How Old Was Your Baby When They Went down to One Nap?

Updated on May 22, 2012
I.X. asks from San Clemente, CA
23 answers

Mine is 22 months and still takes a morning and afternoon nap. I'm trying to figure out some scheduling issues upcoming and wondering if I should just get her on one nap so we can get out of the house more this summer.

To be more specific, she does fine without one if we have something scheduled. Today for the first time she resisted her afternoon nap. So I'm thinking its time to drop the morning one.

What can I do next?

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A.S.

answers from Iowa City on

My second daughter dropped her morning nap around 1. My first daughter was around 18 months when she dropped the morning nap.

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F.W.

answers from Washington DC on

My daughter was on 1 nap at around 16-18 months then naps stopped altogether at 2 as it was affecting her night-time. My nephew was still taking naps at 3 but he so needed it. I think it depends on the child.

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S.H.

answers from St. Louis on

please don't make any changes if you are living in a "happy world"!

the cue for dropping the morning nap is when your child is resistant to that nap....or if the a.m. nap means she's resistant to the afternoon nap. You just need to watch your kiddo!

With my daycare kids, the norm is between 18-24 months for dropping the morning nap. If you're planning on making this change due to getting out more, just make sure the p.m. nap is nice & long! Good Luck

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G.B.

answers from Oklahoma City on

All kids in child care go to one nap around 11 months so when they transition to the toddler room they will fit in with the schedule. So most start sleeping on a cot and working towards one nap by 10 or 11 months.

I think all kids are ready to go to tone nap by the time they are 15-18 months even in a home environment.

Start working on it so she'll do it sooner. Keep her up until after lunch then let her lay down, you may have to lay down with her since she'll be so tired.

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C.K.

answers from Los Angeles on

About 17-18 months was the time we went down to one nap for all 3 of our kids. At 24 months, my twins take one nap of 1.5 - 2 hours usually. I tend to put them down early (between 1 and 1:30 pm) because they are usually up by 6 am at the latest.
C.

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S.F.

answers from Utica on

My DD went to one nap at about 20 months and she did great with it and yes it is so nice for scheduling purposes to only have them on one nap a day
We dropped her morning nap and started putting her down after lunch
Good Luck

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P.M.

answers from Denver on

wow, my son went down to one nap a day at about 12 months!

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B..

answers from Dallas on

12 months.

He has completely stopped naps now, at 3 years old.

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K.F.

answers from Cleveland on

Mine were much younger than yours when they stopped taking two naps a day. My son was 15 months, my daughter around 13 months. It is nice to be able to get out of the house more and not have everything revolve around two naps, so I would drop the morning one if I were you. Good luck!

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S.H.

answers from Honolulu on

My son: always napped since he was a baby. Regularly.
Once he started Kindergarten however, (he is 5 now), then he doesn't really nap. After school is busy and he has homework etc. But on weekends he will still nap at least 1 day out of the weekend. He needs it. He will even say he is tired and wants to go nap. No battles.
But even at 4 years old, he napped once a day. In the afternoons.

My daughter was about 5 as well, when she stopped regular naps.

The thing is to go by your child's cues.
It may not be the exact same nap time... but on days they need it, then they do nap. Same for my kids. Or on some days, they may not need a nap.

As far as my kids when they were younger, I planned my/our day according to nap time. My kids only would nap at home in their bed. Not on the road or otherwise.
And if they did not nap, they turned into grumpy fussy trolls.

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D..

answers from Charlotte on

Wow - you're lucky. Mine stopped the morning naps at 13 months and 12 months. Sigh...

If I were you, yes, I'd drop the morning nap now.

Dawn

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K.B.

answers from St. Louis on

My son is 15 months and he was down to one nap regularly about a month ago. Of course I had to move up his bed time about 30 mins to an hour to help with the adjustment. He did recently jump back to needing two naps a day, but I think it's only because he's going through a growth spurt right now and hasn't been feeling to good

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K.K.

answers from Iowa City on

My daughter went to 1 nap around 14 months - best thing ever! As far as getting out I mean.

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J.M.

answers from Missoula on

I wish my DD went that long! She was about 18 months when I just could NOT get her to fall asleep for her second nap. So I pushed her first nap back a couple hours, and she sleeps a bit longer. :)

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B.B.

answers from New York on

I hated those 2 nap days. I am pretty sure by 18 months we were doing only the afternoon nap. My son dropped naps completely by 2 1/2. I agree, switch her to one because it is really hard planning things around the 2 naps. But if she is not happy with the 1 nap, then go back to 2 for everyone's happiness. When you transition to one nap, make it an hour or so later than when the 1st nap was supposed to be and let her sleep as long as she wants. Make bedtime earlier and then fiddle with the times until you get wha works.

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L.S.

answers from Spokane on

All 3 of my daughters were down to one nap a day by their first birthdays. My older 2 stopped napping all together by their second birthdays - my youngest is only 18 months and naps once a day for 1-2 hours.

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K.P.

answers from Seattle on

My son was about 16 months. Sometimes some kids still need that extra sleep and some just don't either. I don't think there's a set age when they stop.

However if you only want her on one nap you can always try and drop the morning nap. Go out during the time she'd be napping and see how she does. Even try it a few times and see if she can do well on just the one.

Good luck!

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R.P.

answers from Seattle on

She went back and forth from 12months until 16.5months with two naps then I basically just stopped laying her down for the afternoon nap and she gets cranky some days but not bad enough to take a nap. It will be easier this summer to do extra things.

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K.L.

answers from Savannah on

My son did around 11 months, but I was given a paper by the pediatrician stating the normal age was 15-18 months. Mine was a little earlier, and yours is a little later which are both OK! I decided to go to one nap when my son would play and then cry for his 2nd nap and I would have to wake him up from his first nap. He would have been happy taking a full 3 hr nap at 9am. It was a little rough for 1 or 2 weeks, but everything smoothed out fairly quickly.

When I first started, I put him down at 11 (which was about as late as he could make it) and then he ate lunch after nap. After a while of this, I eventually scooted nap a little later and he eats at 11 and naps at 12. Your daughter definitely sounds like she will have no major problems with a 1 nap schedule, as long as you are consistent with it every day. Good luck!

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C.C.

answers from Dallas on

I'm a little jealous, LOL! But I understand what you mean, it can be very restrictive trying to schedule around your little one's nap times. Two of my 3 stopped napping altogether by the time they were 2; I think they both were taking just afternoon naps by the time they were 1.

Try a graduated approach. Try to keep her awake at least an hour longer for her morning nap, then let her sleep as long as she wants. You may then need to move up her bedtime. The transition will take a little time so you may wind up with a cranky toddler for a few days (at least 4-5 days). Once she adapts, wait a few more days then push her naptime an hour later again (rinse, repeat, LOL). Do this until you get her to your desired regular naptime.

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P.K.

answers from New York on

Sounds like the morning nap is ready to go. Mine always slept in the
morning and then we went out in afternoon and took a nap in the car. However, they were in bed by 6PM, so a long afternoon nap was not
needed.

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A.C.

answers from Atlanta on

Mine both stopped around 1 year, but our pediatrician told us that was pretty early, and the average is between 18-24 months, with some kids going longer. My 3-year-old stopped any naps at all around 2 and a half - that was really hard. I hope my daughter will nap longer.

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M.G.

answers from Seattle on

When my daughter was younger she dropped a second nap early on however with the arrival of her brother at age 3 picked up napping again. Once my son was around 9/10 months or so I think he dropped all naps willingly. Naps were not something we spoke of albeit we tried to fit them in whenever we could.

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