My daughter has always been a two-nap baby. She typically lies down at 9am-ish for a morning two hour nap and at 1:30pm for the second two hour nap. Sleep in our house is imperative to our survival. This sounds rather dramatic, but if anyone is to enjoy their day or to enjoy Lucille, naps are crucial.
I risk life and limb to have Lucille stay on nap schedule. Last summer, over the 4th of July weekend, I drove home from a party we were hosting at our family cabin just so Lucille would nap. I am the type of person who if I don't have sleep I’m liable to have a meltdown, and I'm sad to say that Lucille has inherited the same trait.
When Lucille started daycare after being with her sister/nanny for her first six months, it was a definite transition. Daycare with five other children is stimulating, to say the least. It took a few weeks, but we finally got Lucy used to all the activity and her new routine. Kathy, my daycare provider, put together a Google Doc that keeps track of Lucille’s sleep and eating schedule. After a while I noticed Lucille wasn't sleeping as well as I would have liked at daycare. She was coming home at 4:30, eating dinner at 5, and then wanting to go to bed by 6:30. I provided Kathy with a white noise machine that we use at home in hopes that it would make Lucy feel more soothed, and it helped tremendously.
Lucy is now 10 months old and we are beginning the transition to one naptime. It’s coming a little earlier than I had planned, but it seems that she is ready. Kathy and I have realized that Lucille will either have a really good morning or afternoon nap, but not both, and then she's ready for bed way too early. So we will slowly move towards only an afternoon nap.
As I write this I can hear her cooing in her crib upstairs. She went down for nap at 11am and is back up at 1:15pm. Not really ideal, but it's definitely a process. I constantly have to remind myself that this is not an exact science. If we try something and it's not right or maybe not the right time, then that's okay. For now, I'm learning and growing with my baby.
Are naps critical to your kid's demeanor and happy playtime? What sacrifices have you made to keep naptime sacred? How have you transitioned your two-nap baby to a one-nap toddler?
