The Sleep Chronicles - Nap Time Flux

Over the past week or so, Willow has been refusing her afternoon nap more than she has been taking it. Since she is only 14 months old, it's not quite time for her to be giving up that extra nap. But, we have seen the morning nap migrate from 8:30am to 10:00am.

The whole thing makes me wonder if we should be transitioning her to one nap per day so I thought I'd do some quick research on it.

According to Baby Center, it is very common for a toddler Willow's age (14 months) to start to refuse the second nap of the day. Every parent knows this scenario: Your toddler gives all the signals that she's exhausted and needs sleep — she yawns and rubs her eyes, flops on the floor, and bursts into tears of frustration when her block tower collapses — but she still won't go down for a nap. The explanation is simple, though the solution may not be...

Toddlers fight the urge to rest simply because they are so interested in what's going on around them. Your curious toddler has so much to see and do and she's afraid that if she naps, she'll miss out on something. Also, just like other toddlers, your child is beginning to understand that she's separate from you and is her own person, so she asserts her independence whenever she can. Refusing to take a nap is one way she wrests control from you.

You might be wondering how much sleep your typical 1-year-old needs. This is where a nifty chart from Parents comes into play!!

So, what are some typical reasons your toddler may be refusing to nap? According to Parents factors can include:

• Growing independence. Toddlers love to be in control, so it's no surprise that they'll refuse to sleep on your command. Plus, kids this age are so active and curious that they hate the idea of taking a snooze break ("What if I miss something exciting?").


• Scheduling conflicts. The naptime at your toddler's daycare or preschool may not coincide with the hour your child typically gets tired. If he's at home, his ideal naptime may conflict with a sibling's schedule or your daily routine.


• Lack of sleep. It's hard to believe, but overtired kids may have trouble falling asleep. That's because when toddlers get tired, they often become irritable and hyperactive, says Dr. Owens.


• A major change. Any stressful event -- moving to a new house or switching to a big-kid bed, for example -- may make your child feel too anxious to doze off easily.

Now that you know the causes, what can you do? Well, there are several things:

• Don't call it a nap -- call it quiet time or rest time. That way, your toddler won't feel like he's being forced to sleep when he thinks he isn't tired. Tell him he has to stay in bed (or in his room) for a certain amount of time and do a quiet activity, such as coloring or looking at books. Even if he doesn't fall asleep, you'll both benefit from the break.


• Set a soothing scene. Plan relaxing activities just before naptime to help your child wind down. Try to follow a routine that's similar to her bedtime rituals: Read a book (see "Soothing Stories for Anti-Nappers"), tuck her in with her favorite stuffed animal, or put on soft music.


• Respect his schedule. Resist the urge to plan your toddler's nap around your errands. Instead, watch your child for signs of sleepiness. If he doesn't seem tired at his current naptime, consider switching it to a later hour. Just don't make it too late -- if you let your child sleep past 3 or 4 p.m., you may be in for a big bedtime battle.


• Offer a choice. Your reluctant napper may be more agreeable if you give her some control over when she snoozes. When I ask my daughter the right question -- "Would you like to nap now or in five minutes?" -- she's less likely to start a power struggle.

Check out the graph below for a Baby Center Poll on napping habits of 1-year-olds (toddlers):

What does this all boil down to? Every baby/toddler is different and you should pay attention to your child's individual cues when deciding things like a nap schedule. I, personally, think that maybe Willow is honestly trying to go to 1 nap a day.

Right now, Willow sleeps for an average of 10 hours per night and about 2-3 hours per day divided into two naps. I would not mind at all if she wanted to take one 2+ hour nap per day after lunch. But I'm just not so sure about the transition. My sister (a mother of four) says she thinks it's a little early to give up one of her naps and is sure a few weeks from now she'll be back to normal napping.

What will happen next? Who knows? But I'll keep you informed!! Keep an eye out for the next installment of "The Sleep Chronicles"!!