Let’s talk about toddler sleep! Just when they start sleeping through the night, they start to wake up super early or take shorter naps.
I knew Sophia was ready to transition from 2 naps to 1 when she would take two short naps during the day and was struggling to go to bed because she wasn’t tired enough. This transition was a big challenge and took us about a month to figure out but once we made some tweaks, it was the best change for our family!
Most babies make the transition around 13-18 months and adjust quickly while others take a few weeks. After doing lots of research and discovering Taking Cara Babies, I’ve learned a lot about baby/toddler sleep! I highly recommend buying her sleep courses and checking out her website!
When Sophia was taking two naps, they would last about an hour and a half each (sometimes less). Now she naps around 12:00pm and has one long nap, around 2-3 hours long! Sophia has slept in her own crib since 6 months and sleep training her was one of the best things we did. She was ready to switch from 2 naps to 1 nap at 15 months.
Keep in mind that all toddlers are different and you should always do what you think is best. I’m not a sleep expert by any means but this is what worked for us and could also help your little one if they’re ready to make this big transition too!
Extending Wake Windows
Sophia was usually ready to nap around 10:00am, I knew we needed to keep her awake longer during the day. I started pushing Sophia’s wake window by 15-30 minutes each day. Some days she could handle staying up longer and other days she was so exhausted.
I started slowly because Sophia became super fussy if I kept her up more than 30 minutes at a time. My goal was to keep her awake until noon and doing this was a challenge.
I had to find creative ways to keep her awake in the morning. Here is a list of things we did together to keep her entertained and awake:
Going outside, play in the backyard or park, walk to the mailbox, walk around neighborhood, play with bubbles, ride in the Trike, go to local library, read books, sensory play, play peek-a-boo, snack, having a dance party, FaceTime with family, play with puzzles, chalk, water table, Tike slide, drawing, painting, rotating toys, introducing new toys, helping with house chores, running errands, managed screen time, etc.
Staying Consistent
This may seem pretty obvious but toddlers thrive on routine and don’t like change! I think it’s important that you avoid making your toddler overtired. Your instincts will tell you when your toddler needs to sleep, but try to extend their wake windows each day if you can. My goal was to keep Sophia up 4 to 6 hours at a time before putting her down to sleep. I needed to be consistent everyday in order to make this happen.
Eating Lunch & Bottle Before Nap
One of things that really helped Sophia with this transition was eating lunch an hour before her nap and getting a bottle of milk. Whereas before, she was getting a bottle after her nap. It was apparent that Sophia needed a big meal and milk before her nap. After doing this for a few days she ultimately slept longer because she had a full belly. If you’re in need of toddler meal ideas, check out this post for inspiration!
Winding Down & Bedtime Routine
My husband and I also realized that we needed to have a wind down routine before nap time. We started to do the same thing everyday by dimming the lights, reading her a few books, giving her a diaper change, and then putting on her sleep sack. These were cues that it was nap time. Now Sophia is able to fall asleep independently and knows when it’s time to sleep.
Must Have Items
Here are some baby/toddler items that I highly recommend you use in the nursery to help aid with sleep. The Halo sleep sack is a must have, they zip up and act as a blanket for your little one. We also use the Hatch sound machine for white noise and use it as a night light. It has lots of sound & light settings and can be easily controlled on your phone.
And last, your toddler should have some way to soothe themself. Ever since I sleep-trained Sophia she has had a lovie/security blanket in her crib and has grown to love it. It has a pacifier attached to it and you can find her snuggling with it every night.
As I mentioned above, this transition took some time and didn’t happen overnight. I look forward to Sophia’s naptime because it allows me to get things done around the house or have some “me” time. When did you transition your child from 2 naps to 1? How old were they? I’d love to hear about your experience and what helped you and your toddler get through it!
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