Transitions are always so bittersweet. It’s a sign that your child is growing and developing, but it also brings upon many challenges. With Karime being our first child, shifting from 2 naps to just one nap a day stumped us to say the least, but we managed to identify some signs of readiness. Kal is 18 months now and is just starting to transition his naps. These are the five ways we are supporting this change:
- Lengthen the wake window – Help your child stay awake for longer than 3-3.5 hours. We like to switch up the routine or introduce new scenery.
- Give your child some flexibility – Some days they might need two naps, so let them be. Just keep one of those naps shorter than usual, about 45 minutes or one sleep cycle.
- Time it right – We like to keep them awake for 5-6 hours before nap and 4-5 hours after nap. This means if they wake up at 7am, then nap time is at 12:30pm and bedtime is at 7pm.
- Plan on a slightly earlier bedtime – You child may need to hit the hay earlier than normal. Kal’s bedtime was 7:30pm with two naps, but is 7:00pm with one nap.
- Establish a nap routine – Setting up cues seems to help the little ones prepare for sleep. I like to make sure Kal is in comfy clothes, has a fresh diaper, and I like to sing him a medley of songs before I put him down.
It took both of our kids about 2-3 weeks to adjust to their new sleep schedule (see sample schedule), and in my experience, consistency and patience go a long way for many of these toddler transitions. Nap transitions, specifically, can derail the schedule you have worked so hard to establish, but the trickier meal times or extra cranky toddler will be temporary. Hang in there! You got this mama!
