8 Month Old with Afternoon Nap Issues

You've tried about all the things I would think would work, but you may try skipping the morning nap, and giving her an early lunch and have her napping by 1 p.m. at least, and if she takes only one nap a day , at least that time would keep her from being as cranky in the evening. Since she sleeps until 8 a.m., it may work to skip the 10 one unless she just acts too tired

One nap usually starts between 12 and 18 months. Your baby still needs two naps. She definetely needs more time in between naps, too. You need to get her up earlier in the morning, so she will go down for a nap around 9:30 and then make sure she is up by 11. That way she'll want her pm nap around 2:30 or 3. I would try to get rid of that middle of the night feeding, too. If she sleeps straight through the night then she'll wake up earlier in the morning and be ready for her morning nap earlier. Good luck!

I read that every child is very different and some children need more sleep than others. As long as she is getting around 12 hours of sleep a day or more than that is fine. Sleeping until 8am is great for you; however, that might have something to do it with it. Mine always woke up before 7am or 6am; however, I was not feeding her in the middle of the night. She took two long naps a day at this age; however, they kind of adjusted as she got closer to one. Personally, I would not worry about it that much unless she is not getting a total of 12 hours of sleep a day; and it seems as though your baby is getting more than that with a nap. If you want to have your baby get two naps a day, then I would consider not feeding your 8 month old in the middle of the night. Most likey the baby will get up earlier for food, then take a nap around 9 or 10am then another in the afternoon. Really up to you how you want to work it.

I'm a grandma (50 year old) who started keeping my grandson who is a 1 year old and a friend's grandson who is 9 months old and believe it or not they take the best afternoon naps in a swing in front of a Baby Einstein tape. The swing is a bigger swing, one we found at a garage sale, the Graco version that has a bigger seat. They get in the swing with the pacifier, their blanket, pop in Baby Einstein tape, close the curtain and say "go nap" and they are both out like lights! They both take two hour naps. It is amazing and gives me quiet time. My daughter-in-law couldn't believe it. Certainly worth a try.

Hello, I think I would try hard to only let get take a short nap in the morning about half hour. Wake her up feed her and try her nap earlier then 2:30. My kid nap after lunch at 12:30 by 1 they are out. I have little ones that seem to always want to sleep while I am fixing lunch and that is best for me, but if I let them sleep too long, they will not go back down in the afternoon. Then you are right about 5-5:30 just before parents pick up the children they are ready to go home eat and bathe and bed. I have one that I end up giving her a cracker or two to get that fussy kid to quit and give the parents a little time to get dinner on. She is very fussy and eats more then any of my boys and she is small. I have one that sleeps the most. He was a preemie and just needs that sleep. Some times will not wake up until 11 after getting here at 5:45am but he is growing and active and I just think so smart and needs a lot of revamping of energy. So I would rather have my kids sleep in the afternoons so I can get lunch dishes cleaned up and rest myself. Good luck G. W

Hi Mimi,

I would give one nap a day at about noon and only give a morning nap if she is especially tired and cranky around 10:00-10:30.

When my daughter hit 7 months I found that I needed to adjust her nap times because she was able and more willing to stay awake for longer periods of time during the day. So I extended her awake time periods by a half an hour. Here's how her sleep/awake routine goes during the day. She wakes up usually around 6am (it varies) and then she takes her first nap after being awake for 2 1/2 hours. I put her down for her second nap after 3 1/2 hours of awake time and then she goes to bed at 7pm. Instead of focusing on the time of each nap. Try focusing on how long she is awake and active, and pay attention to her sleepy cues. Also I would highly recommend an earlier bed time. Try moving it up by 15 minutes until you have reached a time that is right for your baby.

My daughter was a TERRIBLE sleeper (she was waking every two hours at night and only took small cat naps) and then two months ago (at 6 months) I took the advice of many women and bought the book "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child". It took about a week, but now my daughter takes two good naps a day and sleeps through the night most nights.

One last thing I would highly recommend is to stop feeding her at night. I did this at seven months and that's when she started sleeping through the night. Unless you feel that it is necessary to her nutritional health and well being, then stop. It will teach her when it is time to sleep and when it is time to play. I have found that good night sleep is connected to good day sleep. Hang in there and I hope things get better.

My daughter stopped two naps a day at nine months and went to one a day after lunch. By one year she had stopped napping every day, napping only every other day unless we had a really busy morning or night before. She usually went to bed about 7:30 and got up about 6 with rare wake ups in the night.
However, even after she stopped sleeping at nap time, I put her in her crib with her board books, and favorite music. She loved the quiet time and would entertain herself for about an hour. Even though she did not sleep most of the time, it did relax her and revive her...and me!

My daughter went to one nap at 12 months (I have it set up where if she wakes before a certain time it is a two nap day, or after that time it is a one nap day... but she got to where the 2nd nap wouldn't happen around 15 months). It seems early to be on a one nap schedule, but if she is getting at least 12 hours of sleep then she might do okay pushing the morning nap out till after lunch and eliminating 2nd nap. It may take awhile to move the nap time out and get her to adjust. Most toddlers need a nap around 1 pm though so I would NOT drop napping in the afternoon. I would just make morning nap later and later until it comes close to 1 or 1:30.

Mimi,

Try going in and laying her back down repeatedly without speaking to her (or only say, nite-nite) and only taking the time to lay her down then walk back out. She may be using her new skill of getting into a standing position but doesn't know how to get back down without feeling as though she might fall. I wouldn't give up the morning nap, or the afternoon nap just yet. Try this and don't worry if she only naps for an hour at either nap; that may be all she needs.

You can teach her to be in her bed happily, even if she is awake, so that each nap/rest time is at least an hour and she can wake up and entertain herself for a while before you rush in to get her. Her bedtime can still be 8 p.m., you determine that, she determines IF she will sleep, but you can be in control of what times she is IN her bed.

Don't have the entire house quiet at her nap times but don't have a radio or TV playing in the room where she is resting.

You are the one that KNOWS what she needs, she isn't. Sleep is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT now and for a couple of years to come. Be strong, you're the mama.

It sounds like she is trying to eliminate her afternoon nap. It can be sooner than 2 years old that they do that. One thing you didn't mention trying was driving in the car. It's not very environmentally friendly and gas is crazy expensive, but I used to have to do that when my little ones needed a nap, but wouldn't take one. Worked almost every time.

It might work better if you skip the morning nap and just take an afternoon nap. She may be getting to the age where she just takes one nap a day and afternoon would probably be better so she won't be so cranky in the early evenings. Hope this helped.

It definately sounds like she is shifting her nap schedule. This usually happens around every 3 months in the first year or year and a half. Try 2 shorter naps. Keep the morning one since she seems to be ready for it, but don't let her sleep more than an hour or so. It sounds like 2:30 might be just a little too early and since she is cranky (too late) by 5 try just waiting until 4ish for that 2nd nap. Remember to keep it short also, maybe an hour so that she'll still be ready for nighttime around 8.

Every child is so different and most by the time they are 12 months go down to just one nap in the afternoon. I would try and skip her morning nap. Try and feed her lunch around 11:30 then put her down. Hopefully she will sleep three hours and will feel much better in the evenings. My daughter would take a nap at 10:30 then again at 4:00 she didn't go to bed until 9ish, but it worked out better for us that way.

I agree with PP that said milestones. All of my babies learn to stand and can't lay back down. I would try working with her during the day to stand and sit, so that she can learn that FAST, lol! Also if you think sh ei sstanding go in and help lay her back down after a few minutes of crying and maybe she will stay down and sleep. I believe she is too little to give up a second nap. Hang in there, it should be better in a few days!

I have 2 girls, one is almost 4 the other is 16 months. They both went thru times when they wouldn't nap but i kept their routine. They were usually hitting milestones that they wanted to practice then went back to their normal sleeping routine. My 16 month old is still on 2 naps a day and my older daughter did 2 naps until she was almost 2 and still has one nap everyday. I believe sleep is very important for little ones and their growing brains and bodies.

HTH