September 10, 2022
Nap transitions are not fun…no matter how you look at it. And truth be told, the routine is all out of whack for a few solid weeks. This is the time you need to create a plan, have lots of patience, and be consistent. Between 6 months to 10 months, you may start to suddenly […]
Nap transitions are not fun…no matter how you look at it. And truth be told, the routine is all out of whack for a few solid weeks. This is the time you need to create a plan, have lots of patience, and be consistent. Between 6 months to 10 months, you may start to suddenly see your baby, who once was a solid sleeper, begin crying during his or her naps or simply take shorter naps altogether. Is this a sign that your child is ready to drop their third nap and stick to a two nap schedule?
If this is the case, keep a lookout as to how often this is occurring. Before we drop a nap, you must see that this is happening consistently for a minimum of 2 to 3 weeks solid before dropping that nap. We don’t want a regression to be occurring and take away the nap because you thought it was a transition. Keep a log to spot how consistent this is occurring before taking away the third nap all together.
These two naps need to be, at a minimum, 1 hour in length each. We love to see the second nap be even longer so your child receives a solid restorative nap in their day. If this isn’t occurring, check out this blog post to help extend their nap.
We always measure success by the week — not by the day. So, in order to see results, you must stick to a consistent schedule and technique for a solid week or two before calling it quits!
Pro Tip: We tell our clients that purchase a sleep package to put a note on their fridge every Sunday. Quickly jot down how many naps your baby is taking and for how long. Each Sunday, have a look at last week’s notes. This helps you see real patterns.
In my opinion, nap transitions are a GOOD thing because they consolidate your baby’s naps. And consolidated naps mean LONGER naps. I mean…who really doesn’t love a long nap?!
Is your child dealing with a sleep regression? Find out if you they are and how to help give your baby or toddler the best sleep with our free downloadable sleep regression survival guide!
Sleep Regression Survival Guide
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