Is your child ready?
Read here for the best tips ever on WHEN, HOW & WHY to make this tricky transition a smooth one.
Yikes I hear you say, at just the thought of doing away with those sacred few hours of peace and quiet will send a shudder down your spine.
This is probably one of the most dreaded and feared parts of raising a toddler and one that causes huge debate and much confusion among many parents.
I work extensively with toddlers and pre-school children and often find one of the main causes of poor night sleep is ‘under tiredness’ simply caused by too much day sleep. Once rectified and parents have come to terms with the loss or reduction of their toddler’s nap, significant changes and improvements are seen almost straightaway.
Here I will cover everything from why, when and most importantly how to transition your toddler out of their day nap.
18 - 24 months 1.5 - 2 hours per day
2 – 2 ½ years 1- 1.5 hours per day
2 ½ - 3 years 45 mins – 1 hour maximum per day
3 years + most children at this age no longer require a day sleep
Firstly I need to cover the all-important question of ‘why ‘and shed some light on your child’s biological changes and their sleep requirements.
Up until 2.5 years of age (this can vary) children need approx 11-12 hours of sleep at night and about 60-90 mins of day sleep, known as the day/night sleep quota. As children get older and mature their sleep quota shifts and their need for day sleep decreases.
So in simpler terms if your child is having too much day sleep and has reached the age that they no longer need it, it will start to impact on how much they sleep at night. Over time this can have dire consequences for bedtime and will leave your child having less and less sleep at night and in turn utilise the day nap as a way to compensate for this.
Most toddlers drop their day nap anywhere between 2 years 3 months and 2 years 9 months but typically most start to show signs of readiness around 2 ½ years. Be warned it can suddenly happen when you least expect it and things can sometimes change overnight.
Here are some typical signs your toddler is ready:
If your child has consistently been experiencing any of these signs for more than 2 weeks, it’s likely they are ready for some adjustments to their day nap.
This is by far the hardest transition your toddler will make and may take several weeks of planning. The best way to approach it is to phase it out gradually.
Here is a simple manageable guide that works well:
Week 1-2 – restrict your toddler to just 1 hour of sleep per day
Week 2-4- offer a power nap of 45 mins in either the car or buggy only , this will be a less restorative nap but will help tide your toddler over till bedtime.
Week 4-6 – offer a power nap every other day until you see improvements to your child's night sleep.
Subsequent weeks: - Bring bedtime forward by 45-60 mins to prevent over tiredness and to maximise your child’s night sleep.
Choose a time to tackle it when you have the motivation and energy to see it through. If your child attends Day-care inform the staff of what you are planning so they can support your decision too.
During the first few weeks your toddler will appear ‘out of sorts’ and you may need to bring bedtime forward to prevent over tiredness.
On no nap days, avoid late afternoon trips in the car at all costs as it’s likely they will fall asleep which will have dire consequences for bedtime!
Ensure your child’s bedroom is dark enough to optimise melatonin production and maximise your child’s sleeping potential.
Avoid dropping the day nap if your child is about to start Day-care or Kindy as they are likely to be more tired than usual.
Once you have made the switch to no day nap you will notice your child’s night sleep should become, deeper, longer and more restorative giving you the chance for a longer less disruptive evening.
If you are worried about making the transition and would like further support, book in for an Express consult for great tips, advice and peace of mind.
/serene-sleep/images/SS1_1.jpg)