Nap Transitions by Age: A Guide to Dropping Naps from Baby to Toddler

Your baby goes through considerable growth and development in the first 3 years of life. These developments result in wake windows changing and naps consolidating.  While some nap transitions are smooth, others can be tricky—leading to nap resistance, overtiredness, and disrupted nighttime sleep.

In this blog post, Ill break down when and how to transition naps and signs your baby is ready, along with example routines.

What Are Nap Transitions?

A nap transition occurs when your baby or toddler naturally outgrows one of their daily naps.

These changes happen because:

• Their wake windows (the time they can comfortably stay awake between sleeps) are increasing.

• Their overall sleep needs shift—less daytime sleep, more consolidated nighttime sleep.

• They start resisting naps or struggling to fall asleep.

Signs Your Baby is Ready to Drop a Nap

• Taking longer to fall asleep at nap time.

• Frequently fighting a nap, especially at the same time each day.

• Nap length shrinking—shorter naps or skipping them entirely.

• Bedtime struggles or early morning wake-ups due to too much daytime sleep.

If you notice these signs consistently for at least 1-2 weeks, it may be time for a nap transition.

Nap Transitions by Age

Newborn to 4 months: Transitioning from 4 to 3 Naps

Newborns sleep frequently, but by 3-4 months, their wake windows stretch, leading to fewer naps.

Typical Wake Window: 45-90 minutes

Signs Your Baby is Ready for 3 Naps:

• The fourth nap becomes very short or skipped.

• Baby takes longer to fall asleep for naps.

• Night sleep becomes more consolidated.

How to Transition:

• Slowly extend wake windows by 10-15 minutes every few days.

• Adjust bedtime to bring it slightly earlier to prevent overtiredness.

Sleep Tip: This is the age when babies start developing sleep cycles, so introducing a consistent nap routine can help with smoother transitions.

7 to 9 months: Transitioning from 3 to 2 Naps

By 7-9 months, most babies drop to 2 solid naps per day. The total amount of day sleep drops only slightly to 2.5-3 hours, but instead of getting that over three 1-hour naps, you will now get it in 2 naps of approximately 1.5 hours each.

Typical Wake Window: 2-3 hours

Signs Your Baby is Ready for 2 Naps:

• The third nap becomes shorter or harder to fit in.

• Baby fights the last nap or refuses it completely.

• Baby can reach bedtime without getting too grouchy.

• Possibly some new night wakings in there too.

How to Transition:

• Gradually increase wake windows to 2.5-3 hours.

• Shift the first two naps slightly later to compensate for the dropped third nap.

• Expect some temporary overtiredness—use an earlier bedtime if needed.

Example Routine for 2 naps:

Wake - 6:30am

Morning nap - 9:00/9:30am (at least one hour long)

Afternoon nap - 2:00/2:30pm (at least one hour long)

Begin your bedtime routine - 6:15pm

Aim to be asleep - 7:00pm

13 to 18 months: Transitioning from 2 to 1 Nap

This is one of the biggest nap transitions, often taking several weeks to fully settle. It can happen anytime between 13-20 months but most typically we see it around 15-18 months - beware of cutting down to one nap on a daily basis before 15 months! 

Typical Wake Window: 4-5/6 hours

Signs Your Toddler is Ready for 1 Nap:

• Toddler is refusing one of their naps every day for over one week.

• If he refuses to nap at the usual times but falls asleep later. This can make him skip another nap or push bedtime very late.

• Your baby used to take 2 naps of equal length, but now nap lengths vary. One nap might be long and the other nap really short.

• Mood stays relatively stable despite missing one of the naps. 

• Bedtime suddenly becomes a regular battle when timings and routine have stayed the same. 

• Can stay awake for 4+ hours without getting overtired.

How to Transition:

It's never a one-size-fits-all approach when you are ready to make this transition but trying something like the below can help to make it gradual. If you know your little one can power through on one nap then it's sometimes easier to just jump straight to it. 

• Push the morning nap later by 15 minutes every few days until it lands around midday (12-1 PM).

• Offer quiet time in place of the skipped nap to prevent crankiness.

• Move bedtime earlier (6:30-7:00 PM) for a few weeks if needed.

• If they still need a short nap in the afternoon whilst you nudge the morning nap, cap this to 30 minutes.  

Example Routine for 1 nap:

Wake - 6:30am

Nap - 12:00-2:30pm (at least one hour long)

Begin your bedtime routine - 6:45pm

Aim to be asleep - 7:30pm

Sleep Tip: This transition is often bumpy—some toddlers will need 2 naps some days and 1 nap on others until their body adjusts. After this transition, the good news is that you have a set schedule until your baby is at least 3 years! 

2.5 to 3.5 Years: Dropping the Last Nap

Between 2.5 and 3.5 years old, most toddlers stop napping altogether.

Typical Wake Window: 10-12 hours

Signs Your Toddler is Ready to Drop the Nap:

• Nap refusal for multiple weeks in a row.

• Taking a long time to fall asleep at bedtime.

• Naps interfering with nighttime sleep (waking more than usual).

• Can reach bedtime without too much fuss on the occasions it has been missed.  

• Can usually handle car or buggy trips around nap time without falling asleep.

• Overall sleep in 24 hours is consistently 10+ hours.

  
  

If your toddler ticks the above, then the day has arrived where you can stop offering the nap! It actually brings a new freedom to the days so don't fret too much! 

How to Transition:

• There’s no easy way but to just do it! Pick a day when you can provide additional support for a few days and jump right in.

• Introduce quiet time in place of the nap.

• Move bedtime earlier while they adjust.

• Expect some afternoon crankiness—offer a calm environment/incorporate play (depending on little one's personality trait)  to help them cope.

Sleep Tip: Many toddlers still need a nap occasionally (especially after busy mornings), so be flexible in the first few weeks!

Final Tips for Smooth Nap Transitions

• Be patient—some babies adjust quickly, while others take weeks.

• Stick to consistent routines for naps and bedtime.

• Expect temporary overtiredness and adjust wake windows gradually.

• Go for an earlier bedtime if you need

• If your child struggles, pause the transition for a few days before trying again.

Nap transitions are a normal part of baby sleep development, but they can feel challenging in the moment. By watching for signs of readiness, adjusting wake windows gradually, and maintaining a predictable sleep routine, you can help your baby transition smoothly through each stage.

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