Everything You Need To Know About The 2 → 1 Nap Transition
Sleep is one of the most important parts of your child’s growing needs. Ensuring that your child is getting enough sleep can help their physical, mental, and developmental growth.
I have included everything you need to know to make the transition from
2 naps/day → 1 nap/day as seamless as possible.
In order to make this transition successful, it is important to start with a well rested child. If your child is struggling with sleep prior to this transition it is likely that the issues will only increase. If you need additional support to improve your child's sleep habits or to help navigate this nap transition please reach out here and I would be happy to help you!
Before reading ahead, I want to warn you that this transition is a bit trickier. You may notice that your child can’t completely switch to a new schedule right away, and that some days they still seem to need two naps.
There are instances where this can happen and it is okay! It is okay to fluctuate between one and two naps/day for a period of time before your child is fully capable to make the big move.
When Does It Happen?
Babies typically make the transition from 2 → 1 nap between 15-18 months, although some may be as early as 13 months and others as late as 24 months.
Signs That They Are Ready
There are key signs that will indicate when your child is ready to begin the transition. It is important to note that babies can have “off” days when it comes to sleep, so you want to make note of these signs when they are happening CONSISTENTLY, or for at least a two week period. If your child has one day of bad naps or a difficult bedtime we do not take that as a sign to make any changes.
Use this checklist to see if your child is ready:
Your child is within the age range for this transition to happen (see note above)
AND any of the following:Is not taking one of the naps being offered (typically you see this as taking nap 1 but refusing nap 2)
Is taking a long first nap which then delays the onset of nap 2 resulting in a very late bedtime
Is taking both naps, but then struggles to fall asleep at their normal bedtime which results in a very late bedtime
Before Eliminating The Nap
If your child is exhibiting the above signs, start by cutting back the length of nap 1 by 15 minutes. Offer nap 1 at the new time for 2-3 days and note if the issues have resolved. If they have not resolved, cut it back by another 15 minutes and wait 2-3 days. Continue with this until the issues have resolved, or until nap 1 is 45 minutes or less. At this point you will move to only offering one nap/day.
Eliminating The Nap
Once your child has shown you that they are ready to drop one of their naps completely, you can work on changing their schedule. An ideal one nap/day schedule is as follows:
Waketime:
No earlier than 6am, no later than 7:30am
Nap:
In bed between 12:00-1pm
Bedtime:
In bed between 7-8 pm (see note below)
Early Bedtime (if needed):
Anytime after 5:30pm
Waketime
A natural wake time should be no earlier than 6am, and no later than 7:30am. If your child is waking before 6am you want to look at their schedule and note any changes that may need to be made (timing of nap, earlier bedtime, etc.). These early wakings should be treated as a night waking to avoid any reinforcement. To preserve their nap schedule, your child should be up for the day no later than 7:30am.
Naps
Once your child is ready, you will cut out nap 1 completely. On a two nap schedule, you may have noticed that nap 1 would start between 8:30-9am and nap 2 would start around 1pm. Once your child shifts to one nap/day you will likely see a need to shift the start of their nap closer to 12pm until they have time to adjust to the new schedule. Watch for sleepy cues around the 11:45pm mark and if your child is showing them you can start your nap routine and have them in bed for the 12pm time. This will also mean you will need to shift bedtime slightly earlier (closer to 6-6:30pm) until they are able to move the start of their nap closer to 12:30-1pm.
Bedtime
An acceptable bedtime is anytime between 7-8pm, but flexible depending on your child’s daytime sleep and their mood. For example, if your child has a short nap (less than 1 hour) they will likely need to go to bed earlier. However, if your child slept for 3 hours that day you will likely notice that they are able to stay up closer to 7:30-8pm. If your child is struggling to make it through their evening without melting down it is a great idea to get them in bed earlier than normal to avoid them getting overtired.
It is important to note that when your child first makes the transition to 1 nap/day they will likely need to be in bed closer to 6-6:30pm, and eventually you can shift it later.
Early Bedtime
Offering an early bedtime is a great strategy to help avoid an overtired child. Common reasons you may utilize an early bedtime are: missing a nap, taking a short nap, or rapidly declining mood in the early evening. Bedtime can be as early as 5:30pm on these days, however, it is important to avoid getting trapped in the early bedtime cycle. If early bedtimes are offered every day it is likely that your child will fill their sleep tank and begin waking much earlier the following day. If you notice that you are stuck in an early bedtime cycle it is important to work on shifting the nap later in the day. For example, babies who take their nap at 12pm will often wake between 1:30-2:30pm and be unable to stay up for a 7:30pm bedtime. In this case you would want to work on pushing the start of their nap to 12:30pm at the earliest, ideally working towards a 1pm start.
*during this transition it is common to see babies move back and forth between needing 1 or 2 naps/day, especially if dealing with a childcare schedule that is different than home. It is okay to offer 2 naps/day at home while your child is only taking 1 nap/day at childcare.
I know that this can be a lot of information and it sometimes ends up feeling quite overwhelming, so if this is you I can help. Book a call here to chat about how I can support you and your child through any transition period!
