Transition to one nap at 11 months

Here's what to do when your baby is ready for fewer siestas, and more daytime playtime.

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Naps are a must for babies. Deep snoozing sessions during the day help them get the sleep they need and slumber better at night — plus give you a chance to pick up all the toys strewn around the house.

But like everything else, nap needs change, and the daytime sleep schedule that worked well for your 9-month-old may be a bust at 12 months.

Here’s how to make sure your little one stays healthy and well-rested when she decides to go from two naps down to one.  

How do you know when a baby is ready to drop a nap?

Here's something to keep in mind while you're lamenting the loss of your baby's morning nap: How many times a day your baby sleeps is of less consequence than how well she functions on the sleep she's getting. (How well you function on the sleep she's getting is another matter entirely.)

If nap-skipping doesn't bring out the crankies and if she's not too overtired to settle down for one good nap and a full night's sleep, then you may have to kiss those two-nap days good-bye.

Not getting in enough necessary naptime, however, makes for a less happy, less cooperative baby during the day — and one who's too overtired and overcharged to settle down at night. If that's the case, she's probably not ready to drop from two naps to one just yet.

Here are some signs that it is time for a one-nap schedule:

• Resisting naps. If she seems refreshed and energetic, and won’t go to sleep at naptime, she’s probably just not tired enough.

• Super-short naps. On a two-nap schedule, each nap should last roughly one to two hours each. If your little one suddenly decides she’s done after 30 minutes or so, then she might simply not be tired enough to snooze for longer, meaning she needed more awake time before heading to her crib.

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• Extra-early morning wake-ups. Babies are naturally early risers — if yours regularly sleeps past 6 or 7 a.m., count yourself lucky. But if your little one goes from waking up at 6:30 consistently to 5 a.m. (or earlier — ugh!), it’s probably time to drop a nap. 

• Bedtime keeps getting pushed later. If you need to keep your little one awake for longer than four hours in between naps to ensure she actually falls asleep, then you’ll start finding it difficult to put her down between 7 and 8 p.m. without some resistance.

How to transition to a one-nap schedule

When your baby’s nap schedule changes, so does everything else. In many cases, it’s a good idea to loosen your regular structure a little and shift your baby's sleep schedule accordingly (without abandoning it entirely, of course, as babies thrive on consistent schedules).

Going with the flow a bit and letting her get to sleep without help will up the odds she’ll go down and stay there when she really needs some Zzzs. Here are some tips to help your baby make the switch to one nap a day.

• Gradually extend her awake time in the morning. Your baby should be awake at least four or five hours before she goes down for her afternoon nap.
• Move lunch and dinner earlier if she seems super sleepy or tired. That way you can put her down for her afternoon nap early and put her to bed earlier.
• Have quiet time during her regular morning naptime. If your little one is fussy or seems tired during her normal morning naptime, replace it with a midmorning quiet time with books and cuddles.
• Make sure her one afternoon nap is at least one to two-and-a-half hours long. Older babies who have given up the morning nap need to power nap in the afternoon. If your baby isn't napping for about two hours, make sure she's getting enough sleep at night and talk to your pediatrician about what you can do. Sleep training for naps or incorporating a calming wind-down routine before naptime might be in order.
• Move up bedtime if she seems especially cranky. If your little one isn't in the best way as night falls, consider moving her bedtime earlier. She may be more than ready to conk out sooner rather than later as she gets used to her new one-nap schedule.

Transitioning from frequent to less frequent naps can be a bit rocky for everyone in the house. The key is to make sure your child still gets enough sleep as she grows up and out of her little-baby schedule. 

From the What to Expect editorial team and Heidi Murkoff, author of What to Expect When You're Expecting. What to Expect follows strict reporting guidelines and uses only credible sources, such as peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions and highly respected health organizations. Learn how we keep our content accurate and up-to-date by reading our medical review and editorial policy.

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