In my opinion, naps can be a parent's best friend. The kids wake up refreshed and you get some time to yourself that you can use to tidy up, crawl into your own bed, catch up on a show you're loving or squeeze in whatever you can't do with kiddos kicking around.
The tricky part comes when it's nap transition time. Baby sleep is not something we want to sacrifice but you might notice a few of the following things that have you wondering if it's time to make the switch.
- They are protesting for that last nap of the day.
- Their stamina is increasing and they aren't seeming as tired at nap times.
- It's age appropriate- around 6-7 months they are often ready to drop to 2 and somewhere between 12-18 months it's time to drop to 1. Around 3 years is when we can see the need to drop the nap all together.
- This has been going on for at least 2 weeks.
The reason I say that this needs to be something you are questioning/noticing for at least 2 weeks is 2 fold.
When a child/baby is making a big leap in their development we can see temporary effects on sleep so it's always worth riding it out and staying consistent for 2 weeks to see if they sort it out on their own.
Once you decide it's time to make the change, please don't go back. Trust yourself and make the switch.
Nap transitions don't happen overnight, so consider pushing that first nap by 30 minutes every 3 days until you get to the time you are aiming for. When you are making a nap transition I also want you to be ready to move bedtime earlier for a couple weeks if needed. Know that they may still show signs of being tired at their usual naptime but you'll have to push through it. And keep in mind that a nap transition can take 4ish weeks until they fully have the hang of it and are on the new schedule so be patient and remember that a later in the day cat nap on the move may be needed to get you through to bedtime. Sleep solutions are not always easy so reach out if you need a hand.
If you are looking for sleep training advice or some sleep solutions you know where to find me.
Happy Sleeping,
Your Sleep Coach,
Corie