Is my baby ready to drop a nap?
How to know if this is the right time?
There is an overload of information on baby sleep, understanding when to drop a nap can be confusing and overwhelming!
I am often contacted by new parents, worrying that their baby is still taking 3 naps when everything they have read tells them, they should be on 2 naps….
This overload of information is overwhelming, so I am going to simplify nap transitions for you.
Firstly these sleep charts telling you how many naps you baby needs, can be a helpful guideline, but every baby is unique, some will nap more than others. So the best way to navigate when to drop a nap, is to look out for signs they need less day sleep.
How did your parents manage?
There were no sleep charts, wake windows, set numbers of naps. Babies slept when they were tired. And guess what, it did us no harm! So my message today is focus on signs and not a generic chart, to remove the stress around your baby’s sleep.
I am going to provide you with a checklist of signs to look out for, when your baby is displaying these signs consistently for a couple of weeks, it is time to drop a nap!
I would expect your baby to be displaying at least 2-3 of these consistently to consider dropping a nap.
Checklist:
Baby is taking longer to fall asleep at nap time.
Baby is fighting naps more as the day goes on…
Bedtime is getting later and later…
Your baby is waking at 5am!
Baby was taking a long nap, and they have begun cat napping.
Split nights/longer wake periods in the nights.
How to drop a nap?
This will depend very much on how many naps your child has….
4-3 Naps
Begin stretching the wake windows, and reducing the last nap of the day. When it becomes tricky to fit that last nap in, or this last nap pushes bedtime back, it is time to drop that fourth nap. Often when making this change bedtime may be earlier for a few a week or so, whilst their body adjusts to the change.
3-2 Naps
This is not dissimilar to the 4-3 nap transition. The main difference is the time frame… It is likely to take a little longer to transition from 4 to 3 naps. Begin stretching the wake windows, and reducing down the last nap of the day. You may find cutting the nap the third nap, sees the nap transition signs disappear. If this happens stick at 3 naps, until these signs return. Once nap 3 reaches 15 minutes, phase out the third nap, and add in an early bedtime for a couple of weeks.
2-1 Naps
The 2-1 nap transition often will take a few weeks to implement. The first step is to reduce the shorter nap, for most babies this will be the morning nap. If reducing this nap, sees those nap transition signs disappear, stick with 2 naps until these signs return. At this point repeat this process, until you reach a 15-20 minute power nap. Once you reach this stage, implement a one nap day / 2 nap day schedule. On the day your baby takes one nap, they will likely need an early bedtime, this will often lead to early rising, and they will need 2 nap the following day. Alternate this schedule for a few weeks, before moving to 1 nap a day.
For more guidance on sleep with your baby check out my baby sleep guide
