3 Signs Your Child Needs To Drop A Nap
When your little one is just a wee babe, it may seem like they take more naps than Sleeping Beauty (and that’s saying something). As they grow older, they’ll become more and more active. The time will come to start removing naps from their schedule. They may not be able to communicate this to you at first, but they will begin to show signs that nap time needs to be a thing of the past. Well, multiple nap times, at the very least. Here are 3 signs that your child needs to drop a nap…
Dropping naps by age
Generally, you’ll find that babies tend to nap according to the details listed below. All babies are different, but this is a pretty spot on guide to nap frequency according to age range.
- 3 months old / 3 naps
- 6 – 8 months old / 2 naps
- 12-15 months old / 1 nap
- 2.5-3 years old / 0 naps
Odd waking hours through the night
If your little one is ready to drop a nap, you might find that they’re waking up multiple times through the night, or suuuuper early in the morning. This is isn’t just frustrating for them, it’s frustrating for those of us who have to get up and help them fall back asleep (yep, parents and guardians I’m talking to you). Try dropping a nap through the day to help tire them out and increase their chance of sleeping deeply through the night. Too many sleepless nights can result in developmental issues and behavioural issues – you can’t blame them, think of how cranky a bad night’s sleep leaves us as adults. It’s a horrible feeling.
Fighting against nap time or taking inconsistent naps
On a subconscious level, your little one knows when they’re ready to start dropping a nap. They know when they’re tired and when they’re not. If you find your little one is fighting naps and just doesn’t want to go down when they usually would be happy to, this is a key indicator that their bodies are getting too much sleep. Let them skip a nap and see what happens. Dropping a nap might be the best thing for them.
Happy napping my dearies! If you’d like to keep up with the Sleep Sweet Sleep Deep social channels for more baby sleep tips, check them out via the links below.
Much love x
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