How many naps should my 16 month old boy be taking per day?

Question

He eats 3 meals a day with usually 2-3 snacks in between them. I try to get him to sleep from 10am to around 11:30am and then again around 3:30 to 5 but lately he's been really fighting the second nap but if he doesn't get that second nap hes super cranky come supper time. Any suggestions would be helpful. Thx in advance.

He ges to bed at night around 8pm and wakes around 6:30 am.

Answer 1

At that age my twins only had one nap. What we did was had them have an afternoon nap, around 1ish and they slept til about 3. Maybe having your son have a nap time around that time would help since its inbetween his 2 current naps. Now i struggle getting my kids to take even one nap sometimes and they are 2.5 years old, but mommy needs the break! haha. Good luck!!

Answer 2

My 18 month old cut out his first nap at 1 year, so I would guess that your son is doing the same. Try to push the morning nap back 15-30 min (gradually) and move his bed time up to like 7pm. When my son moved to one nap, he was really rotten starting around 4pm. I read "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child" and it suggested a bedtime as early as 5:30pm! I started putting him down at 6pm and was totally shocked that, even though he was going to bed earlier, he was not waking earlier! He now has one 1hr nap a day and sleeps from about 6-6:30pm to 7am. Good luck!

Answer 3

At this age 2 naps is still advisable. If you are going to go down to 1, reduce the morning nap and keep up the afternoon nap.

What time does he get up in the morning. Try your morning nap earlier and your afternoon nap earlier. Maybe he's so over tired by the second nap he's being difficult.

Answer 4

Both my kids stopped a second nap by the time they were 10 month old. I think that by 16 months one longer nap would be better. Maybe between 12-2?

Answer 5

I have a 16 month old as well. she takes one nap a day, at about 11am until 1pm. try stretching the one nap out a little longer and skip the second one altogether. if he wakes up, don't take him out of the crib. rub his back, whisper soothing things, keep the room cool and dark. use soft music or lights if necessary. he'll go back to sleep. a longer nap once a day will leave him better rested with less interruptions in the day for both of you. good luck.

Answer 6

My oldest is 18 months and one 2 hr nap in the afternoon works well for us and then he is back to sleep for the night by 8 pm

Answer 7

Have you tried adding water to his juice gradually?Add a little bit more every other night or so until it's very watery and acceptable to his teeth?Just an idea but kids let go of these things eventually and it sounds so stressful and seems to mean so much to your little one this might be a kinder way.Once you have him with watery drinks in his bottle you can try weaning him to a cup.Have you tried an open cup?He might adapt to that better than having a new kind of spout on his drinks.Don't know if this will help you but good luck and don't stress to much over this.

Answer 8

making one nap a day for about 2 hours usually works thats what i do with my daughter and she goes to sleep earlier and wakes up at a decent time.

Answer 9

I personally think you could skip the morning nap to ensure he'll take the afternoon nap.if you want him to take 2 naps then wear him out! around the second nap give him a bath with lavendar and cammomile bath gel ( johnson & johnson). darken his room and play soft lulluby music or rock him.

Answer 10

Stay the course. You don't mention what time down at night or up in AM but maybe consider bed earlier or wake earlier if you're looking to keep a schedule