Your roadmap to the 2 to 1 nap transition
Nap transitions can be really confusing. You may be unsure if it’s time to drop from 2 to 1 nap. You may also be wondering if there is a right or wrong time to do it. Some days your toddler may be taking 2 naps just fine while other days seem to be a trainwreck. But the thought of removing the morning nap can feel impossible at times.
Transitioning from two naps to one is the biggest nap transition you will go through. It can be a challenging transition for your toddler so knowing the best way to approach this transition as well as being patient during the process is key. In this blog, I'll walk you through the signs indicating it's time to make the switch, strategies for a smooth transition, and practical tips to ease the adjustment.
What age should you expect this nap transition?
Most toddlers are around 14-18 months when they are ready to drop the second nap and transition to a one nap schedule. Of course, all children are unique so not every single toddler will fall into this 14-18 month age range. However, be aware that before 14 months, most toddlers will really struggle with overtiredness on a 1 nap schedule so we want to delay this transition when possible.
Common signs that your toddler is ready for a 1 nap schedule:
Your toddler can comfortably stay wake for 4-6 hours at a time
Your toddler is resisting the second nap for 1-2 weeks in a row
Bedtime is getting pushed later than 8:30pm in order to fit in both naps and appropriate wake windows
Your toddler is taking much shorter naps than usual, and often waking up happy and refreshed from these short naps
Your toddler is suddenly having night wakings again
You notice it is taking longer for your toddler to fall asleep at bedtime- possibly from too much daytime sleep and not enough sleep pressure
Your toddler is suddenly having early morning wakings (before 6am)
When looking at these signs, you may not see all of them occurring but you should notice a handful of them and you want to see a pattern of 1-2 weeks before you decide that your toddler is truly ready for this transition. If this is happening here and there but not consistently, then that is not an indicator that your toddler is ready.
Should I try to hold off a nap transition?
Yes! If your child is not yet 14 months old, it can be extremely helpful to try holding off the transition. The longer you can reasonably wait to transition, the smoother it will likely go. When your toddler is on the older side instead of the younger side for this transition, it means they’ll be able to better handle the longer wake windows needed for a 1 nap schedule. This is the biggest nap transition of all so if we can make it smoother on them by holding it off, let’s do it!
In fact, transitioning too early can lead to more sleep issues like short naps, increased night wakings, and early morning wake ups.
If you are attempting to hold off this nap transition, the best way to do so is by capping nap 1 (and sometimes nap 2). This helps to ensure that your toddler doesn’t nap too long during the day on 2 naps. By capping nap 1 you can make room for a second daily nap without pushing bedtime too late.
When cutting naps short, it’s best to start small and work your way up as needed. Start by simply cutting the daily amount of napping by 30 minutes. If nap 1 tends to be a full 1.5-2 hours, you may decide to cut 30 minutes from nap 1. If nap 2 tends to be the longer nap, then you may decide to cut 30 minutes from nap 2. If both naps are similar in length, try cutting 15 minutes from each. Whatever makes the most sense for your toddler’s sleep schedule rhythm is fine.
Try this for a while and if you feel like more capping is necessary, work your way up by 15 minutes every couple of days. Depending on your toddler’s age, you may even need to cut nap 1 back to 1 hour in length and nap 2 back to 30-45 minutes. This is okay if it helps you hold off the transition until 14+ months and your toddler is accepting it well.
How do I transition from 2 naps to 1 when my toddler is ready?
The key with this nap transition is to gradually extend your toddler’s first wake window. By gradually extending it, we will eventually push out the second nap until it can be removed. Then you’ve hit the 1 nap schedule!
However, we don’t want to do this transition too quickly. Taking nap transitions cold turkey can cause unnecessary overtiredness. Instead of jumping right in, aim to push your toddler’s first nap later by 15 minutes every couple of days. This keeps things moving along but not too quickly for your child.
Because the morning wake up time can vary during this transition, I also find it’s helpful to focus on the time on the clock rather than an exact wake window. So if you’ve been using wake windows up until now to determine when nap 1 happens, look at the time that nap 1 usually starts. Have that be your starting point and add 15 minutes every couple of days to that time. For example, your toddler’s nap 1 usually starts around 9:30am. You would push their nap to 9:45am for a few days, then 10am for a few days, then 10:15am, etc.
You would continue to push their nap 1 until it starts around 11:30am-12:30pm. If your child is up for the day closer to 6am, then 11:30am will be your goal time. If your child is up for the day closer to 7:30am, then 1pm will be your goal time.
As you do this shift of nap 1, you’ll also allow your toddler to nap as long as they’d like for nap 1. If you were previously capping nap 1, you’ll want to stop that and let their nap end naturally. Once nap 1 is ending after 12pm, then you simply cut out the second nap!
For bedtime, you’ll typically want to follow a 5 hour wake window but never put bedtime before 6pm. This helps us find the balance between fighting off overtiredness but not expecting too much night sleep during this transition.
Here’s an example of the above progression I outlined as you transition from 2 naps to 1 nap:
Current 2 nap schedule
Wake up: 6:30am
Nap 1: 10:00-11:30am
Nap 2: 3:30-4:15pm
Bedtime: 8:00pm
Shifting nap 1 later
Wake up: 6:30am
Nap 1: 10:15-11:45am
Nap 2: 3:45-4:30pm
Bedtime: 8:15pm
Wake up: 6:30am
Nap 1: 10:30-12:00pm
Nap 2: 4:00-4:45pm
Bedtime: 8:30pm
Cutting out nap 2
Wake up: 6:30am
Nap 1: 10:45-12:15pm
Bedtime: 6:00pm
Keep shifting nap 1
Wake up: 6:30am
Nap 1: 11:00-12:30pm
Bedtime: 6:00pm
Wake up: 6:30am
Nap 1: 11:15-1:00pm
Bedtime: 6:00pm
Wake up: 6:30am
Nap 1: 11:30-1:30pm
Bedtime: 6:30pm
Wake up: 6:30am
Nap 1: 11:45-1:45pm
Bedtime: 6:45pm
You made it!
How long does it take for my toddler to get used to a 1 nap schedule?
Adjusting to a new nap schedule can be a challenging journey for your toddler, as transitions often come with their own set of hurdles. It's not uncommon for toddlers to continue showing signs of tiredness during their previous nap times, such as yawning and fussiness, around the time they used to nap. But this will diminish with time and it’s important to keep pushing forward with the new schedule so you don’t get stuck in no man’s land. This is also why it’s important to make sure your child is old enough for the transition before you start so that you can feel confident they can handle it and you don’t have to back track once you get started.
Generally, it may take around 4 weeks for your toddler to become fully adjusted to the new one-nap schedule. Remember, every child is different, so the transition period may vary. While you wait, the best thing you can do is continue offering your toddler a consistent schedule, giving them space when they struggle, and offering an early bedtime whenever necessary.
More tips to help you manage this transition:
There may be days during the nap transition where bedtime needs to be as early as 6:00pm. This is very common and completely normal. Think of it as a way to help your toddler “make up” for the sleep they are losing by losing nap 2 and as a way to help them compensate for the longer wake windows during the day.
You may notice that early wakings creep up during this transitional phase- especially if you were already dealing with them as one of the signs of needing to transition from 2 naps to 1. If this happens, be very consistent about your child’s ideal wake up time. If you don’t want them to start their day before 6:30am, then you’ll want to keep them in their crib and avoid exposing them to light and stimulation before 6:30am. This will take time but is doable!
Once you are on just 1 nap a day, aim to keep your toddler in their sleep space for at least 1.5-2 hours during nap time. Even if they aren’t napping that whole time, it helps motivate them to lengthen the nap if they are still tired. This won’t be a quick fix but if you follow this day after day, it will eventually help. Ideally we are looking for a 1.5-3 hour nap when your toddler drops to 1 nap.
This is a great time to revisit your bedtime and naptime routine and make sure your toddler is being laid down fully awake each time. This can help them continue to settle themselves to sleep which will aid in any night wakings, early wakings, and short naps.
It may be hard, especially at first, to keep your toddler awake for the longer wake windows. Do your best to keep them alert and awake. Get creative and silly with them to help! Sing and dance together, go outside and let them run around in the grass and play with some bubbles, or throw them in the tub for an impromptu bath. Whatever helps them make it that extra 15-30 minutes before naptime, go for it!
In conclusion, please remember that it’s very normal for this transition to be especially challenging. It’s hard work for your toddler to adjust from 3-4 hour wake windows to 5-6 hour wake windows! That’s a huge change for them. Hang with it and be patient as you wait for their new schedule to settle down.
Feel like you’re needing more support than this blog post can provide? Schedule a free call with me and we can find the right sleep package to help get your family through this 2 to 1 nap transition!
