You may be wondering “When do I do the 2 to 1 nap transition?” and “How do nap transitions help my baby?” This article will answer those and so many more questions about the 2 to 1 nap transition.
{{table_of_contents}}
When Should I Transition from 2 to 1 Naps?
Your baby is unique and has their own sleep patterns, but generally the 2 to 1 nap transition happens between 14 and 18 months.
How Can I Tell My Baby’s Ready for a Nap Transition?
Common signs your baby is naturally read for a nap transition include
- Trouble Falling Asleep for Naps: One sure sign your baby is ready for the 2 to 1 nap transition is if they’re suddenly having trouble falling asleep during a nap, probably the second one. This is a sign that their wake window is getting longer, and they don’t need that rest.
- Nap Protests: Similarly, if your baby suddenly refuses a nap they used to naturally need or enjoy, their sleep pattern is probably shifting toward a 1 nap day.
- Your Baby Misses a Nap and Doesn’t “Miss” It: Often you can tell when your baby needs some sleep, most notably they’re cranky or fussy. If your baby misses a nap and isn’t cranky, that’s a sign they don’t need that nap anymore and it may be time for the 2 to 1 nap transition.
- Trouble Falling Asleep at Night: Since your baby’s wake windows are adjusting, if they get too much sleep during the day, they may have trouble falling asleep at night. If your baby is staying up past their wake windows or not showing their typical sleepy cues, it may be time to consider a nap transition.
- Extra Crankiness Between Naps: Another sign it’s time for a nap transition is that your baby is suddenly crankier between naps. This may mean, their sleep cycle is out of sync. A nap transition may help get it all back on track.
It's important to remember that once you notice a signal that it’s time to nap transition, you want to see it consistently over a couple of weeks before making the adjustment. If your baby skips one nap it doesn’t necessarily mean your baby is ready to drop that nap completely.
If you’re struggling with the 2 to 1 nap transition consider downloading the Smart Sleep Coach™ by Pampers app to get step by step sleep training support while your baby adjusts and beyond.
How Do I Do the 2 to 1 Nap Transition?
Transitioning a nap is more than just dropping a nap. You also have to briefly adjust their bedtime up about 20-30 minutes to avoid overtiredness.
Overtiredness happens when your baby’s wake window goes on too long. This results in the release of cortisol and serotonin, two “wake up hormones,” and melatonin, the sleep hormone – conflicting hormonal signals that confuse and irritate your baby. (The same thing happens to us adults if we stay up past our sleepy cues, too!)
Take this free 3-minute sleep quiz to get a personalized plan to help drop your baby’s second nap. Your plan includes a sleep schedule that will auto-adjust your baby’s nap time recommendations based on their last nap to help make the 2 to 1 nap transition easier for everyone.
What If I’m Not Ready for My Baby to Nap Transition?
Parents or caretakers may want to put off nap transitions for many reasons. For example, they have another baby that needs more daytime naps; or, quite simply, they don’t want to lose that quiet time during the day. We completely understand.
The challenge is that your baby’s biological rhythm is changing and as that adjusts when you continue to keep the nap it can have a knock on effect to other things such as bedtime, overnight wakings and early wake ups.
It’s a careful balance and only you can judge what will work best for your family, when considering all the factors.
Sometimes Babies Transition on Their Own
Despite your desire to keep a second nap, sometimes babies will simply nap transition on their own. For example, they’ll sleep longer during their first nap and then be wide awake when it’s time for their second. Or maybe they skip their first nap and then sleep longer during their second.
If either of these scenarios happen, it’s probably time to ditch that second nap entirely.
What to Expect During a 2 to 1 Nap Transition
Here’s what may happen during a 2 to 1 nap transition. However, every baby is different and will handle a 2 to 1 nap transition differently. Often these sleep struggles during a nap transition are temporary.
2 to 1 nap transition early waking
Sometimes 2 to 1 nap transitions will lead to early wake ups in your baby. To prevent early waking during 2 to 1 nap transition, you can move your baby’s nap up, extending their wake window between naps and bedtime. You can also slightly move your baby’s bedtime back to achieve the same result.
Baby refuses to nap during 2 to 1 transition
Sometimes your baby will simply refuse to nap, even if they’ve just 2 to 1 nap transitioned or aren’t ready to nap transition. If this happens and your baby isn’t crying or protesting, you can try to let them rest in their crib for the duration of the nap.
Even if your baby is wide awake for all of “nap time,” the rest will do them well. Then, when you go in, greet your baby with a cheery ‘Hello!’ This will help reinforce in them the idea that post-nap is a new part of the day. You can catch them up on sleep when their sleepy cues appear next.
If your baby is upset during naptime and unable to fall asleep, and your sleep training, you can consider using your sleep training method during naptime.
Off schedule
If your baby is nearing a transition and won’t nap, you can continue your day and try again at the end of their next wake window.
If your baby doesn’t fall asleep until the end of their nap time, let them keep sleeping until they naturally wake up. This may require keeping them up slightly later that night, but it’s better they get some daytime sleep instead of none.
Earlier bedtimes
During a 2 to 1 nap transition your baby may need an earlier bedtime. For bedtime, many babies show sleep cues like rubbing eyes and yawning 20-30 minutes earlier during a nap transition, however every baby is different.
This is because they likely will have a longer wake window between their one nap and their normal bedtime. Shortening the wake window can help prevent overtiredness.
Final Thoughts
If your baby is struggling with naps, or having another sleep-related issue, and is between the age of 14 and 18 months, they may be ready for a 2 to 1 nap transition. While some babies may transition to 1 nap naturally on their own, others may need a little parental support and schedule adjustments.
If you are curious if your baby is ready to transition from 2 to 1 naps, the Smart Sleep Coach app was developed by sleep experts and pediatricians to help with anything around baby sleep – which is an essential component to a healthy, happy, well-rested beginning to their life.
