Nap transitions can be frustrating. It seems like once we get our child on a solid schedule, there is a need to change it. During the first year and a half of your baby’s life, there will be a few transitions, but once you get down to one nap (at 18 months) you won’t have to worry about them anymore!
When it comes to knowing when to begin a nap transition, you should rely mostly on your child’s age, and the sleep patterns they are displaying. However, there are other factors that can come into play. For example, an approaching milestone will cause disruptions to a sleep schedule, often leaving parents wondering if it is time for a transition. No matter which nap transition you are approaching, it is always best to be prepared and have solid plan in place before making any changes to their schedule.
When approaching any nap transition, please consider the following:
- Make sure to be ready to compensate with an early bedtime. Your child is losing an entire sleep period and will need to make up for it at night. Early bedtimes can be difficult for working parents, but just do your best and put your child down as early as you can on poor nap days.
- It is VERY common to flip-flop during the transition, between the number of naps they had before and the number of naps you are aiming for. Don’t get discouraged if this is the case, It means you are moving in the right direction!
- It is important to make sure that your child is not approaching a milestone, (which would be causing the sleep disruption) and not displaying any symptoms of teething or feeling ill, and that the disruptions to their schedule are truly because they are ready to begin the transition.
4-3 Nap Transition
If the transition from four naps to three naps hasn’t happened organically by 5 months, (adjusted age if needed) I would begin the transition. We do not want to hold on to four naps past 5 months of age.
Signs that your child might be ready for this nap transition:
- If your child is four months old and on a four-nap schedule, and starts consistently refusing the 4th nap.
- Your child starts having disruptions to other parts of their schedule, such as early morning waking’s (before 6:00am).
- Your child used to take full naps, and now they are short napping (and waking happy).
- Your child spends more than 20 minutes contently playing in their crib before falling asleep, for at least 2 of their naps.
This is one of the trickier nap transitions because there are a lot of wake periods to consider. It also happens around the time of the four-month sleep regression, the average age a child learns to roll over, and the transition out of a swaddle.
Some things that we can do to combat these barriers is to first make sure we are giving our child a lot of time to practice their new skill during play time. The more they practice, the sooner the disruptions from the milestone will end. Second, although it is no longer safe to swaddle our child with their arms in, they still have an underdeveloped startle reflex, which will cause them to wake. Therefore, it is important to get a transition sleep sack once you take your child out of the swaddle. I suggest researching The Merlin’s Magic Sleep Suit for this purpose.
To accomplish this transition, increase your child’s wake periods that were appropriate for a 4-nap schedule (1.25-1.75 hours) to wake periods that are appropriate for a solid 3-nap schedule (2-2.5 hours).
Keep the wake period before nap 4 at 1.75 hours and don’t increase it, because the intention is for it to “fall off the schedule.”
Do it slowly and start with an increase in the middle of the day, (so either before nap 2 or np 3) next, increase before nap 1, and then bedtime should be the last place that you increase, because it is the most sensitive of all the wake periods.
Making these changes gradually over a two-week period is ideal, because if we move too fast, we risk our child becoming overtired!
As I mentioned earlier, it is perfectly normal to still use 4 naps on some days throughout the transition. Also, the new schedule can take time to fully establish because of the other factors in play at this age. So don’t get discouraged if it is difficult at first, just keep working at it!
3-2 Nap Transition
If the transition from 3 naps to 2 naps hasn’t happened organically by 8 months, (adjusted age if needed) begin the transition. We don’t hold on to 3 naps past 8 months.
**This transition should happen very slowly and will take about a month.
Signs that your child might be ready for this transition:
- If your child is seven months old, on a 3-nap schedule, and starts consistently refusing the third nap.
- Your child starts having disruptions to other parts of their schedule, such as early morning waking’s (before 6:00am).
- Your child used to take full naps and now they are short napping (and waking happy).
- Your child spends more than 20 minutes contently playing in their crib before falling asleep, for at least 1 of their naps.
Around the average age of this transition, (7-8 months) we can also commonly see milestones developing, whether it is crawling, pulling themselves up, or even taking a step or two! Always keep this in mind when beginning a transition, sometimes it is better to hold off until the milestone is fully established. Other times, we tackle the milestone and the nap transition at the same time to get them both out of the way!
Also at this age, it is common to no longer use the transition sleep sack. Instead, get something that they can become mobile in. I suggest researching The Zipadee-Zip Sleep Sack for this purpose.
To accomplish this transition, we need to slowly stretch the wake periods from our 3-nap schedule (2-2.5 hours) to wake periods that are appropriate for a solid 2-nap schedule (3-3.5 hours).
Keep the wake period before nap 3 at 2.25 hours and don’t increase it, because the intention is for it to “fall off the schedule.”
Start slowly with an increase in the middle of the day, (before nap 2) next, increase before nap 1, and then bedtime should be the last place that you increase, because it is the most sensitive of all the wake periods.
Making these changes gradually over a four-week period is ideal, because if we move too fast, we risk our child becoming overtired.
With this transition, remember that it is normal to swap back and forth between 3 nap days and 2 nap days.
Tip/Suggestion:
If you child wakes before 6:30, aim for a 3-nap day, last nap ending by 5:00pm.
If you child wakes after 6:30, aim for a 2-nap day, last nap ending by 4:00pm.
2-1 Nap Transition
If the transition from 2 naps to 1 nap hasn’t happened organically by 18 months, begin the transition. We don’t hold on to 2 naps past 18 months.
Signs that your child might be ready for this transition:
- If your child is 16-18 months old and consistently refusing their second nap, even after pushing that wake period all the way to 4 hours, it’s probably time to begin the transition.
- Nap 2 is occurring too late in the afternoon, thus pushing bedtime too late.
- Your child starts having disruptions to other parts of their schedule, such as early morning waking’s (before 6:00am).
- Your child starts having periods of wakefulness in the middle of the night (this means that they are awake in their crib but not crying).
- Your child spends more than 20 minutes contently playing in their crib, before falling asleep for at least 1 of their naps.
This is the most complex of all the nap transitions and will take about a month to complete properly. Holding off this transition until 18 months will help make it smooth!
It is very common for a child to start refusing the second nap around this age. When this happens, it is important to troubleshoot the timing issue, so that we can maintain that two nap schedule as close to 18 months old as we can!
TROUBLE SHOOTING NAP 2!
Some of the troubleshooting attempts we discuss will include looking for signs of needing waketimes stretched, capping nap 1 or both naps at an hour, and stretching that second waketime all the way to 4 hours. Not only do we want to hold off on this transition until the right time, we also want to maintain a solid two-nap schedule until the transition begins. When a child refuses this nap, it leaves us with an early bedtime and sometimes a tricky afternoon/evening to figure for the entire family!
We want to try these consistently before deciding to proceed with the transition.
If while troubleshooting your child takes both naps at least 3-4 days out of the week, I would hold off on extending any further!
- If your child is struggling with the 2nd nap, even after stretching the waketime before nap 2 (to a max of 4 hours), start limiting the first nap. Cut it back by 15 min. (but no shorter than 1 hour) until he is falling asleep more easily.
- Since we limit each nap to 2 hours, but the total amount of day sleep should not exceed 3 hours, that means that if your child takes a 2-hour nap for nap 1, we need to wake them after an hour, from nap 2.
I don’t see many children need a wake time beyond 3.25 before nap 1 at this age, but make sure you push the wake time before nap 2 all the way to 4 hours.
- I would start by using 3.25 before nap 2 for a week, if that doesn’t work..
- Use 3.5 before nap 2 for a week, if that doesn’t work..
- Use 3.75 before nap 2 for a week, if that doesn’t work..
- Use 4 hours before nap 2 for a week.
Once you are at 3.25 before nap 1, and 4 hours before nap 2 and your child is still struggling to take two naps per day, ending by 4:00, try stretching bedtime.
- While you are experimenting with the wake time before nap 2, maintain a wake time of 3.5 hours before bedtime. If you are at 3.25/4/3.5 and your child is still not taking two naps, extend the wake time before bedtime to 3.75 for a week.
- If that doesn’t work, extend the wake time before bedtime to 4 hours for a week. If you are using 3.25/4/4 consistently without interruption to your schedule for at least a week, your child is probably ready to transition.
- If your child spends crib hour for nap 2 happily in their crib without much crying, that is another indication that they are ready.
As I mentioned earlier, this is the most complex transition and takes a month to complete. There are many details, and some families hire me solely for this transition.
Here is an overview of what we are trying to accomplish in order to get to a solid one nap schedule.
Overview of Transition to One Nap:
1) Start by extending nap 1 to 3.5 hours but don’t lay down for nap 1 before 9:45am. (We will call this the default time) This means that we use 3.5 as a guide, but if our timing is telling us to lay them down before 9:45am, we won’t do so and will default to 9:45am. Use 6 hours to determine bedtime after their nap. For the next two days, continue to use 3.5 as a guide and continue to use 6 hours between nap and bedtime.
- Tip: Take your child outside or do an activity that distracts them during their usual morning nap time.
2) Starting on day 4 and every 3 days thereafter, increase the first wake time by 15 minutes and move the “default time” 15 minutes later. Continue to use 6 hours before bedtime.
3) Once you get to 4.5 hours before nap, start decreasing the wake period before bed by 15 minutes every three days. Continue to shift the “default time” 15 min. later every 3 days.
Days 13-15 should look like:
- 4.5/5.75, no lay down before 10:45am.
4) Once you have reached 5.5/4.75, no lay down before 12:15pm, your transition is complete!
A note regarding daycare and a one nap schedule:
Since becoming a Child Sleep Consultant, I have learned that majority of daycare facilities will transition a child to one nap when they turn 12 months old. It is unfortunate because a child that age really does need both naps. The morning nap is mentally restorative, the afternoon nap is physically restorative, and they are both important for cognitive development, melatonin production, and low cortisol levels.
I have found that if you ask, some childcare facilities will let your child nap in the infant room in the morning, and then take their afternoon nap with the rest of their class. If your daycare is unable to accommodate this request, we can still use two naps on the weekends and compensate with an early bedtime during the week. If your family is in this position, you are not alone! Try not to stress about it, the situation will be short lived!
0-1 Nap Transition
Every child is different and will stop napping when they are ready. Not when your older child stopped napping or your neighbor’s child. Each child is an individual and has their own sleep needs, but most children will hold onto their nap until 4 years of age.
Many parents ask me when their child should stop napping, or how they will be able to tell when it is time. A good way to determine if they still need day sleep, is if they fall asleep outside of their designated sleep periods.
For example: If you ae in the car around 4/5pm, will they fall asleep?
If the answer is yes, I would hold off on eliminating their nap.
I find the other best way to determine if a child is ready or not, is based on their behavior at the end of the day. If they have given up their nap but start to have meltdowns and tantrums as the day winds down, they are not ready to eliminate day sleep quite yet.
Remember, a well-rested child does not act this way, and when they do, they are letting us know they need more sleep!
Here are a few more indicators:
- Your Child will always go down easily for nap, but the problem becomes bedtime.
- Sometimes your child will not go to sleep at all during nap time.
- It will start to take your child a very long time to fall asleep at bedtime; anything longer than 30 minutes is too long.
- Your child could start having night waking’s.
- You could also see early mornings, meaning your child usually wakes at 7:00am but starts waking at 5:30 or 6am.
My biggest piece of advice surrounding this transition is to be sure that your child is ready to give up day sleep, and that it is not something you are trying to push. If you have decided that your child is ready to transition out of their nap, it is important to implement “Quiet Time” in its place.
Quiet Time
What is quiet time, and what is its purpose in nap transitions?
Quiet time is when your child is alone, preferably in their bedroom, enjoying some down time. They can be quietly playing in their room, reading books, putting together puzzles or whatever they enjoy doing. The key is that it is quiet play. Sometimes the “quiet play” choice needs to be predetermined by you. If that is the case, have a few activities that they can do during this time. The purpose of quiet time is to give everyone a break during what use to be nap time. It can help avoid tantrums, battles over rules and boundaries, etc. It is also necessary when your child is transitioning out of a nap.
How does quiet time work?
You want quiet time to replace nap time. If nap time was at 12:30pm that will be when quiet time will begin. I suggest starting out with a small amount of time and working toward more. Start out with ten minutes and set a timer. Tell your child that they have to have quiet time in their room until the timer buzzes. Explain that once the timer buzzes they can come out and do a special activity. This can be a short TV show, as this is usually motivating to children and can give you a little more down time. Over time increase the timer by 5 minutes each day until you get to 45-60 minutes of quiet time each day. Continue to offer an incentive when they complete quiet time successfully.
Another idea that I give to families regarding quiet time, is to get three bins and fill each one of them up with something that their child really enjoys. (Puzzles, coloring books, toy cars, Pokémon cards, Legos etc.) Then each day you give them one of the bins, and you continue to rotate them. The key to success with the bins is to NEVER let them play with them outside of quiet time. Also, get new things they have never seen before. You can go to the dollar store or clearance section in a larger store, and just fill them up with small toys.
Even though the plan is for them to keep their nap as long as we can manage it, start collecting things and creating the bins now so that you don’t have to scramble and do it all at once when it is time. This option has become quite popular with the toddlers/ preschoolers that I work with, and I find that it is more effective than a reward system when implementing quiet time. However, every child is different, so just find what works best for your children!
Once your child has successfully transitioned out of napping, be conscious of their bedtime, especially at first. Know your child’s sleep needs for their age, and make sure to get them to bed in enough time for them to fit in that amount of sleep before 6:00am, because that is the earliest we want them to wake the following morning.
