The Golden ONE NAP Schedule: Predictability and Consistency!
Sep 20, 2023Maybe you’ve found yourself here because you’ve got a toddler who you feel is gearing up to move to a one nap schedule… or maybe you’ve got an older toddler or preschooler whose current one nap schedule just isn’t jiving with the whole ‘let’s all go to sleep get a good night’s rest’, plan.
Either scenario, I’ve got you!
This golden one nap schedule is one that offers predictability (as it calls for maintaining a consistent range of time where you can be putting your child down for their nap each day).
This incorporates the ‘by-the-clock’ magic I love, while also taking into account your child’s age, readiness for a slightly later nap over time, how they slept last night, and all the other plethora of factors that we need to consider when it comes to our children’s sleep.
So, why am I such an advocate for by-the-clock schedules? Well, well wake window schedules work beautifully for SO many children, the by-the-clock schedule pairs that predictability of offering the body sleep in and around the same time every day with the flexibility of following your child’s unique cues within that time. It is a blend of watching the clock - and watching your child! Wake windows, for reference, are based off when your child woke for the day. This can get tricky with your early risers, as it pulls nap super early as well… but I’ll get into this more in the FAQ’s at the bottom.
WHEN will my child be ready to move from 2-1 naps? The range of readiness is quite large for this transition. Typically, children become ready to move from 2-1 naps between 13-18 months. Many children are not ready until closer to 15 months or beyond. It’s important to not rush this transition, as readiness will be key with such a big jump in awake time!
Below I will provide a schedule for more newly transitioned children to the one nap schedule, as well as a one nap schedule for older toddlers and preschoolers.
One Nap Schedule at 13-23 months:
Wake: 6-7:00am
Nap start time: 12:30 (2-2.5 hours of daytime sleep on average, e.g., until 2:30-3pm).
Bedtime: aim to have your child asleep 4-5 hours MAX after waking from nap. (e.g., 7-7:30pm)
*For bedtime timing, decide where in that 4-5 hour range based on morning wake time, nap quality + length, and demeanour leading up to bedtime (i.e., follow their cues if they look to be getting tired… get started on bedtime routine ASAP!).
Special Notes: Not every baby will sleep in until 7:00am, of course , so what time does nap start if say baby wakes at 6-6:30? The aim here is to ANCHOR (hold steady) the start of that nap time no earlier than 12:15, when possible. This will help to pull that day out to where you want it to be, and also will deter bedtime from then being super early… and so goes the cycle. For certain instances where a younger child (e.g., between 13-18 months) is chronically waking very early (e.g., between 4-6am), making it to 12:15 might be very difficult. In most cases such as this, I would suggest perhaps still offering two naps until you can pull that chronic early waking out (see TWO nap resource for some great schedule suggestions!). For older children (e.g., 18 months+), keeping that nap starting at 12:15 earliest (as ideal start is 12:30ish!) will help to pull that morning wake out with time.
The aim here is to have that nap start in and around 12:30 (following cues, never needs to be to the exact minute), so that their body adjusts to and gets in the rhythm of napping at the same time each day. This is the same premise as my 3 and 2 nap by-the-clock schedules… and for most babies, it works incredibly well!
One Nap Schedule at 2-3 years:
Wake: 6-7:00am
Nap start time: 12:30-1:00pm (2-2.5 hours of daytime sleep on average, e.g., until 2:30-3pm).
Bedtime: aim to have your child asleep 4.5-5 hours MAX after waking from nap. (e.g., 7-8:00pm)
*For bedtime timing, decide where in that 4.5-5 hour range based on morning wake time, nap quality + length, and demeanour leading up to bedtime (i.e., follow their cues if they look to be getting tired… get started on bedtime routine ASAP!).
The only thing that has changed between the younger 13-23 month schedule and this 2-3 year schedule is that nap time is now anchored to start between 12:30-1:00pm. This means that regardless of wake time, I recommend starting that nap no earlier than 12:30pm, to help steady the schedule for the rest of the day, and deter that early morning wake cycle from persisting. For children that have a sleep in right until 7:00am, they may be ready to start their nap just before 1:00pm. For children that have a naturally happy wake up time of 6-6:30am, they might be ready for their nap somewhere between that 12:30-12:45 mark. That half hour window range gives you flexibility to account for your baby’s age, their morning wake up time, as well as their cues.
Sleep needs (how much daytime and nighttime sleep) differ from child to child so this is why this blend of by-the-clock for consistency pairs to well with the flexible yet steady ranges to have your baby down for nap. It’s a balance between getting your child’s body into a nice sleep-wake rhythm each day, but also allows you to tune into your individual child to find their sweet spot. This sweet spot is where the magic happens! Easier time going down for naps, and lengthier naps.
One Nap Schedule at 3-4+ years:
Wake: 6-7:00am
Nap start time: 12:45-1:00pm (1-2 hours of daytime sleep on average, e.g., until 2-2:30pm).
Bedtime: aim to have your child asleep 5-6 hours MAX after waking from nap. (e.g., 7-8:30pm)
*For bedtime timing, decide where in that 5-6 hour range based on morning wake time, nap quality + length, and demeanour leading up to bedtime (i.e., follow their cues if they look to be getting tired… get started on bedtime routine ASAP!).
FAQ and Helpful Scenario Planning
Q: My baby woke earlier than usual, at 5:45am, should I put them down earlier than this schedule outlines, such as at 11:30am?
A: Putting your baby down much earlier than their usual nap time (e.g., earlier than 12:15pm) is sort of like pouring cement on that early morning waking cycle. It tends to persist that super early wake pattern the next day, because the body gets used to waking and then napping very early over and over again! Instead of putting them down early, try your best to anchor the start of first nap no earlier than 12:15pm. Getting outdoors, having some stimulating play like peek-a-boo, or having a snack is a great way to help extend that first window to make it to first nap time. Remember, once our baby is on ONE nap, we ideally want to hit the provided ranges, so it helps to both pull their day out, and keep bedtime at 6:30pm and onwards. The start time of this one nap actually works to set the tone for the rest of the day! Hence the term, ‘anchor’. Again, it keeps the rest of the schedule steadier, and helps to prevent pulling the entire day very early after an early morning wake. It can be tough to stretch to that range to start… but give it time, consistency.. and a few extra coffees.. and it’ll shake out! Trust the process and give it a chance to get into a rhythm with your baby’s body.
Q: What if my child has a short nap while using the golden one nap schedule?
A: Assuming your child is truly ready for a one nap schedule, if your child has a short nap, you’ll want to have this reflected in their bedtime timing. Use the earlier end of the provided range given in the examples. Alternatively, if they had a nice chunky 1.5-2.5 hour nap, your child might show their sleep cues towards the end of that provided bedtime range. This is the goal as they begin to lengthen those naps (We need a little patience and perseverence with this one.. naps can be tricky and can take weeks of consistency for some children, to have them start to lengthen). It can feel shaky during nap transition periods or any time of nap practice in general! Notice the patterns from day to day and you’ll start to slowly gain some predictability in their patterns there.
Q: I feel like my young toddler is ready for one nap.. but sometimes they seem to still need two. Is this okay?
A: YES! Not only is offering a two nap day here and there as needed during the transition period okay…it is encouraged! It’s important to know that nap transitions are not cut and dry. Some days your child will sleep until their goal morning wake time, other days their wake time and nap may be a little bit crummy. This is expected during the transition territory. Things get a bit wonky! Roll with it by using those flexible ranges for stat times explained above. On the days where you feel they are hitting the chronic overtired zone and they need a two nap day … offer their previous two nap schedule, and try again with the one nap schedule the next day. You may need to cap that first nap at 45-60 minutes to ensure they will go down for their second nap. This is part of what makes the transition period tricky - your child doesn’t quite need two naps, but making it to one nap is difficult at first. It’s okay to bounce back and forth until your child is truly ready for one nap and able to handle the lengthier wake time on either side of that one nap. This is massive jump for many babies! It might take time. Meeting your baby where they are at as they move through this transition period is important. Anchoring those naps help to keep things steady on your end, while your baby adjusts.
Q: Sometimes my baby’s nap lengths change from day to day… is this normal?
A: There will likely be at least some variability with your baby’s sleep day to day. This is NORMAL. Schedules offered should never be expected to be to the absolute minute. Some days nap will be longer, perhaps the next day, not quite as long as the day prior. Always adjust bedtime accordingly based on nap quality and total - as well as considering the ideal final window before bed. This so incredible KEY to maintaining overnights along the way. If that window stretches too long after a short nap, your baby is more likely to fight bedtime and wake more frequently in the night. Predictable naps are achievable with consistent support to help get them there (timing, routine, environment), but we can still expect some variability with nap lengths each day, and as they grow. Sleep needs will fluctuate slightly as they age, have busier days with more energy expenditure, growth spurts, etc.
Q: Sometimes my child wake at 8:00am other times at 6:45am. Do you recommend waking them at a certain time each morning?
A: Yes… I do. I know, I know.. As PAINFUL as it is to wake our sleeping child, you can think of it as a means to an end. When we wake our child at a consistent time, this allows that nap to then happen at a consistent time, which helps the nap. This then goes on to allow for bedtime to also happen at a more predictable time as well! See how it all flows into the rest of the day? The body thrives off that consistency and I’ve seen so many babies and toddlers so well with that timing piece following suit. So, what time should baby be woken by? Think 7-7:30am latest. Some children can sleep until 7:30 and still nap consistently at 12:45-1:00pm. Other children do better with being up by 7:00am, and then going down for a 12:30pm nap each day. It’s okay to play around with that half hour window to see what suits your baby and your lifestyle best, but when you decide, try to maintain in and around the same time to make the schedule flow more regularly for you all.
Q: How long until I start seeing my child get into a rhythm with this by-the-clock schedule?
A: As with most things baby sleep, it takes time for you baby to adjust and get into a nice flow! I’ve seen some children fall asleep for nap easier and nap longer quite quickly after using this schedule, and I’ve seen babies take a couple of weeks for this schedule to get into a good rhythm for them. Every baby is different! I always recommend giving this schedule a good consistent go for 1-2 weeks to allow your baby’s body to get used to sleeping at this consistent times of day. If we go back and forth with trying wake windows and then this schedule and then back, that consistency is lost. If you’re interested in trying this, do give it a fair shot to shake out! :)
Did you find this mini resource helpful? Please let me know via DMs on my IG page! Your feedback is incredibly valuable to me and I want this space to be a helpful as possible to you.
Warmly,
Shanna, M.Ed. | Modern Sleep Mama
Certified Sleep Consultant
You can learn more about the processes of the biological clock, i.e., ‘circadian rhythm’ facts, here:
https://nigms.nih.gov/education/fact-sheets/Pages/circadian-rhythms.aspx
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