When Do Infants Drop to 2 Naps?

Infants drop to 2 naps round 8 months previous, on common, although it may occur anytime between 5 and 10 months. Listed here are just a few tricks to transition your child to 2 naps based mostly on my 10+ years of expertise as a child sleep guide.

New child infants will take 4-5 naps a day however by 5-6 months previous, most infants are taking 3 naps a day. Nevertheless, the third nap is usually a 30-45-minute catnap that may go away very quickly. Let’s discuss the most effective time to drop the third nap.

When Do Infants Transition From Three Naps to Two Naps?

Nearly all infants drop to 2 naps by 9 months previous after they can deal with 2-3-hour wake home windows. A “wake window” is the period of time between sleep intervals. As well as, infants on a 2-nap schedule usually want to remain awake as much as 3 to 4 hours earlier than bedtime. This may make it troublesome for some infants to transition to 2 naps too younger.

In case you assume your child is likely to be going via the 8 month sleep regression, it’s potential you may merely must drop the third nap.

Indicators to Transition Child to Two Naps

There are just a few inquiries to ask your self when deciding whether or not to present your child two naps or three:

  • Has nighttime sleep dropped to under 10 hours?
  • Does your child have a break up night time a number of occasions every week?
  • Is your child skipping one in all their three naps at the very least 4 occasions every week?
  • Are all 3 naps all of a sudden quick catnaps after they had been over an hour every?

Each scenario is totally different so relying on what particular points you might be having, you could or could not wish to drop to 2 naps however these are good indicators it could possibly be time. We don’t count on to see ALL of those indicators. It’s extra more likely to be only one, possibly two, of them.

In my expertise, the commonest approach to drop the third nap is to easily run out of time earlier than bedtime to slot in one other nap. Your child’s wake home windows earlier within the day have possible gotten longer and the naps themselves could also be longer. As soon as that late afternoon nap is at 5:00 or 5:30 PM, or later, it’s normally time to drop it.

Easy methods to Change to Two Naps

The large query is how you can efficiently change to 2 naps that received’t trigger different sleep issues!

First, be ready that each one nap transitions could be difficult and take 2-3 weeks, on common. In case you’re having a tough time, it does NOT imply it’s not the suitable factor to do! However, in case your child continues to be struggling after 2-3 weeks, you may wish to make some adjustments.

5 Tricks to Drop Child to Two Naps:

  1. Begin growing your child’s wake home windows to 2 to 2 1/2 hours very first thing within the morning after which 2 1/2 to three hours earlier than the second nap. You’ll be able to improve their wake window by quarter-hour every single day or each different day.
  2. Maintain your child in mattress for at the very least one hour to assist lengthen the nap. When you transition to 2 naps, every nap needs to be at the very least 1 to 1 1/2 hours lengthy.
  3. If both nap is shorter than one hour, transfer bedtime earlier however no sooner than 6:00 or 6:30 PM to protect towards early waking.
  4. Provide three naps a few times every week. Being on a 2-nap schedule for at some point or just a few days is one factor however every single day is one other. Many infants will begin to get chronically overtired over a interval of a number of days. Catch up for at some point after which get again to the brand new schedule the subsequent day.

Dropping to 2 naps could be difficult so don’t count on it to be excellent or easy. As soon as your child has adjusted, they may sleep 11-12 hours at night time and 2-3 hours throughout the day, on common.

What 2-Nap Schedule Ought to You Use?

The schedule to make use of with a child who takes two naps will rely in your child’s age and the way lengthy they will comfortably keep awake between sleep intervals. Until your child is taking a 2-hour morning nap, they may almost certainly want to remain awake 2 1/2 hours earlier than the morning nap and three hours earlier than the second nap to be on a correct schedule. Remember to try our 2-nap sleep schedule for concepts.

I hope this submit has helped you resolve when your child ought to drop to 2 naps. Dropping from 3 naps to 2 naps isn’t at all times simple however your child will modify with time! If in case you have any questions, we’re right here to assist!


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