From Two Naps to One

Until about 18 months, taking two naps remains standard practice. If your child gets up at a regular time every day, she'll probably be sleepy and benefit from a little rest sometime late in the morning in addition to her afternoon nap. Around her second birthday, she may need just the afternoon nap to stay cheerful. From 18 to 24 months, however, you will probably run into a difficult period during which one nap is not enough but your child no longer needs two.

Some children do well if a period of quiet play is substituted for one of the naps. In other cases, you may simply have to rely on your wits and your sense of humor and try to be patient until your child establishes a regular and satisfactory schedule in which she takes only an afternoon nap.

If your child has difficulty settling down at naptime, try the technique you used for helping her to fall asleep at night. Begin with the same kind of bedtime routine, perhaps in an abbreviated form for naptime, then put her into her crib awake. If she cries, go in to her briefly, waiting a little longer each time before doing so. Soon, she will have learned to go to sleep at naptime as well as at night, and your life will be a lot more peaceful.

All content here, including advice from doctors and other health professionals, should be considered as opinion only. Always seek the direct advice of your own doctor in connection with any questions or issues you may have regarding your own health or the health of others.