Nap transitions are one of the trickiest parts of being a parent to babies and toddlers. Just when you feel like you’re in a consistent groove with your child’s sleep schedule, they go ahead and change. Maybe they suddenly start fighting naps, or maybe they’re waking up before sunrise.
Should you wait it out? Or go ahead and make the transition to one nap?
I have all the answers for you right here…
A common age for transitioning to one nap is 12-16 months.
If you notice the following for more than 10-14 days (and there’s nothing developmental happening that seems to be influencing your child’s sleep), then it’s likely time to drop to one nap.
Signs your child’s ready to transition from two naps to one:
- Morning nap is lengthening (i.e. 2-3 hours) and afternoon nap is becoming progressively shorter. This is the most common scenario.
- Afternoon nap becomes a challenge.
- Your child either plays or cries for most, or even all, of naptime. As a result, there’s no afternoon nap or it’s so late that it starts affecting bedtime, or
- Your child falls asleep well but only sleeps 20-30 minutes.
- Morning nap becomes a challenge. This is the least likely scenario.
- Early morning wake-ups.
It’s not going to happen overnight, but here are some tips to help you make the transition as smooth and easy as possible.
How to transition to one nap:
- Gradually start moving your child’s morning nap later every few days.
- Plan for a short catnap in the late afternoon to take the edge off until bedtime.
- You may also need to move bedtime slightly earlier during the transition to prevent overtiredness.
- Continue moving your child’s morning nap later every few days until you get to a 12:00pm or 12:30pm naptime.
Keep in mind that it takes the body four to six weeks to fully adjust to any changes in sleep patterns (not including the time it takes to adjust your child’s sleep schedule to one nap). The nap may get shorter, but this should only be temporary as your child’s body adjusts. It’s also very common to see your child acting tired at their usual morning naptime, but once you’ve made the decision, stick to it and give your child some time to settle in.
Once your child has had time to adjust, they’ll start taking a 2-3 hour nap right in the middle of the afternoon. They’ll be well-rested from the time they get up until they go to bed, and you’ll have a big chunk of time to do anything you want! Plus, you’ll likely enjoy having more availability during the day now that you’re only committed to one nap!
Have questions about transitioning your child to one nap? I’d be happy to help. Send me an email at sara@prairiemoonsleepsolutions.com.