Transitioning to One Nap
Hi! I’m talking about some specifics around a BIG adjustment for your little one today. The switch from two to one nap is the hardest nap transition because it’s the biggest one they will have to make so far! Instead of napping after 2.5-3 hours of wake time, we are now asking them to stay up for 4-6 hours at a time which can feel really long to a toddler (and really long to a mama trying to keep that toddler awake!)
Let’s start with talking about WHEN to make this transition.
Most babies will be ready to move to one nap between the ages of 14-18 months. This is a big range so you’ll want to look at other signs to help you decide when the right time is. The most common age to make the transition is between 14 and 16 months old.
HOW do you decide when your child is ready?
Is your child fighting one or both naps during the day? Is he/she suddenly waking up earlier in the morning, having night wakings when they were not before, and/or fighting bedtime?
The first change you can make before making the jump to one nap is to cap nap 1 at 45-60 minutes to save sleep pressure for nap 2. If nap 1 is already short, or this stops working, it’s time to go ahead and drop the morning nap. I recommend going cold turkey to the new naptime so that you aren’t left with a big awkward gap between the end of the nap and bedtime. For example, if you’re offering a nap at 11am, your child is only going to take one nap that day and it’s going to be over by 1 or 2pm. This leaves you with a really long stretch of time until bedtime where a meltdown is likely to occur. This can also lead to your child being overtired at bedtime and an early waking the next morning. You don’t want to get yourself stuck in an early waking cycle which will make holding off until 12/12:30 for naptime more difficult!
Lastly, let’s talk about when naptime should be and how long that nap should last.
Naptime should start around 12/12:30 and should last for 2-3 hours. Keep in mind that your child’s sleep needs decrease as they get older and around two years old, daytime sleep needs fall to an average of 1-2 hours during the day. It’s normal for it to take a couple weeks to lengthen the nap if your little one isn’t used to taking a long nap. It’s helpful to move bedtime up earlier during the transition to make sure that your child is not going to bed overtired. Keep naptime consistent and be patient while waiting for your child to adjust to the new schedule.
As always, reach out to me with any questions! My email support would be perfect if you have questions specific to your child and making this transition. Don’t fear the transition! Switching to one nap opens up your whole morning for activities and you won’t feel as nap trapped during the day. You got this!
