of my older one. He’s always taken great afternoon naps though!
Alex Elliot´s last blog post..I Want To Be My Dog
Woohoo! good for you! It will give you so much time in the afternoons now
I love the long afternoon naptimes!
debi b´s last blog post..Ask Debi Almost Anything
Congratulations, Liz! I’d say that checking this item off the proverbial to-do list is worth celebration, indeed! As usual, sounds like a very well-researched, well-executed transition on your part — kudos.
I definitely hear wha you’re saying with the danger of falling asleep in the car. Seems that if Jack does that these days before his one nap, even if only for 15 minutes, the nap is totally down the toilet. Anyway, wow on the later wakeup time. Can Daniel and Rebecca come teach Jack (a reliable 7 a.m. riser, always) how to stay in bed until 7:30 or 8??? Please?
Beverly´s last blog post..We’re Here!
I miss naps:(
debbie´s last blog post..Addiction
[...] plan for Giggles, to cut back from 2 naps to 1 nap a day. Yes, it needs to be a 7 Step Master Plan, every parent knows that.. My steps are this: 1. Geetle begins walking herself home from school at 11:10, thereby freeing me [...]
Good for you! That’s a great accomplishment. You may find as they get used to the transition that their afternoon nap gets longer – I think all of mine did that for a while. Alas, in my house, the youngest is transitioning to no nap at all, and mama is NOT happy. That was my down time, and I needed it. Now, if he naps, he’s up til 10 or 11 at night, and THAT we cannot have.
Thanks for the shoutout in your sidebar, too!
FishyGirl´s last blog post..Lesson Learned: Reasons Not to Stay Up All Night Drinking When You Are a Parent, Besides the Obvious
Thanks for the plan liz. This is my goal. To get away from the not so long morning nap and get 1 good nap for all 3. And it would be oh so sweet if that meant that they slept longer than 6:00am.
.-= Amy´s last blog ..Sleep Questions =-.