When 2 (naps) become 1 (nap)
A couple of months ago, I posted a series of stories on our Instagram account documenting my son’s transition from two sleeps to one. It was a transition I had been absolutely dreading - our routine worked so well for us. We’d get up and have just over two hours of soft morning cuddles, chats, and gentle play before he’d be ready for his big nap. While he slept, from 9:30-11:30, I’d potter around, clean the house, meal prep, sometimes I’d even get in the shower and just stand there under the hot water, basking in my aloneness. Some days I’d skip the cleaning part and just sit on the couch under a blanket with my hot coffee and watch Below Deck or I’d read one of my Romantasy books. Then, when he’d have his second nap, I’d run my sleep consultations and work on our social media accounts. He was so happy, so well rested, his meal times were spot on, his night sleep was spot on. I was in routine heaven.
Until, one fateful day, he woke up at 10 instead of 11:30. And he would not be resettled. He was AWAKE. A once off, I promised myself. The next day, he slept for the whole two hours and I relaxed. The day after that, he resisted bedtime at 9:30. When he finally went to sleep, it was for 45 minutes. The next day, he resisted again. And I knew that I had to listen to what he was telling me, and offer him the opportunity to transition to one sleep. Over the next few paragraphs, I’ll tell you how I did it, and why I did it this way. And after that, I will tell you that this transition was GOOD. Change is daunting and annoying (for me, at least!), but I absolutely love our new normal, and hopefully your transition can be as gentle and easy as ours was.
When and Why should we make the transition?
As children’s brains mature, their ability to consolidate learning and manage sleep pressure improves, and they naturally transition to needing less daytime rest. Many children are ready to transition from two naps to one between 13 and 15 months, though some may be ready a little earlier or later. Age alone, however, is not the most important factor. How ready your child is to make this change is determined more by their own brain development and sleep needs than by their age.
Key signs of readiness to look out for:
Regularly resisting or skipping one of their naps
Trouble falling asleep at nap time or bedtime
Shorter naps or increased night wakings or
early morning wakingsNeeding a much later bedtime to fit both naps in
These signs should persist consistently; for many children, this may look like 1–2 weeks of these signs before making the change, but remember that you know your child best. Some of the children we work with will be ready to transition to one nap all of a sudden, whereas for other families, these signals are inconsistent enough that we may decide to rule out issues such as teething or developmental leaps before moving to one nap.
What your new normal might look like:
Below are two sample routines for a toddler around 14 months old, illustrating what a typical day might look like before and after the transition.
Note: Wake windows increase with the transition. On a 2-nap schedule, awake periods are about 3–4 hours; on a 1-nap schedule, they extend to 5–6 hours.
our top tips for
an easier Transition
Remember, this is called a transition period because it can take time for your child to really settle
into their new normal. Some days will work better than others, but if you’ve been implementing these
changes for more than 2 weeks and your child still seems unsettled, it may be worth investigating
other reasons for their fussiness.
1. Slowly push the morning nap later by 15–30 minutes every few days until it lands around midday (5-6 hours after waking).
2. During this time of transition, follow your child’s cues; this is particularly important in the first few days. Offer your child a bridging nap if they’re showing signs that this is what they need; you could pop them in the car for a 15 minute drive, take a walk around the block in the pram, or bundle them up in a carrier. If your child is showing signs that they need a bridging nap every day, this probably means that they aren’t quite ready to transition to one nap yet. If your child has a particularly rough day, it’s completely okay to temporarily revert to two naps or provide extra support.
3. Keep a consistent pre-nap and bedtime routine to cue your child’s body and mind for sleep.
4. Take advantage of a wide open morning and engage in stimulating activities that you may not have been able to do together when a morning nap had to be factored in. Get outside to a park or a backyard, hit up a library story time, or visit a play center to help them stretch their wake window without becoming overtired.
5. If your child is fussy but not ready to sleep, offer some quiet time; read books, play with puzzles or soft toys, or have a snuggle on the couch together.
6. If the single nap is short or your child seems extra tired, move bedtime earlier (as early as 6:00–6:30 PM) to prevent overtiredness and night wakings. As your child adjusts to the new normal, bedtime can be slowly pushed back again.
7. Watch for overtiredness; Signs include difficulty falling asleep, frequent night wakings, and early morning wake-ups.
Change is always a bit scary, but this change can be wonderful. Dropping that morning nap means you and your child can look forward to the fun morning activities that you’ve probably struggled to manage until now. 10am Storytime at the local library is a total cinch now! Who cares if the zoo is a 45 minute drive away - you’ve got an alert little cutie on your hands who is ready to engage with some butterflies. You’ve got mornings at cafes, at friends’ places, at messy play or in art classes to look forward to, so this change-fearing sleep consultant urges you to embrace the transition and your new normal.
Remember; if you have ongoing concerns about your child’s sleep or the transition process, book a consultation with us for personalised guidance.
