How to Manage the 3 to 2 Nap Transition

Something that often invokes anxiety in parents is the transition to fewer naps. They’re undoubtedly tricky, especially before the 6-month mark when your baby’s circadian rhythm still isn’t fully developed. You may be wondering, “When do babies transition to two naps?”. 

Deciding when it’s the right time to transition from 3 to 2 naps may feel confusing, but know that you aren’t alone! We’re here to make sure you and your little one have a seamless transition so that everyone is well-rested!

How to Know If Your Baby is Ready for the 3 to 2 Nap Transition

We now know that napping is directly correlated with cognitive development, influencing brain maturity, physical health, and much more. It goes without saying that they’re a cornerstone in maintaining a healthy infant. Making this transition does require some strategy to pull it off without a headache, so first make sure your baby is ready for it. So, when do babies go from 3 to 2 naps? 

Age

Most will be ready to make the transition between 7 and 9 months, though some will be early and others late to this marker. There are babies out there ready for a 2-nap schedule at just 6 months old. However, the 7-month mark is ideal. For those younger than 6 months, napping is very unpredictable and trying to make the switch too quickly will be stressful for you, and your baby. 

Refusing the 3rd Nap

If your baby is outright refusing their third nap - we’re talking an all-out protest for at least 15 minutes - then they may be ready to remove it altogether. However, if they’re younger than 7 months, first try pushing them around in a stroller, driving them around the neighborhood, or some other kind of motion to see if that works to get them to fall asleep. 

Waking Up Earlier in the Morning

If your baby is either waking up earlier in the morning - particularly if they’re waking up before 6 am and unable to fall back asleep - they may be ready. This is also typically the case if they have a hard time staying asleep for the first and second naps of the day.

One or more of these should be happening various times over various weeks before you move forward and drop off the third nap. Their first 2 naps should also total to at least 2 hours before you can think of dropping the third. 

Which Nap Do You Stop for the 3 to 2 Nap Transition? 

Now you’ve determined that your baby is ready for 2 naps, which nap do you get rid of? The third nap of the day should be dropped, leaving the other 2 to be spread out evenly over the course of the day, with an earlier bedtime. This is to ensure that your baby’s wake times aren’t too extensive, which can lead to them becoming overtired or stressed. A bedtime of 6 to 7 pm is the norm with the 2-nap schedule, with the shortest wake time being between when they wake up in the morning and their first nap of the day. 

How to Make the 3 to 2 Nap Transition

Now you’ve determined it’s time to make the transition, how do you do it? Remember that you’ve already made the 4-to-3 nap transition successfully, so you’re already doing a fantastic job! It’s normal to feel a bit nervous, but having a game plan can make it much smoother for you both. 

Lengthen Wake Windows

Before completely stopping the third nap, first try extending wake windows so they feel sleepier before their last nap of the day. If you find your baby skipping the third nap but unable to manage to stay awake for longer periods of time, lengthen the wake window before the third nap. The following is an example of how their schedule may look during this stage: 

Wake Up

7am

Nap 1

9:15 to 10:30am 

Nap 2

1 - 2pm

Nap 3 

4:45 - 5:15pm

Bedtime 

7:30 - 8pm

After dropping the third nap, their schedule should look somewhat like the following: 

Wake Up

7am

Nap 1

9:30am - 11am

Nap 2

1:15pm - 2:30pm

Bedtime 

6:45pm 

Offer An Active Third Nap

If your baby is struggling with staying awake until at least 6pm, you could opt for a kind of “active” nap. For example, you could put them in a carrier or stroller and head outdoors where you can get them to fall asleep in a more active environment. 

Move Bedtime Earlier After Skipped Nap

While it would certainly be convenient, no one has the superpower of making babies fall asleep whenever they want. There will be days where your baby just won’t partake in all 3 of their naps and won’t be able to stay up until their regular bedtime. 

It’s important to be easy on yourself and your baby. You don’t have to stick to a strict schedule every day, and flexibility is crucial when managing any nap transition. When your baby skips a nap, simply bump bedtime up 30 to 60 minutes to minimize them being overly-tired while avoiding sleep issues. 

Be Patient

You can expect this transition to happen over 2 to 3 weeks, though the time in which it happens will all depend on how ready your baby is. After these few weeks, you want them to be on a clock schedule where they sleep around the same times every day. 

Use a Baby Sleep Tracker to Stay on Track

There are certainly a lot of emotions around these transitions. It’s a big, exciting step that you’re taking to move towards a more effective sleep schedule.! This is a part of growing up, and we know you’ll enjoy these longer naps as well! 

To help make the process easier, we recommend using a high-quality sleep tracker to eliminate the guesswork. One of the best methods of doing so is by downloading an app like the popular Baby Connect that tracks not only your baby’s sleep, but feedings, diaper changes, medicines, and more. 

We hope these tips help facilitate a smooth 3 to 2 nap transition! Enjoy it!