Transitioning From 3 to 2 Naps
How do you know if your baby is ready to transition from 3 to 2 naps?
If your baby is in the 6-9 month range, you are in that awkward in-between stage where your baby is kind of not wanting to take three naps any more, but also they're super cranky by 5:30pm??
Let's talk about transitioning down from 3 to 2 naps…
Typically you know your baby is ready to stop the third nap when they resist bedtime HARD and they don't end up going to bed until 9-10pm. When you know their bedtime should actually be 7:00-8:00pm ;)
So how do we do this?
First off make sure you are sticking to your baby’s daily sleep schedule as closely as possible. Wake them up at the SAME time every day, so that the rest of the day's schedule isn't thrown off.
Make sure you are keeping an eye on their wake windows – they may need a shorter one in the morning and a longer one in the evening!
When you drop the third nap, you can try to shift the first and second naps slightly later, and/or shift the bedtime slightly earlier to avoid fussing and crankiness in the evening. There is a certain amount of experimentation involved with nap transitions ;)
In the mornings, be sure to provide your baby with lots of sunlight and activity so they'll be tired for their two naps. In the evening, stop screen time after dinner and keep lights, activity, and stimulation levels low. This will all help your baby transition down from 3 to 2 naps!
You need to be following a really well-done daily nap schedule!
Waking, eating, and laying down for naps at the same time each day actually trains your baby to become sleepy around the usual times, and eliminates nap resistance.