Transitioning from one nap to none

The process of dropping naps can be an exhausting, frustrating and lengthy one for some parents - taking anywhere between a few weeks to a month (or more). Variables will include your child's age, activity levels, developmental stage and temperament (among others). It is not uncommon at these times to experience sleep regression such as; bedtime resistance, increased night waking and early rising as a result of too much or too little sleep during the day.

• They begin resisting their nap.
• They can make it through the day (at least until 6:00 pm without a nap, and without becoming overtired and grumpy!).
• They fall asleep easily at their scheduled nap time but consistently sleep for only short periods (e.g. less than one hour).
• They begin resisting their usual bedtime because they are not tired enough.
• They start waking more frequently overnight.
• They begin rising early in the morning (between 4:00 am and 6:00 am) when previously they slept longer.

• Ideally, your child will be on one nap until two and a half to three years, although realistically, many begin the process of dropping their day nap from two years of age.
• If your child is still napping, ensure that they do not nap for any longer than two hours (for children under two-and-a-half years) and one to two hours (for children two-and-a-half-years and over). Napping for any longer than this can compromise overnight sleep duration and/or result in a later bedtime, bedtime resistance, overtiredness and hence, more frequent night waking.
• An example of nap times may be: 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm (i.e. two hours) for a two-year-old,  1:30 pm to 3:00 pm for a two-and-a-half-year-old (i.e 1.5 hours) and 1:30 pm to 2:30 pm (i.e. one hour) for a three-year-old.
• Don’t let your child's nap extend any later than 3:00 pm if you plan for a 7:00 pm bedtime. Most children will need at least four hours between waking from their day nap and bedtime - some five to six.
• Scheduling your child’s nap too early in the day can contribute to early rising - 12:30 pm should be the earliest consistent nap time for children two years and over.
• Avoid car trips after 3:30 pm. Children are likely to fall asleep in the car when they are in the process of dropping naps. If your child falls asleep later than 3:30 pm (even just for a 15-minute car ride), bedtime resistance is almost inevitable (think 8:30 pm or 9:00 pm!).
• Your child may still need one nap on some days, whilst on others, they can make it through without one at all. Variables to this include; activity levels, quality of overnight sleep, routine, stimulation, nutrition, developmental stage, and health. When a child is teething or unwell, an earlier naptime and longer day nap may be necessary to aid recovery. Tune into your intuition and remain responsive to your child's needs.
• When dropping the afternoon nap, incorporate some relax/wind-down time in the place of their afternoon nap such as quiet play in their bedroom, building blocks, reading books or lying down.
• At the beginning of this transition, plan for an earlier bedtime to avoid overtiredness - between 6:00 pm and 6:30 pm may be necessary temporarily.
• Trial and error may be necessary to identify your child's optimal sleep windows and nap timing and length if applicable. If your child starts resisting bedtime when they have a day nap (e.g. not falling asleep until 8:30 pm or 9:00 pm), I would first experiment with capping the day nap (e.g. from two hours to 1.5 or one hour) before dropping completely. This is most sustainable when it is a gradual process!
• As always, connection tools such as quality one-on-one time and listening to tears and tantrums (as opposed to scolding, shaming or punishments) can help you and your child transition with greater ease.

Love, Sophie