# My toddler takes 3 hour naps



## vermontgirl (Aug 15, 2006)

As wonderful as it is that I get to relax for two hours some days and three hours on most....I am starting to wonder if this is too much sleep. He goes to bed really late at night and I am wondering if it is because his nap is way too long. I am considering waking him up after two hours to make sure he goes to bed at a decent hour. What are your thoughts/experiences?


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## The Harpy (Apr 1, 2008)

You could try waking him up earlier but how does he do when he is woken up? My ds would freak and be really growly if we woke him intentionally.









Maybe he just needs sleep more? Growth spurts and all? How late is 'late' for when he goes to bed?


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## henhao (Dec 17, 2004)

My DD was like this. Enjoy it while you can! Recently, DD stopped napping (for the past 3-4 days) and I really prefer the afternoon break and the later bedtime.

On the other hand, an earlier bedtime means you can put them to bed before a sitter comes over if you like to go out now and then.


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## Blucactus (Nov 20, 2006)

My toddler is a long napper too. When he doesn't get that, he is a cranky-butt. FWIW, he stays up 930, 10 and gets up in the morning at like 6, 630, 7. We've tried trying to re-direct him, but honestly it works with our schedule and his body is happy to have self-regulated to those hours. *shrug*


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## eirual (Mar 21, 2006)

I think that's fine.

I wouldn't try to wake him up from a nap unless it was draining you to be up later than usual.

Toddlers generally need between 10-12 (?) hrs. sleep (from what I read in No Cry Sleep Sol'n...or somewhere thereabouts) So however that's broken up through the day, I don't think it really matters. If you want him to have a shorter nap, maybe try starting to get him to bed earlier (maybe have a really busy afternoon/evening after nap to wear him out?) and having him sleep longer at night? Or try to encourage him to sleep longer in the morning or nap earlier?


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## lyterae (Jul 10, 2005)

DD takes 2-3 hour naps everyday as well, I've tried to cut them down or move them... She crashes usually sometime between 12 and 1 everyday and HAS to have a nap or she makes everyone miserable. If I wake her up she's a grump for the rest of the day.


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## samstress (Feb 21, 2008)

dd takes a nap for 2 to 3 hours every day. i just figure she must need the rest, so i let her sleep. she still goes to bed at a normal time.


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## Joyster (Oct 26, 2007)

So does mine. He's usually up at around 7:30, is down around 1pm and as of right now at 4:16, he's still snoozing. Then he usually hits the sack at around 9pm. I just enjoy the time as much as I can, if I'm really lucky, the baby sleeps sometime during toddler naptime and hence, I am here.


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## LianneM (May 26, 2004)

Mine doesn't nap regularly but when he does nap, it could be an hour or three hours. I figure he needs it.

I have tried messing with the nap length and time to try to get him to bed earlier, and it does nothing - he still stays up late, he's just more grumpy b/c he's tired. I'd rather we enjoy the time with him b/c he's in a good mood.


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## Amila (Apr 4, 2006)

And you are COMPLAINING!!?!!? Lol, lucky duck.


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## cheygirl (Jun 13, 2006)

Yeah, my DD is the same. She naps 2.5 to 3 hours every day. I sometimes wonder if the long naps are a good thing, because it means she doesn't go to bed 'til 9pm, but I think it's ok. The only downside is that both DH & I work outside the some, which means it's the daycare provider who mostly benefit from the long nap. (She's in a home daycare which means they can accomodate her long naptime). But I do appreciate the 3 hour break on the weekends. It gives DH & I some time to ourselves. I don't think there's anything wrong with it.


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## GardenStream (Aug 21, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Joyster* 
So does mine. He's usually up at around 7:30, is down around 1pm and as of right now at 4:16, he's still snoozing. Then he usually hits the sack at around 9pm. I just enjoy the time as much as I can, if I'm really lucky, the baby sleeps sometime during toddler naptime and hence, I am here.









My DS has this exact schedule and I love it


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## katheek77 (Mar 13, 2007)

Myeh. My DD is almost the same age as yours. Sometimes she sleeps 1.5 hours, usually closer to 2, hours, and sometimes 3 hours. Today she slept 3 hours (145-445). Last week, she slept 4 hours one day.

She doesn't tend to change when she goes to bed based on her naps (unless she doesn't have one at all...then it's waaaaaaay early). There are always exceptions. Otherwise, she tends to get up 7-8 am and go to bed 9-10pm. I just follow her lead.

I am a firm believer that people regulate the amount of sleep they need, and will make up for it within a couple of days of "lost" sleep (ie...a kid might sleep 14 hours one day because they lost a half hour the three days previous).


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## tropicaldutchtulip (Jul 26, 2007)

I also follow cues of my girls and have since we came home from the NICU. They get up around 10:30am-11:00am in the morning, nap from 4pm-5pm to about 7pm-8pm, then go to bed around 11pm. It works for us and they have always been good nappers/sleepers. My girls will be two on June 9th, and we have co-slept full time since they were 15 months old.


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## Norasmomma (Feb 26, 2008)

My DD does this most of the time, and when she doesn't she's a mess by the evening. Also IDK if you've noticed this, but we have our DD will not go to bed until it is dark now. She's 20 months, and has to have it really be night and pretty dark, so that has bumped bed times to 9pm. Yesterday she had a bad nap schedule and only slept a little at her normal nap time, but then at 5 pm she took a siesta for about 1.5 hours, so a total of 2 hours. Sounds pretty normal to me, some kids need more sleep than others. Our DD was born into a *sleepy* family, DH and I both love to snooze, so she can be more sleepy than other kids.


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## Ofwait (Feb 16, 2008)

My Son who will be 3 in June, generally goes to bed about 8PM is up about 6-7AM and often takes a 2-4 hour nap in the afternoon.
I am dissapointed that the naps are starting to go away, when he takes one it is still long, but with 2 big sisters no longer napping he is sure there is still fun stuff going on that he doesn't want to miss. He gets terribly grumpy without the nap, but when it takes 4 times of putting him to bed I tend to give up.

plus we tend to run into the whole, won't eat because I am tired and can't sleep because I am hungry. So it tend to get into a visious cycle, which is miserable, and he doesn't seem to know whys hes miserable, just that he is. poor little boy


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## CawMama (Nov 4, 2005)

Ds takes a 3 hour nap as well and sleeps from 9pm til 8am on top of that. He usually naps from like 12-3pm. What time is your dc napping?


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## Alyantavid (Sep 10, 2004)

Does it interfere with his sleep at night?

My 23 month old regularly takes 2-3 hours naps. Sometimes 4 depending on what we did during the morning. It doesn't bother his nightimte sleep so I don't limit his naps at all.


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## bright-midnight (Mar 26, 2007)

My DD is 18 months old and takes a 2-3 hour nap everyday. I have noticed she isn't as cranky in the afternoon if she gets a longer nap.


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## DreamsInDigital (Sep 18, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *LianneM* 
Mine doesn't nap regularly but when he does nap, it could be an hour or three hours. I figure he needs it.

I have tried messing with the nap length and time to try to get him to bed earlier, and it does nothing - he still stays up late, he's just more grumpy b/c he's tired. I'd rather we enjoy the time with him b/c he's in a good mood.

This is us too.


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## eurobin (Aug 20, 2006)

My DD wakes up around 6:30 am. I have attempted all sorts of bedtimes, but she actually falls asleep around 8:30-9:00 pm. She naps for 3 hours (usually 12:30-3:30-ish.)


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## angrypixiemama (Jan 5, 2007)

DD takes long naps too, whenever she can. She is much sweeter on the days that she gets her long naps. She has always been a night owl, as DH and I are...doesn't really matter when her nap ends or how long it is - she is a 10 pm bedtime kind of girl.


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## TefferTWH (May 13, 2008)

As long as my son's up by 4, I don't mess with naps. If he;s not up by 4, he wakes up cranky and stays that way until he goes to bed and wakes up that way the next morning.


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## SevenVeils (Aug 28, 2006)

I just have to say, I'm amazed at how early all of your babies go to sleep!


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