Is your 2-3-year-old showing signs of dropping their nap? 😫
Transitioning from one nap to none is often the hardest, as your toddler moves from a 6-hour awake window to a 12-hour one 🫨. Be kind to yourself, mumma - this can be a challenging time for both you and your toddler! 🫶🏻
Here are some tips for managing when your toddler starts resisting or showing signs of dropping their nap:
📖 Quiet time: Instead of encouraging active play during their usual nap time, engage in calm activities such as reading books, playing with puzzles, drawing, or listening to soft music 🎶 in a dimly lit environment. This promotes relaxation and reinforces the idea that this is a time for rest, even if they choose not to nap. Avoiding continuous stimulation throughout the entire 12-hours helps to prevent hyperactivity, overtiredness, and reduce the likelihood of tantrums and big emotions! 🤞🏻
🚘 Assisted nap: Don’t be afraid to use a 10-15 minute micro car nap to help them make it through to bedtime! 😴
🪀 Nap fluctuations: Be mindful that it is very normal for your toddler to fluctuate between needing a nap and not needing one. This adjustment period can continue for several weeks as they adjust to a longer awake time 🎢
😴 Early bedtime: Always offer an early bedtime, up to 30-40 minutes, to compensate for not having a nap. This helps prevent them from going to bed overtired, which can make them difficult to settle and increases the likelihood of overnight wakes and early rising ⛅️
If your toddler continues to wake frequently overnight and you need support in consolidating their sleep, book a consultation or download our sleep essentials guide via our website to help restore sleep for you and your family. 💫🩷🌸