These are the most common nap transitions your child will experience
From changing nap schedules to physical milestones and starting solids, it can seem like the first 18 months of your child's life they are either coming out of a transition or heading in to a transition. This can be frustrating for Type A parents like me who don't like constant change. But fear not, we've got you covered with the five nap transitions to help you prepare ahead of time:
1) The 4-3 nap transition-
Babies typically drop down to three naps right around 5.5-6 months. Usually you know it is time to make this transition when you start moving bedtime earlier (7-8:30pm, rather than the later newborn bedtime) and when there isn't enough time for a fourth nap before bed. Another sign would be if your baby is getting more than 6 hours of day sleep from the first three naps. The key is to make sure you are never dropping a nap too soon. Before thinking about transitioning, a nap should be rejected by a baby for a minimum of 10 days among other signs (early risings, short naps, night wakings) before you can call it quits.
2) The 3-2 nap transition-
This one usually happens around 8/9 months when you are dropping the evening cat nap and likely moving bedtime slightly earlier. Typically this transition happens fairly smoothly! Signs to look out for:
The first two naps are longer than two hours each and there isn’t time for a third nap
Your baby has sudden night wakings because the last nap was too close to bedtime.
Your baby suddenly starts waking up early.
Your baby has refused the third nap for 10 days in a row.
Typically when babies have shown most of these signs, rather than just one, it is likely time to transition soon.
For more info, see How and when to drop from 3 naps to 2.
3) The 2-1 nap transition-
This is one of the harder transitions as it requires a bit of time (2-4 weeks or so), and even when your baby does drop to one nap, there will likely still be days they need two naps. We don't like to see this transition happen until the child is a minimum of 14 months old, but ideally closer to 18 months. Your toddler will show many of the same signs as the previous transitions, but an addition is that the morning nap may become significantly longer. For example, the first nap might be 2.5 hours and then second one is only 30 minutes. Your toddler might also be ready to transition if it is taking them a very long time to fall asleep for their afternoon nap, or if that nap is interfering with bedtime. Remember to look for at least three signs that they are in this transition. Many parents make this transition too soon, but our recommendation is to wait until it is 100% clear that the child no longer needs the second nap.
4) The 1-0 nap transition-
This transition is also tough because it can seem to linger on, sometimes for as long as 6 months or one year. Around 3.5/4 years old is when we usually see children drop their nap completely. But remember, even if you decide to drop the nap, it doesn't mean your child won't still have days they need it. We also encourage you to still give your child quiet time once the nap has been dropped, up until 5-5.5 years old. Whether they choose to read or fall asleep during that quiet time is up to them!
One question that we sometimes get is, “Is 2 too young to drop the night?” In our opinion, YES! Parents will often think it’s time to drop the nap altogether when they notice their toddler starts taking a shorter nap or is able to go some days without it. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s time to say goodbye to the nap forever! If your little one starts taking shorter naps, try adjusting their nap time to make sure there is adequate sleep pressure built up before the nap. Essentially, you want to make sure your little one is tired enough for sleep. Generally a child on a one-nap schedule should be going down between 1130am and 1pm and up by no later than 3pm for a 7pm bedtime.
5) The return of the nap?
Just when you think your child is a no-nap child, suddenly your child starts falling asleep in the car, becoming cranky in the afternoon, or maybe even asks for a nap. We see this often happens around 4/5 when a child starts preschool or kindergarten because of the increase in mental and social-emotional stimulation. If it seems your child truly needs this sleep, it is okay to let them take a cat nap between 30-45 minutes, as long as it doesn't mess with bedtime!
Related:
Sample schedules for 0-18 months
Five Signs Your Child is Ready to Drop a Nap
How and When to Transition to a Toddler Bed