How to Become a Nap Ninja:
GIT Mom Tips to Transition from 2 to 1
Are you struggling with taking your toddler from two naps a day to one? 🤷🏼♀️ The struggle is real, mama, and I get it! Buckle up, because it’s going to take some time for him to get used to it, but thankfully you have some tried and true GIT Mom Tips to get you through!
➡️ Follow these steps to smoothly transition your child to one nap. As an example, noon is a goal nap time if your child sleeps 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.
How to Begin
Put him down for his one and only nap for the day 15 minutes later than usual. Keep him awake until then and always put your child down awake in his crib.
Remember you’re messing with his internal clock, so he will start doing wacky things that he may not have done before.
During the transition to one nap, he may sleep his normal length – maybe it’s shorter, or maybe it’s three hours (your goal nap length). When he wakes up, have a snack and remember to stay patient through the new routine “grumps.” In the evening, if his nap is shorter than two hours you’ll be putting him to bed an hour earlier than usual (yahoo)! 🎉
If he naps a full three hours; then he goes to bed at his normal time. 👍🏻
Every three days push his nap later by 15 minutes until you reach the designated nap time, hurrah!
⚠️WARNING! ⚠️
Your next hurdle is to be patient until your child’s nervous system learns to nap three hours. This can take as long as three months. He will get there, I promise you! And don’t settle for less than three hours, mamas; you need and deserve this break and sleep is when your child’s brain and body grows, so respect it.
Your Toddler’s New Schedule could look like this; adjust accordingly.
7AM – Wake up & eat breakfast! Then get dressed and leave your house. You have new morning freedom – use it!
11AM – Lunch (can’t be too close to nap, or he will be too tired to focus and will poop during his sleep and the nap will be kaput).
12PM– Transition to one nap – it’s go time!
3PM – Snack (or whenever he wakes up). Never wake a sleeping child; do you like being woken up?
5PM – Dinner
6:30 PM – Bedtime routine kicks off!
7PM – XO and escape your child’s bedroom to go get much deserved MomME time!
GIT Tip #1
Do not quit, COMMIT!
Only begin the transition to one nap when you’re ready to stick to this plan. Do not give your child mixed messages, and do not quit.
GIT Tip #2
No catnaps 😺💤
Your child has to be awake until his designated naptime; no catnaps or you’ve blown it.
GIT Tip #3
Watch the clock
Adhere to the times closely, like military precision time.
GIT Tip #4
Become a naptime ninja
Be armed with activities around naptime because your child may be disoriented and irritated since he’s napping less hours.
The typical age for the 2 to 1 nap transition is 13-16 months. Need help? I'm right here to get you to nap nirvana!
Love, Eirene
P.S. Have you grabbed your copy of my book yet? Being a GIT Mom is a mindset and this book is your manual. Grab your copy on Amazon.
Do you know someone who could use these #GITMom tips? Please share!
