16 month old routine - what do you do?

[jenjen25]

My son is 16 months old still on 2 sleeps but i'm not sure whether to cut him down to one sleep and even how to do it. And once we've changed the sleep i'm not sure what his routine should be such as when to eat etc. I'm feeling very confused and i guess a bit unsure as to when/whether to change him to one sleep. His routine now is great but i'm finding that he's tending to play more than sleep. This could be b/c he's teething but i would love some advice on how you cut down rom 2 sleeps to one for when the time comes.

Thanks Jen

[bubno.3]

Hi Jen ,
I wouldnt bother .... if he still needs his sleeps when in cot he will drop off eventually if he doesnt he will play but the play will just get louder and louder lol (at least you will get time out for a bit of 'me' time even if it is for a peaceful cuppa)
Seriously your DS will work it out and you will as well... Dont stress over it. Teeth are a nuisance for them and us mums/dads are they throw everything out the window. cheers

[Mad Scientist]

Hi DD1 didn't go down to one sleep until about 18 months but DD2 did at 10 months I just gave DD1 a big morning tea before her sleep and then put her down at about 11am. She'd only ever sleep for hr and half at longest. Now at 2.5 she doesn't need a sleep but I still put her in her room for quiet play. TBH I wouldn't drop him down to one sleep until he's really unhappy with being in his room. If he's happy to play leave him be. I dropped the girls sleeps when it got to the point where sleep time was a battle. If you really do want to drop a sleep then just keep him up a little later in the morning. My DD2 has her only sleep at about 10.30am and has lunch when she wakes up any time from 12-1pm. I HTH! x

[*EJ*]

I have a 16 month old and we are currently swithing between 2 or 1 depending on the day.

He is my second child so the weekly routine does involve an outing almost every day. I am one who really works by a routine and prefers that we are home for all sleep times. It can get a little difficult but i tell myself it's for a short time and my time will come when i don't have to work around sleeps.

I'll describe our weekly routine for you...

Mon-Tue i work so the boys are in FDC. DS2 has two sleeps a day there (i think for the most part).

Wednesday is our only day that we have to do nothing so i will generally get DS to have two sleeps. He's usually up about 7 or 8 (give breakfast) and back in bed about 2 hours after that. Usually up about 12 when i give him some lunch and he has a good play with his brother. If i want him to have a second sleep i will have him back in bed about 2-2:30 and he is up by 4pm and we have dinner just after 5pm. He may snack at any time throughout the day and i generally give a few grapes/strawberries or a biscuit.

Thursday we have to be out of the house by 11am so i make sure DS is in bed and wake him just before we walk out the door. He has lunch while we're out. He is generally back in bed by 2-2:30 again.

Friday we have to be out by 9am so he misses his am sleep (this used to be a problem but he's getting used to it now) we have an earlyish lunch when we get home and he's in bed by 11:30-12ish. On this day he only has 1 sleep.

That's just a bit of an example of how i've had to get used to manipulating the routine to fit our days and DS doesn't seem to have a problem with it at all now at the age he is. It works for us. Lately some afternoon sleeps he seems to take a while to fall alseep but if he isn't crying i leave him there and i'm sure he has a small snooze if anything. For us i just don't allow him to sleep much past 4pm because otherwise it can mess up 7ish bed time.

DS1 was comfortably having 2 sleeps a day at this age and was for quite some time still but we didn't have to go out as much as we do now.

That may not help you decide if your DS is ready for 1 sleep or not but i hope it helps get your head around some kind of routine to fit it in if you want to