How to manage the transition from three naps to two naps

If there’s one constant in parenting, it’s change! Once your baby’s circadian rhythm is better established around 6 months old, sleep tends to organize into three semi-predictable naps. Just as you get used to it, though, your infant will be ready to drop that third nap and transition to just two naps per day. Here are some strategies to help you manage this shift in sleep patterns.

When do babies drop the third nap?

Most babies are ready to fully drop that third nap by 8 - 9 months old. As with all nap transitions, some babies will drop the nap on the earlier side, and others will drop it on the later side. It’s very common for 6 and 7 month olds to start resisting the last nap of the day, though this is more often a sign that wake windows and nap lengths need adjusting rather than a signal to drop the nap. 

If your baby is closer to 8 or 9 months old and fighting naps, it may be because they’re outgrowing the wake windows of a three-nap schedule, which are typically 2 - 3 hours long. In order to fully transition to a two-nap schedule, babies will need to be able to comfortably stay awake for about 3 - 3.5 hours at a time. With all this talk about dropping naps, you may be asking yourself, "?" It depends!

Which nap gets dropped?

When babies transition to a two-nap schedule, the third nap (which is typically a shorter catnap of 30 - 45 minutes) will get dropped. The remaining two naps will then be spread evenly throughout the day, and bedtime usually needs to move earlier. Here is what the schedule change might look like in practice.

3-nap sample schedule

Before the nap transition, a 3-nap schedule for an 8 month old might look like this:

Note: Sleep needs vary by child, and this chart should be viewed as an example.

2-nap sample schedule

After dropping the third nap, the new two-nap schedule might look like this, with later naps, longer wake periods, and an earlier bedtime:

Note: Sleep needs vary by child, and this chart should be viewed as an example.

Signs that your baby is ready to transition to two naps

As your baby gets ready to transition from three naps to two, it’s common to see the following signs:

• Resisting or skipping naps, especially the third one

• Taking shorter-than-usual naps

• Resisting bedtime

• Suddenly waking early and/or split nights (where a child can’t sleep for long periods during the middle of the night)

If your child’s night sleep has consistently shortened to  less than 10 hours on a three-nap schedule, it may be a sign that their daytime sleep needs are shifting, and transitioning to two naps could help restore longer stretches at night.

Before your baby is ready to drop the third nap

1. Lengthen wake windows

Don’t drop the nap too early! Resisting naps is very common as babies need more awake time to become sufficiently tired. If your baby is under 8 months old and/or has difficulty handling the two-nap schedule, you can continue to offer three naps, but stretch out those wake periods.

Rather than drop the third nap before your baby’s ready, try lengthening the wake windows so that more sleep pressure can build before the final nap of the day. This can make a catnap more likely and prevent bedtime from being shifted too early. 

For example, if your has been skipping the third nap, but can’t yet comfortably handle the longer wake windows for the two-nap schedule, you might try lengthening the wake window before the third nap. That might look like this:

Note: Sleep needs vary by child, and this chart should be viewed as an example.

2. Offer the third nap “on the go”

As babies outgrow the three-nap wake windows, it’s common for them to fight the last catnap. This can make dinner time especially challenging if you need to manage a cranky infant while feeding an older sibling.

We can’t “make” babies fall asleep, but we can get creative. If your baby is going to have a hard time staying awake until a reasonable bedtime (typically no earlier than 6:00 PM), consider offering a nap “on the go”–whether that’s a stroller walk or a carrier around the house. Keep in mind that the American Academy of Pediatrics [] recommends transferring babies to a flat, firm surface if they fall asleep in a stroller, infant carrier, or sling. Try offering the third nap for about 30 minutes before calling it – if your baby is still resisting, move on and plan for an earlier bedtime instead.

3. Move bedtime earlier after a skipped nap

Despite our best efforts, there will be some days when your baby won’t take all three naps and will struggle to stay awake until their normal bedtime. As much as we like consistency, some flexibility is essential when dealing with nap transitions. Move bedtime 30 - 60 minutes earlier as needed when your baby skips a nap. 

While we want to minimize overtiredness (which can lead to increased night wakings and early waking), we also don’t want to offer bedtime so early that it leads to other sleep issues. Aim to find a balance and avoid bedtimes before 6:00 PM, as that can create an early waking cycle too. 

For example, if your 7 month old normally goes to bed at 7:30 PM, but skips their last nap, you may need to move bedtime significantly earlier to keep them rested. Keep in mind that the last wake window will be longer than ideal for this age – that’s expected on a skipped-nap day. 

If skipping the nap is an occasional occurrence, try offering three naps again the following day. If your baby is regularly skipping the third nap despite stretching wake windows and offering the nap on the go, and especially if they’re showing other signs of readiness, it may be time to transition to a two-nap schedule.

Making the transition to two naps

Once your baby is showing consistent signs of readiness, there are two ways to approach the transition. Whichever approach you take, it’s normal to have a mix of two-nap and three-nap days during this time as they settle into their new schedule.

Quick transition

If your baby is already staying awake for close to 3 hours between their morning rise time and their first nap, they may be ready to handle a less gradual schedule shift. Move the first two naps later to spread them more evenly throughout the day and drop the third catnap. With only two naps, bedtime will naturally shift earlier – refer to the two-nap sample schedule above for an example of what this might look like.

Gradual transition

If the first nap is still quite early in the day or your baby tends to get overtired easily, a more gradual approach often works better. Start by moving the first nap later by about 15 minutes every few days. While the two naps are still earlier in the day, your baby may still need that third catnap – but as the naps shift later, the catnap will naturally become harder to fit in while maintaining at least 10 hours of nighttime sleep. Once the third nap is no longer part of the day, your baby will likely need an earlier bedtime, but aim for no earlier than 6:00 PM.

If your baby is showing signs of on the new schedule, offering three naps every few days or once a week can help them catch up on sleep while they adjust to staying awake for longer periods. If that third catnap doesn’t happen on the days you offer it, continue to offer an earlier bedtime to keep your baby from getting overtired.

Once the naps have settled into their new times, it can take a week or more for them to . This is normal! Your baby is learning to consolidate their daytime sleep into two longer naps instead of three, and that takes a little time and patience.

Takeaway

• Most babies drop the third nap around 8 - 9 months: Some show readiness earlier, others later. Nap transitions are developmental, not strictly age-based. 

• The third nap is typically the one that gets dropped: It’s usually  a shorter catnap, and as wake windows lengthen, it becomes harder to fit in. The remaining two naps will then spread out through the day, and bedtime usually moves earlier.

• Nap resistance doesn’t always mean it’s time to drop a nap: For younger babies, stretching wake windows gradually can help build enough sleep pressure to make that last catnap more achievable.

• Earlier bedtimes are often part of the transition: When a nap is skipped, moving bedtime earlier can help prevent overtiredness and protect nighttime sleep.

• There are different ways to make the transition: Some babies can shift to two naps quickly, while others do better with a gradual transition.

• This phase is temporary (even when it’s messy): A mix of two-nap and three-nap days is completely normal during the transition, and most babies settle into their new schedule within a few weeks.