Why Has My Toddler Stopped Napping?
Why has my toddler stopped napping? It’s the age-old question isn’t it? Your baby has just gotten into the habit of napping perfectly, then they’re suddenly a toddler and their naps are all over the place. If you’re at this stage, keep reading to find out why your little one is needing less and less sleep all of a sudden.
How often do toddlers need to nap?
This all depends on the little one and their lifestyle but generally toddlers will need around 12-14 hours of sleep per day. This means they’ll likely still need a nap (or two for younger toddlers) to make up for any sleep they can’t fit into their night’s rest. As they turn into older toddlers they’re going to begin resisting naps because they won’t need as much sleep anymore. I know we want to think of them always as our little babies, but dropping a nap is all part of growing up. It will happen whether we want it to or not.
Why has my toddler stopped napping?
If your toddler has stopped napping and they’re within the expected age range, there’s no need to worry! As mentioned above, you’ll find that your little one will need to sleep less the older they get. Toddlers from 1-3 years will generally need one or two naps throughout the day. 3-5 year olds will likely still need a single short afternoon nap. 5+ year olds will generally have dropped naps altogether, but may still need a little rest if they’re at the younger end of that scale.
If you find your little one is outside of those ranges and showing signs of dropping naps or sleeplessness, be sure to monitor them. If they seem lethargic throughout the day and irritable due to missed naps and sleep debt, please do seek help. They may be suffering from sleep deprivation caused by fear, anxiety, illness or something else.
As always, sleep sweetly and deeply, and remember… toddlers dropping naps is completely normal! Don’t stress yourself out. They’re just growing up x