Napping 101: Nap Schedules

Napping 101: How to nap, When to nap, and When to nap transition

Babies…Just when we think we have them figured out, BOOM they change their needs again. So Let’s talk Napping 101. 

We’re going to talk about nap schedules for your newborn, older infant, and even your toddler. We’re going to deep dive into how many naps, age appropriate naps and if/when your baby actually needs to transition to the next nap schedule.

No Schedule: The first few weeks

We love to say that we start scheduling babies from day one, and we absolutely do. We work on setting the foundation with a feeding schedule and helping babies understand nights from days. But let’s face it, there is no sleep pattern to be had when your baby first comes home! Babies aren’t born with a circadian rhythm and they may sleep more days than nights for a while.

Focus on scheduling feedings, keeping in between naps light, and keeping all of nighttime dark, and it will come together in time.

Four Nap Schedule: One to Five Months

Your baby’s first nap routine is likely going to have four naps. Babies typically are in this routine by 1 month and stay in this routine until around five months.

For more on this routine check out our Eat. Play. Sleep blog, and of course, our video series. This is the schedule that we focus on the most and we feel that it is vital to set your baby up for success! With this schedule you are following feedings and age appropriate wake windows and sleep comes in between.

Sample nap schedule for a 1-5 month old: [Your baby will vary awake time from 60-120 minutes]

Wakeup 7am

Nap 830-10

Nap 1130-1

Nap 230-4

Nap 5-530[cat]

Bedtime 7pm

When to Drop down to Three Naps:

Around five months old you will notice a change in your baby. The nap schedule stops working because your baby is awake for longer stretches and it’s cutting into the time available for four naps! Your baby will begin to sleep past feedings and generally just fall apart.

Is my baby ready for Three Naps?

• Your baby needs to be able to take at least one longer nap a day. Three, 30 minute naps will usually not get your baby the total daily sleep that they require.
• Your baby should have hit the 4 month “sleep regression”. The regression isn’t actually a regression, it’s a restructuring of the brain and is a leap! It indicates readiness for a change.

Three Nap Schedule: Five to Eight Months.

The three nap schedule is a short lived schedule. It is generally only utilized for 2-4 months.

With this schedule typically the baby will take two medium to long naps and one shorter afternoon nap. Typically the first two naps are 1-2 hours and the afternoon nap is .5-1 hour, but it can vary by baby. The goal is the total sleep [generally 2.5-4 hours], and ideally wake up from their last nap 2.5-3 hours before bedtime.

If your baby isn’t sleeping well at night or for naps at this point, we find that this is the ideal time to implement sleep training. 

Sample Nap Schedule for a 5-8 month old

Wakeup 7am

Nap 9-1030

Nap 1230-2

Nap 4-430

Bedtime 7pm

When to Drop Down to Two Naps:

Again, things will start to fall apart! That’s how you’ll know. Your baby will stay awake longer and begin to fight naps and consistently skip naps.

Is My Baby Ready For Two Naps?:

Your baby must be able to be awake for around four hours in the afternoon. If your baby starts acting like a total wreck after 2-3 hours, then they are not ready for this transition. Try to trial and error your three nap schedule first.

Two Nap Schedule: Eight to Sixteen Months

Finally, a nap routine you can settle into!

Parents usually enjoy this transition because you can plan out times of day to put your baby down, vs focusing solely on awake times. A great way to plan out what their routine may be is a nap around 2 hours after waking up, a nap around 3 hours after waking up from their first nap, and bedtime around 4 hours after waking up from their second nap. Tweak as necessary.

Each of the naps should typically be 1-2 hours. Some babies will do 1 hour for each, and some will do 2 hours for each, and some babies will do a long and a short nap consistently. If your baby is consistently waking after 30-40 minutes then they don’t understand how to connect sleep cycles.

Sample Nap Schedule for an 8-18 month old

Wakeup 7am

Nap 930-11

Nap 2-330

Bedtime 7pm

When To Drop to One Nap:

You’ll know when your baby is ready to go down to one nap because they will begin fighting going down for one or both of their naps. Or commonly bedtime may begin to become a struggle and begin to be pushed later and later. A baby is ready for one nap between 15-18 months old.

In America many babies are put on one nap at around a year because of daycare classroom guidelines. Our feelings is that this is inappropriately early, if you can hold your baby off until even 14 months everyone will be much happier!

Is my Baby ready for one nap?

Your baby should be able to nap for at least 1.5 hours, and be consistently skipping one of their naps.

This is the most difficult nap shift, because if they miss one nap they get no sleep at all! And it’s a long time until bedtime. Once your baby clearly shows signs of not needing both naps, choose a few days with nothing to do to “train” her to adjust to one nap. You may need to move bedtime an hour or so earlier for a couple of weeks to compensate. Toddlers generally adjust between 2-5 days, in time they will get sleepy at their new nap time.

One Nap Schedule: One and a Half and Beyond

Generally this nap schedule begins between 14-20 months, but as we mentioned babies are sometimes pushed into this schedule before they are ready. Some children need naps until they are four, but some 2 year olds outgrow their naps early. Naps at this age can vary based on family schedules and the age of the child but generally 1-3 hours of a nap anytime midday, while waking at least four hours before bedtime is a recommended schedule. Sometimes Adventurous Toddlers will climb out of their crib before they are developmentally ready. Try some tricks before throwing in the towel. Moving to a bed too early may mean giving up the prospect of naps entirely.

Sample Nap Schedule for a baby 15 months and older:

Wakeup 7am

Nap 1230-230

Bedtime 7pm

When to Drop the Last Nap:

This is the trickiest nap to know when to drop. Two and three year olds may go through multiple nap strikes, where they refuse to nap for days or even weeks. Even if your child isn’t napping, they can still keep “rest time” as part of the routine. They can lay down in the dark quietly, or maybe play with stuffed animals and read books. This presents the opportunity for sleep if the child needs it. Even kindergartners can benefit from the occasional nap!

Is my child ready to stop napping?

The true test of if your child needs to drop a nap is if they are unable to fall asleep at bedtime. Ideally your 2 year old is getting 12-14 hours and your 3 year old is getting 12-13 hours. If your little one is happy all day [not showing tired signs around 2/3pm and acting cranky from 3-bedtime], and they are getting 12 hours of sleep at night, then they are probably ready to drop their nap!

Some parents even have to force their toddler to drop their nap because they only require 12 hours of sleep and will fight overnight sleep if they take a nap.

Recap of Napping 101: How many naps and when to drop a nap:

One month old nap schedule: four [or more] naps

Two month old nap schedule: four naps

Three month old nap schedule: four naps

Four month old nap schedule: three or four naps

Five month old nap schedule: three naps

Six month old nap schedule: three naps

Seven month old nap schedule: three naps

Eight month old nap schedule: three or two

Nine month old nap schedule: three or two naps

Ten month old nap schedule: two naps

Eleven month old nap schedule: two naps

Twelve month old nap schedule: two naps

Thirteen month old nap schedule: two naps

Fourteen month old nap schedule: two naps

Fifteen month old nap schedule: one or two naps

Sixteen month old nap schedule: one or two naps

Seventeen month old nap schedule: likely transitioning to one nap

Eighteen month old nap schedule: Likely on one nap

Thanks for reading Napping 101!