Your baby is changing and growing so quickly! Just as you feel like you’re getting into a groove with their schedule, it’s time to transition to a new one. Here are some things to look for to help you know when it’s time to make the change.

Your baby is between 6 and 9 months old.
Your baby’s naps are lengthening (over 1 hour.)
Baby is fighting nap 3.
Nap 3 is running too close to bedtime. There just doesn’t seem to be enough time in the day to squeeze it in.
Early morning wakings or nighttime wakings have started happening when your baby was sleeping well previously.

Now that we know WHEN to make the change, let’s talk about HOW to do it.

Start by extending wake windows by 15 minutes. This will push naps 1 and 2 back later in the day and help build a little more sleep pressure for a longer nap. Move bedtime earlier to help prevent overtiredness as your baby adjusts to the new schedule.

Here’s some good news: babies will stay on a two-nap schedule for several months. This schedule can change a little bit as your baby gets older and needs less sleep during the day/can tolerate longer awake periods. Here’s an example of how the schedule could look at various ages.

If your baby is ready to switch to two naps at 6.5 months old, they will still need plenty of daytime sleep and will only be able to tolerate a max of 3 hours of awake time.

Your baby’s daytime sleep will decrease a little bit as he or she grows.

In this example, you will likely need to wake your baby from the first nap. Many people make the mistake of transitioning to one nap too early. If your baby is not ready for the transition, it will be much harder. If your baby is refusing the second nap of the day, try capping nap one before moving to only one nap a day.

These schedules are just guides. Each baby has their own individual sleep needs (this is why there is always a range given for recommended total sleep.)

In general, I love the two-nap schedule because older babies are less sensitive to wake windows. You can use a set time, or a “clock schedule” for naps each day. For example, Nap 1 is at 9:30, Nap 2 is at 1:30, and bedtime is at 7pm every day. Your baby’s circadian system will fall into rhythm, and he/she will be tired and ready for sleeping at the same time every day. Notice that the above 3 schedules are all very similar nap/bedtimes with just minor changes as your baby gets older.

Hope this helps, and as always, feel free to contact me if you need more help!