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Welcome To The Members Area! Forums Baby Sleep Help Bedtime taking a long time Reply To: Bedtime taking a long time

  • Emma H

    Administrator
    October 31, 2024 at 2:17 pm

    Hi Pav!
    It’s so nice to hear from you and hear that your little one is doing so well!

    In response to your question about moving from four naps to three, it does sound like your little one is ready to make the transition! Based on what you’ve described—needing to wake him from the first nap to fit in all four and requiring extra help for the fourth nap—he’s showing classic signs that his sleep needs are shifting toward a three-nap schedule.

    Here’s a step-by-step approach to help with the transition:

    First Nap: Continue putting him down around 9 am, as you’ve been doing. Let him sleep as long as he likes, but wake him by 11 am if he’s still asleep. This will give enough time for three naps and also encourage a longer second nap. Ideally, the first two naps will become the longer, restorative naps, while the third nap remains shorter.

    Second Nap: Offer the second nap when he shows signs of tiredness, which at this age is usually around the 2–2.5-hour mark. He currently has a 100 minute wake window before the second nap, so try gently stretching this over a few days, adding about 5-10 minutes at a time until you reach around 120 minutes. This second nap will likely fall around 12:30/1 pm.

    Third Nap: Plan for this final nap about 2 hours after he wakes from the second nap, which might be around 4/4:30 pm. The third nap tends to be a shorter one, about 30-45 minutes, providing just enough rest to get him comfortably to bedtime.

    As he gets used to this new schedule, you may see him linking sleep cycles in the first and second naps, resulting in longer stretches of sleep. Over time, these two naps will meet most of his daytime sleep needs, making the third nap naturally shorter, and eventually less necessary as he continues to grow.

    Adjusting Bedtime: During the transition, consider moving his bedtime slightly earlier—around 7/7:30 pm—for a few nights. This will help prevent overtiredness as he adapts. Once he’s settled into the new schedule, you can gradually shift bedtime back if needed, though many parents find that the earlier bedtime actually works well. Just note that with an earlier bedtime, his morning wake-up might adjust too. For example, if he typically sleeps 11 hours at night, a 7 pm bedtime may result in a 6 am wake-up.

    Let me know if this makes sense or if you’d like more details on any part of the process.

    Emma