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When Do Babies Drop to One Nap? How to Tell If Your Little One Is Ready.
Updated: May 6
As a parent, you look forward to the day when you can only put your baby down for one long afternoon snooze instead of trying to schedule your day around two naps. But how do you know when they are ready?
This article will explore the ways to tell when your baby is ready to drop from two naps down to just one, so you can all make the most of your day.
In this article:
The importance of sleep for children
How much sleep your baby needs
Typical baby sleep and nap guidelines
Signs that your baby is ready to drop a nap
When do babies drop to one nap?
Tips for making the one nap transition
Q: How can I tell the difference between nap transition readiness and the 18 month sleep regression?
Q: Is nine months too young to transition to one nap?
The importance of sleep for children
Nighttime sleep
After the first couple of months—when they sleep round-the-clock!—babies will begin to get the majority of their sleep at night.
Nighttime sleep plays an important role in your child's development and is a vital part of keeping them healthy, both physically and mentally. Here are some of the many ways that sleep affects your child’s health.
Physical health and growth
Getting enough sleep is necessary to ensure that your child has enough energy throughout the day to be physically active, which is essential to their physical health.
Children who aren’t physically active enough due to lack of proper rest are at increased risk of obesity, high blood pressure, and diabetes.
Sleep is also necessary for your child’s physical growth and development. It's when most of their human growth hormone (HGH) level is released into their bloodstream. HGH is vital to your child's growth, but it also helps their body heal and repair itself and regulates their metabolism.