"Help! I've Got An Anti-Napper!"

"Help! I've Got An Anti-Napper!"

It’s the middle of the day and once again, your little one Will. Not. Nap. Here’s how to deal.

As a parent, you quickly learn to rely on your child’s naps as times to: a) get stuff done b) take a break c) soak in the quiet, or d) all of the above! So when your little one starts to show signs of giving up one or all of their naps, it’s rough going even for the most resilient mom or dad. What’s a frazzled parent to do? 

First, know you’re not alone. Any parent who’s gone through the experience will 100 percent relate to your frustration and the challenge of suddenly having less (or zero!) downtime. It can help to connect with others in similar situations to vent, at the very least, but also to share ideas and strategies. And along with friends/your partner/family, the Nanit Community is always there as a valuable part of your village.

Second, it helps to have some pro advice on how to make it through the (looong) day ahead. 

How Do I Know When It’s Time to Drop a Nap? 

Children generally transition from three naps to two around 6 to 7 months, from two naps to one sometime between 12 to 19 months, and children tend to drop a nap altogether between the ages of 2 and 5. 

“You’ll know your child may be ready to cut out a nap,” says Larissa O’Loughlin (RN and IBCLC with the Mama Coach), “when you notice the following signs: 

  • Your child regularly puts up a big fuss when it’s naptime and/or is awake for a lot of the nap, singing or talking to themselves and just generally not doing a ton of sleeping
  • Naps are getting shorter
  • Because it takes your child longer to fall asleep for naps, it’s either harder to fit in a second nap far enough away from bedtime or the wake window between the end of your child’s nap and bedtime is getting too short
  • Your child is waking up extra early in the morning”

How to Survive the Nap Transition

“Children typically fight naps when they’re not tired enough to fall asleep,” says Dr. Natalie Barnett, Nanit’s Vice President of Clinical Research. So to help your child drop a nap or transition to no naps, increase their wake windows between naps and/or bedtime. Dr. Natalie recommends aiming for five to six hours of awake time between the last nap and bedtime.

To increase that wake window, you can try shortening naps. “Or you may want to drop a nap altogether,” suggests Dr. Natalie. “Though in that case, you’ll need to shift your child’s bedtime earlier for a while, potentially as early as 6 or 6:30 p.m., as your child adjusts to the new sleep schedule.”

How to Fill the Day Until the Next Nap (or Bedtime)

During the transition time, if you notice your child getting sleepy before their next nap or new bedtime, O'Loughlin offers these survival tips to help them stay awake—and help you stay sane:

  • Try a new activity or play a new game. 
  • Change up the setting. Go for a walk, play in the yard, or even just go into a different room. 
  • Have a snack if your child is eating solid foods.
  • Play with water. Maybe a long bubble bath is in order or fill up a bin with water and head outside to your porch.

Get Some of Your Own Time Back Again

Even after your child has given up their nap completely, you can still give everyone in the household a reliable break by instituting an afternoon “quiet time,” suggests Dr. Natalie. Set your little one up to do something mellow on their own like looking at books, playing quietly, or whatever works best for your family. Plus, you may find that you get a little of your own time back at the end of the day, instead of in the middle, with your child’s new, earlier bedtime. 

Remember That Every Child is Different.

You know your child best—and different kids will evolve their napping at slightly different stages. Nanit’s free custom Sleep Schedule Generator can help you map out a schedule personalized to your child and family. And above all, keep the faith; soon enough, everyone will settle into their new routines.

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Our primary objective is to furnish readers with the most current, trustworthy, and actionable information concerning a host of parenting topics. We strive to empower our readers to make informed decisions by offering comprehensive and respected insights.

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CONTRIBUTORS

Natalie Barnett, PhD serves as VP of Clinical Research at Nanit. Natalie initiated sleep research collaborations at Nanit and in her current role, Natalie oversees collaborations with researchers at hospitals and universities around the world who use the Nanit camera to better understand pediatric sleep and leads the internal sleep and development research programs at Nanit. Natalie holds a Ph.D. in Genetics from the University of New England in Australia and a Postgraduate Certificate in Pediatric Sleep Science from the University of Western Australia. Natalie was an Assistant Professor in the Neurogenetics Unit at NYU School of Medicine prior to joining Nanit. Natalie is also the voice of Nanit's science-backed, personalized sleep tips delivered to users throughout their baby's first few years.

Kristy Ojala is Nanit’s Digital Content Director. She spends way too much time looking at maps and weather forecasts and pictures of Devon Rex cats and no-cook dinners. A former sleep champion, she strives to share trustworthy somnabulism tips with other parents—praying for that one fine day when no tiny humans wake her up while it’s still dark out. Her kids highly recommend 3 books, approximately 600 stuffies, Chopin’s “Nocturnes,” and the Nanit Sound + Light for bedtime success.

Mackenzie Sangster is on the Brand and Community team at Nanit. She supports content development and editing for Nanit’s Parent Confidently blog as well as other marketing initiatives. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her friends, cooking, being active, and using the Pro + Flex Duo to keep an eye on her fur-baby, Poppy!

Holly Hays is a contributor and writer for Nanit, channeling her years as a mama and former magazine editor to create fun, useful content for fellow busy, trying-to-do-their-best parents and caregivers. Holly has written for a wide range of brands and media outlets (Ergobaby, HGTV, Manhattan Toy Company, OXO), loves to cook and read mystery novels, and leans heavily on her two daughters to keep her up to date on all the latest slang.