toddler who still takes 2 naps

[BraveLittleToaster2]

So this will be my youngest childs first trip and he still takes 2 naps a day. He only ever falls asleep in the crib or car. Any tips from moms who have done this before? We will be there for a week and I'd hate to take him back to the room twice a day. So should I hope he falls asleep in his stroller for the first nap and bring him back to the room for the second one later in the day? HELP!

 

[missbrooke06]

That's exactly what we did. My son was the same way and I was really worried about it. I got lots of advice here that I was wrong and he would absolutely pass out in his stroller... but he didn't and in fact, walked almost half the trip.

Do your best to schedule all character interaction before the normal time for first nap or after the second. That was the only trouble we ran into - he was mostly resilient enough to handle rides, etc. on one nap.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

if you go back to resort remember the time to get to resort. child could fall asleep then will he go back to sleep after 20minutes of sleep and being woke up as you go to your room. think about falling asleep in car and being taken from car to bed

 

[KTwiegs]

I have been think about the same thing for our trip.
My son is very picky on where he sleeps.

I was actually thinking of just taking a boat ride back and forth from poly to MK or Epcot to HS a few times.

the MK ferry would be easier because it is so much bigger so you can find a quite spot alot easier.
good luck!

 

[amyren]

I'm a stickler for naps so we always go back to the resort for downtime. DD just turned 7 and will still sometimes nap mid day. That said we only go back once. When DS was little he would usually fall asleep for a bit in the stroller in the morning then we would head back to the resort for his big afternoon nap. No matter what just do what's best for your family!! Nothings more miserable than WDW with a cranky pants toddler.

 

[Maggie at the Fort]

When we were there and my son was almost 1, he often took his first nap in the Ergo strapped to my husband. He normally didn't nap outside of his crib but the stimulation of the World was enough to wear him out. He even fell asleep during the Haunted Mansion. Apparently it was too much for him. He took one look around, tucked in to my husband's chest and went to sleep. We went back in the afternoon for one solid rest but the other one was sort of as he needed it.

Good luck finding what works for you!

 

[Tiffylv]

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[HollieS]

Can you change his schedule between now and then so he is taking a longer earlier afternoon nap?

 

[EliseE]

Exactly how old is he? I would probably just try to eat an early lunch and then put him down for a nap after that, kind of between when his morning and afternoon naps would be. Then get up and head back to a park and see how long he's doing OK. Most toddlers go from 2 naps to 1 around 18 months. I decided to do it around 14 months with my youngest because it was preventing me from taking my oldest to things. She adjusted pretty well. And even if he's not sleeping, maybe if he starts to seem tired before you get back to your hotel at least he can be relaxing in the stroller.

 

[BraveLittleToaster2]

He's is 15th months old and loves his sleep. He takes two 90 min naps and sleeps at night from 730 pm till 8am. I am thinking about keeping him awake with all the excitement and then taking him back to the hotel by noon to give him lunch and nap him.

I can't have his nap too late because we have some dinner reservations at 4pm that we need to make it to.

 

[AZMermaid]

We stroller napped the first nap. My kids are really bad nappers anywhere but their crib/bed. We basically walked and walked and walked until they fell asleep. Even then, they would sleep for 30 min exactly. Then we would go to the hotel for the afternoon nap. They were younger though, 9-10 months. At 15 months, id probably plan for an early post lunch nap and then every 2-3 days try to get a morning stroller nap.

 

[old lady]

He still a little kid. It gets bad when you start taking 2 naps a day like me.

 

[jeepwreck]

I was wondering about this two this will be my son's first trip and he will be 22months and like others he only really sleeps in his crib or the car

he does sleep in the stroller some times when he is really tired but I think with all the noise and stuff going on in the parks he might have a hard time napping.

any good places in the park to sit quietly if he falls asleep in the stroller.

 

[Manda]

He's is 15th months old and loves his sleep. He takes two 90 min naps and sleeps at night from 730 pm till 8am. I am thinking about keeping him awake with all the excitement and then taking him back to the hotel by noon to give him lunch and nap him.

I can't have his nap too late because we have some dinner reservations at 4pm that we need to make it to.

My baby was the same. He's 11 now though and still a sleep lover. We moved him from two naps to one nap around the same age and he ended up doing one 3-4 hour nap a day until we had to force him off to Kindergarten and the land of no naps. It was tough!

That was a completely unhelpful reply.

 

[usnuzuloose]

Is there a way to try a test run. If you could get away for a few days and see if he would fall asleep in the stroller. But he could surprise you as well with the excitement of WDW . This is just a suggestion.

 

[Tiffylv]

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[JoeyEmmaMomma]

I wear my 15 month old in our Tula (just like an Ergo) and he naps while we are in line or walking around. Life saver. He sometimes naps in the stroller if it's moving.

 

[katie111]

What type of stroller do you have? Some strollers are just not that comfortable for kids. My first child I had a big Graco stroller & she always slept in it. For my second I switched to a Maclaren & could never figure out why he wouldn't fall asleep in it. For my third, I again broke out the Graco & he slept all the time in it. We made no changes to our schedule or his schedule when we were in Disney. We did all day in the parks and he would sleep soundly (like for 2 hours at a time in the stroller). We would put a blanket over it, lay him back & walk around. I would try to start training him now. Take him to the mall around his naptime & see if he will sleep. You may have to do this numerous times but eventually I bet he will.

When we only had 2 kids we tried to go back to the rooms for naps & it was a disaster. Our DS would sometimes fall asleep on the bus. We'd get back to the room and we would try to get my DD ready for the pool and with all that commotion he was just wide awake. Then he would just cry for an hour & eventually we'd just all end up at the pool. We'd then have have a really early night. It really wasn't a great trip. We felt like we wasted so much time either trapped in the room or trying to get back to the resort.

Honestly, I think if your child has to be in a crib for 2 naps a day, maybe it's just not the right time for Disney. What will your other kids do while he is napping? If you all go back, I would think he would never fall asleep. And if you or your DH just takes him back, that doesn't leave much family time together.

 

[jeepwreck]

When we only had 2 kids we tried to go back to the rooms for naps & it was a disaster. Our DS would sometimes fall asleep on the bus. We'd get back to the room and we would try to get my DD ready for the pool and with all that commotion he was just wide awake. Then he would just cry for an hour & eventually we'd just all end up at the pool. We'd then have have a really early night. It really wasn't a great trip. We felt like we wasted so much time either trapped in the room or trying to get back to the resort.
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I have always thought about that, heading back to the resorts for naps. because by the time you get back to the resort they may not be sleepy any more or like you said sleep on the way and then they will not go back down.


I do like your idea about before you go on your trip to walk around a mall to get the them use to all the sounds and see if they can sleep in the stroller

 

[baseballnut]

We always go back for a nap and DD sleeps after doing so much! But we stay out til close too.

For two naps a day, though, I also suggest wearing your little one. When we went to Europe when DD was 17 months and would NEVER nap in a stroller, I wore her in my Moby Wrap the entire time. She would always fall asleep on me while out walking and most of out pictures in front of famous sites are her asleep on me!

And, after wearing her four days straight my back did not hurt one single bit. And it was easier to get in and off of transportation too, had she even slept in the stroller.

Best of luck!