Transitioning from Two Naps to One: A Parent’s Guide
Changes to your little one’s sleep routine can be challenging, and the transition from two naps to one can be particularly difficult! This is one of the most common stages we support families through in our gentle sleep support approach.
This nap transition often happens between 12-18 months of age, but more commonly between 13-15 months.
How do I know my child is ready to transition?
Your toddler isn’t going to tell you they want to drop a nap, but there are some common signs to pay attention to that will inadvertently indicate when it’s time to make the transition. These signs include:
Refusing the second nap (even when the first nap is capped and awake time is increased)
Their second nap is really short (even when the first nap is capped and awake time increased)
Resisting bedtime
False starts
Split Nights
If you’re noticing a few of these signs at once, it’s usually a good indicator that your child is ready for this transition, but knowing how to adjust their schedule can feel less clear. This is something we guide families through in our toddler sleep support.
How do I best support my child through this transition?
Cap the nap: My favourite way to support this transition is to cap the first nap. This helps to increase sleep pressure before the second nap. I recommend to incrementally cap the nap until it is only 10 minutes and after this you can drop it.
Bring the first nap forward: Because it’s a big jump in awake time, you may need to bring the first nap forward to 11.30am but then slowly push it a little later so that they can comfortably make it to bedtime.
Give it time: During this transition, it’s common that on some days your child might only need one nap, and on other days they might need two. After a few consecutive days of only one nap, your child can become overtired which will lead to sleep difficulties. In this case, it’s perfectly fine to adjust their sleep routine and give them a second nap during the day, essentially flip-flopping between one and two naps per day. As they adjust to the longer wake periods, they’ll be able to have more consecutive days with only one nap.
It might take a few weeks or longer for your child to adjust to this transition, so give it time and a healthy dose of patience. You (and your little one) will get there!
If you’ve tried adjusting naps and things still feel off, like bedtime battles, early mornings, or inconsistent days, it’s usually a sign that something in the overall routine needs a bit more fine-tuning.
This is exactly what we assess during a free sleep consultation, where we look at your child’s full schedule and help you make the right adjustments.