Dropping day sleeps

How do you know it's time?

DS (just 17m old) missed a day sleep on Tuesday and was fine and happy all day. He went to bed easily and went to sleep well. He woke up scared an hour later, back off easily, then slept all night.

Yesterday he had a day sleep then slept quite poorly last night.

He doesn't seem to need day sleeps that much any more, but is he too young to drop a day sleep? He's never needed much sleep (usually 11 hours at night and 1-2 hours in the day) and is doing well on that. Since he started sleeping through he has had less sleep in the day and isn't irritable or cross in the evenings; Tuesday night he only started telling me he was tired in the bath. And no bed-time battle.

What do you think? DH is quite keen on DS dropping his sleep so they can play together on Fridays and go swimming, but I'm concerned DS is too young. But if it means his night sleep will be better and longer I'd rather go with that tbh.

Opinions please!

Follow DS's lead. If he is one of the lucky ones that doesn't need to sleep as often as the "average" child, then go with it.

DD1 had day sleeps until she was 5 so I was a little suprised when DD2 showed signs of stopping at 2. So I decided it was up to her and we stopped......for one day......since then (last 6 months) she's slept about 2 hours a day! So just go with the flow and you never know! I was willing for her to give up (as much as I wanted my rest) but she then decided she needed the sleep. They're funny little things!

hmmm, our dd is 16 months (today :)), and usually she will have an hour and a half sleep during the day... she gets up around 7am and goes to bed around 830pm... some days like today, she didn't have a sleep at all.... if i were you i would let him have a sleep on the days he needs it....

we put dd to bed for a nap when she is tired... some days she is more tired than others.... if she isn't tired then she stays up.... can't you just play it by ear rather than making a decision that naps from this point on will stop?

good luck xx

My DS dropped his afternoon nap around that age and would have 1-1.5hrs in the morning and then around 11hrs at night.
We also found that trying to keep the extra nap would leave him super cranky when he woke up so it wasn't worth it.
If Liebling is happy and energetic without it then i wouldn't worry about it. Enjoy the Friday afternoon break and spoil yourself.

I suggest flexibility at this age ;) Some days he might need a sleep, others he may not show any signs of tiredness. The only problem I foresee is if your son likes routine. (I know some littlies like to know roughly what to expect day to day).

Thanks girls. I've been playing it by ear as to when he sleeps (pre- or post-lunch) or if he does for a bit, but this is the first time he's been awake and on the go at dinnertime if he misses a nap. Sometimes he can sleep 3 hours and then go all night, other times he won't. He likes an orderly day, but tbh nap-time is only when he's tired (or I'm tired). I swear he can tell the time as he brings me his shoes same time every day to go out!

Why do we not gestate an instruction manual along with our little darlings?

OMG, maybe THAT'S what the placenta was for!? LOL.

DD still has 60-90mins at lunchtime. She will sometimes skip it but she's always a horror all afternoon and sleeps really badly overnight when she does.

Bx

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I suggest flexibility at this age Some days he might need a sleep, others he may not show any signs of tiredness.

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Me too.

Also, at the risk of sounding like a selfish Mummy, there are some days when YOU may want him to have at least a "rest time" so you can have some sanity!

Olivia had a lunchtime sleep until she was about 3 and even now, at four and a half, takes herself off for an hour of rest time colouring in in her room, and it is bliss for me!

Charlie still sleeps on occasion after lunch (about twice a week?) at aged 3, but I always put him into bed for an hours rest time if we are at home. It is my sanity break!

Lexie still actually sleeps for a couple of hours, and I shall no doubt do the same with her.....as she grows out of the need for actual sleep, offer "quiet rest time" as the alternative.

All that said, if there are days when we want to stay out for the whole day, I know they can all cope without the rest, but it is a treat/exception to the normal groove.......