When Do Babies Drop To One Nap?

New parents are always worried about their infant’s developmental milestones. If their child is gaining a healthy weight, when will they begin taking their first baby steps, or utter their first words; what’s normal and what’s not is ultimately what the pediatrician recommends for the baby. However, sleep seems to be a different ballgame. Some kids sleep for less than 12 hours at a stretch, take fewer naps throughout the day, or go for a longer stretch of sleep at night.

Baby’s sleep impacts how parents manage their schedules; hence, it’s essential to plan it well. And to the relief of many, babies can drop to just one long nap. And this requires parents to shift their daily routine as well. So, when do babies start to go on one single nap? How can you transition them to go on one nap a day? Read on to know more:

Experts believe that it is around 18 months of age that babies start to transition into sleeping once a day. That said, sometimes even 12-month-olds are ready to take one nap during the day, and others continue to take two naps at 24 months of age (1). Your baby will drop cues as to when they need to be transitioned. Depending on the situation you’re dealing with, you could decide to drop to one nap or not. Here are some definite signs to look out for:

• They sleep for less than 10 hours at night.

• Difficulty sleeping for about 2 hours at night several times in a single week.

• Nighttime sleep past 9 p.m.

• Skipping scheduled naps more than 4 times a week.

• The length of daily naps is infrequent and relatively short.

• Early wakings or waking up in the middle of the night without an apparent reason.

You may not see all of these signs. It could be just one or two. While some babies skip napping in the morning, some drop the afternoon one. More often than not, when your baby drops the second nap in the afternoon, or it gets very late, it’s time for the transition to a single nap.

How Do You Make A Switch To A Single Nap?

Now that we know that it’s normal for babies to have a once-a-day nap schedule, the primary question is how we do it successfully without causing much discomfort to either your baby or you. You need to have a plan to bring in this new routine. For this, it’s essential to understand that nap transition can be bumpy, and it usually takes about 2-3 weeks. Try to group this switch to a 3-day cycle. You may have a hard time initially, but if the baby expresses some issue with the sleep transition, it’s a sign that you need to make adjustments. Here are a few tips on how you can make a smooth switch to one nap:

1. Delay the morning nap by at least 30 minutes and push the mealtime along with it. Even if your baby wakes up early, stick to this routine.

2. Let your baby stay in bed for 2 or more hours after they wake up so that their nap time lengthens.

3. If your baby has a shorter nap time below two hours, you can push the bedtime early. However, it’s good to stick with 6.00 or 6.30 p.m. so that they do not get into the habit of waking early.

4. Let them have two naps a day once a week. Being on a once-a-day nap schedule can be tiresome for many babies every day. You can alternate the schedules so that the transition is smooth.

Once your baby is accustomed to the one nap-a-day schedule, they’ll sleep for 11-12 hours at a stretch at night and 2-3 hours in the daytime on average. When a baby drops to a single nap, know that it doesn’t mean they sleep less. Experts suggest that babies should continue to get at least 13 to 14 hours of sleep between 12 to 24 months (2). If a baby sleeps for an hour and a half in the morning and again during the afternoon, they might have a mega nap post-lunch.

Parents should wake babies up early, so they have 3-4 hours of eating time and settle down early before the nighttime sleep. This should allow them to catch a solid shut-eye for 11-12 hours. Stay patient for this transition to happen, as it isn’t an easy process. Avoid the rush, or this may cause your baby to be exhausted and remain sleepy for the whole day.

Babies are built differently, and your child may take longer to fall asleep than other babies, and that’s okay. It’s a learning process for parents and babies, and all about finding a schedule that works for both. Does your baby have one nap-a-day sleep routine? How did you transition them? Do let us know your experiences in the comments section below.

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