Most babies will start to show signs and transition from 2 naps to 1 between 14 to 18 months of age, although you will hear quite often that by 12 months a baby should be on 1 nap per day. This is simply not true. The average age that a baby will move from 2 to 1 naps on their own is 15 months. Although it may be tempting or even convenient to transition earlier, transitioning too early can lead to an overtired baby. An overtired baby can lead to multiple night wakings, early morning wakings and short naps. Before making the 2 to 1 nap transition it is important to assess whether your baby is ready.
The following are signs your baby may be ready to transition from 2 to 1 nap:
- Baby is taking really long to fall asleep for the morning nap or is not falling asleep at all.
- Baby is refusing the afternoon nap even after capping the morning nap and lengthening the wake time between naps.
- The afternoon nap has been pushed too late in the day and is leading to a late bedtime.
- Baby is fighting bedtime or taking a long time to fall asleep at night.
- Baby is suddenly waking overnight.
- Baby is suddenly waking early in the morning.
If your baby is doing one or more of the following for 2 consecutive weeks, they may be ready for the 2 to 1 nap transition. As your baby gets older and becomes a toddler, their sleep needs change. Between 12 to 18 months of age your baby will be able to spend more time awake and less time sleeping. Their sleep needs will shift from 12-15 hours of total sleep in a 24-hour period to 11-14 hours.
Making the 2 to 1 nap transition
When transitioning from 2 naps to 1, I always suggest a gradual approach. Doing this cold turkey can lead to a very overtired and cranky baby which can create other sleep issues as mentioned above.
I usually suggest moving the morning nap to 11am (somewhere in between the old nap 1 and the new 1 nap). Let your baby sleep for as long as they want. I then suggest moving bedtime earlier as well to prevent your baby from becoming overtired which will lead to bedtime battles. In this case a 6pm bedtime is very realistic the first few weeks. Once your baby is doing well with their nap at 11am (after 3-5 days), I suggest moving it 15-20 minutes later. Keep them at 11:15am for another 3-5 days. Then move the nap another 15-20 minutes later and so on until your baby is napping at your desired nap time (somewhere between 12-12:30pm).
The 2 to 1 nap transition is the hardest nap transition of all because the length of time your baby is spending awake is significantly increasing. It is 100% normal for this transition to take a few weeks. Do not expect for it to happen overnight. Also, a few bumps along the road are completely normal. There can absolutely be some short naps, some night wakings or early morning wakings, but the key is to stay consistent. When it comes to babies, consistency is key. If things are not going perfectly as planned, refrain from changing what you are doing. Always remember this is a big change for your little one, so be patient.
If your baby is not sleeping through the night, I do not suggest making the 2 to 1 nap transition. If you are having trouble with your baby’s sleep, I always suggest fixing their sleep first. Want to work 1-on-1 with me, check out my sleep programs. If you are struggling with the transition or are not sure if your baby is ready book a free call. It would be my pleasure to help!
