Alright, parents, buckle up because we’re about to dive into the world of the 2 nap schedule for your baby – that mystical land where your baby gets on an easy 2 nap routine and you can effortlessly plan your days.
If you’re standing at the naptime crossroads, wondering when and how to make a 2 nap schedule work, you’re in the right place.
Navigating your baby’s sleep schedule can feel like solving a puzzle with pieces that keep changing shape. Fear not, though! In this blog post, we will break down the nitty-gritty details of the 2 nap schedule and show you how to make it work.
We’ll delve into the intricacies of adapting to a two nap schedule, explain the optimal timing for naps, and give you practical tips to make this transition as smooth as possible.
Whether you’re a first-time parent navigating uncharted nap territories or a seasoned pro seeking a refresher, this blog post will help you create a 2 nap rhythm that suits both you and your little one.
Wondering if your baby is ready for a 2 nap schedule? Check out my guide on transitioning from 3 to 2 naps.
What this guide covers:
Tips to make a 2 nap schedule work
2 Nap Schedule (9-12 month old)
2 Nap Schedule (13-14 month old)
Tips to make a 2 nap schedule work
For your baby to thrive on two naps a day, they need to be able to handle wake windows of 2.5-3.5 hours. This will balance their sleep/awake needs and ensure they don’t get over-tired from a long stretch of awake time, which can disrupt their nighttime sleep.
Your baby will also need to nap for a total of 2-3 hours everyday and get 10-12 hours of nighttime sleep to make a 2 nap schedule work. Otherwise you will find that you need a third nap. Every baby is different, but in general these are the developmental sleep needs for babies and toddlers (6-14 months old) and lead to the best quality sleep.
My sleep program shows you how to get your baby sleeping easily and well.
The best way to get a predictable rhythm to your days is to wake your baby up at a consistent time each morning. That way, you’ll always know what time their first nap will be. Consistency is key to setting your baby’s body clock for sleep at the same time each day and vital to getting them on a healthy sleep schedule.
And once your baby starts napping predictably well, it will all run like clockwork!
This blog post has several sample 2 nap schedules. You can pick and choose among these schedules for the one that works best for your baby and your family’s daily routine.
2 Nap Schedule (6 month old)
Firstly, at 6 months old you want to be sure that your baby is ready to handle two naps a day. In my years working with parents, I have discovered that most 6 month olds still need 3 naps a day.
A 2 nap schedule means that your baby will need to be able to cope with wake windows of 2.5-3.5 hours. And often, these wake windows are too long for 6 month olds.
Transitioning to 2 naps too early can negatively impact night sleep. Find out if your 6 month old is ready for 2 naps here.
Some 6 month olds are ready for two naps, though, and these babies are sleeping well at night. This means that they fall asleep independently, sleep for 11-12 hours overnight, and only wake for an appropriate number of night feeds. (At this age 1-2 night feeds is normal). Check out my gentle sleep training program to get your 6 month old on track with their night sleep.
On a 2 nap schedule at 6 months old, each nap will ideally be around 1.5 hours long. If naps are a big struggle, or your baby isn’t taking long naps, learn the secrets for getting long restful naps in my nap training program.
When transitioning to a 2 nap schedule, your baby may initially prefer keeping the first wake window to 2 hours. This is fine as long as your baby can handle longer wake windows in the afternoon. Otherwise you’ll have a big gap of awake time in the late afternoon and need a third nap!
Your baby may need some quiet time between their second nap and bedtime to help reduce evening fussiness and bedtime struggles. Take them to their bedroom or a quiet space and read books or play with quiet toys to give them a “brain break”.
If your baby wakes at a different time to the schedule below, you can adjust the entire schedule accordingly.
Sample 2 nap schedule (6 month old)
2 nap schedule (7 month old)
At 7 months, your baby may be saying their first words or learning to scoot or crawl. There is a lot going on, so it seems only right to throw in a nap transition as well!
7.5 months old is the average age for a baby to transition to two naps. You can find out if your baby is ready for 2 naps a day here.
If your 7 month old is sleeping well at night and is able to take long naps during the day, they may be ready for a 2 nap schedule. Give it a few days of trying a 2 nap routine, using one of our sample schedules, to see if your baby is ready.
The ideal 2 nap schedule for your 7 month old will have a 2.5 hour wake window in the morning, and wake windows will gradually lengthen throughout the day. Make sure to check out my tips on how to help your baby cope with longer wake windows.
Sample 2 nap schedule (7 month old)
2 nap schedule (8 month old)
If your baby was sleeping beautifully then suddenly started fighting sleep or waking up more, you may be in the midst of the 8 month sleep regression. Don’t panic, following the tips from my 8 month regression guide here will help you get their sleep back on track.
At 8 months, your baby is almost certainly ready for a 2 nap schedule. (Unless they’re a serial short napper or not sleeping well at night. Best to fix that first. My sleep program for babies will help with that!)
Start by slowly stretching their wake windows until you find a balance that works for them with wake windows of 2.5-3.5 hours. Try not to worry if you have to go back and forth between 2 nap days and 3 naps days for a week or so while your baby gets used to their new 2 nap routine.
Getting outdoors between naps is important for healthy sleep and can help your baby learn to cope with longer wake windows. Even if the weather isn’t ideal, aim for at least 20 minutes outdoors between naps to promote longer naps.
You can use any combination of wake windows for your 2 nap schedule. Just watch your baby and see how they respond.
Sample 2 nap schedule (8 month old)
2 nap schedule (9-12 month olds)
Your baby is definitely ready for a 2 nap schedule now, as long as they’re sleeping 10-12 solid hours at night. (Not there yet, my proven sleep program will get you there!)
There is a lot of development occurring between 9-12 months old. Your baby is learning to crawl, perhaps pulling up to standing, and some babies even take their first few steps. The last thing on your baby’s agenda is taking long naps when they have all these exciting new developments to practice!
Make sure to give your baby plenty of time to practice new physical skills during the day and check out my article on what to do if your baby is sitting or standing in the crib and won’t sleep.
At 11 months old you may find that your baby starts to fight the second nap. This is VERY normal (but definitely too early to drop to one nap). You can find out how to handle this nap refusal here. Your 11 month old is not yet ready for one nap a day and the long wake windows required.
Instead, what works well, is to tweak your baby’s nap schedule, and stay consistent while they pass through the 11 month regression and come out on the other side. Note the wake windows of 3 hours in my sample schedule for 9-12 month olds.
As your baby gets close to their first birthday (yay!) you may need to shift bedtime a little later to 7:30pm so that they have a long enough wake window to be tired enough for sleep at bedtime. I suggest shifting just 15 minutes at a time so as not to shock your baby’s body clock too much.
Sample 2 nap schedule (9-12 month old)
2 nap schedule (13-14 month olds)
You are now getting close to the 2 to 1 nap transition but your toddler isn’t quite ready yet. At 13-14 months old, most toddlers still need two naps a day. Transitioning to 1 nap too early can lead to disrupted night sleep and a very grumpy toddler!
To keep a 2 nap schedule for your 13-14 month old, you need to tweak their schedule and wake windows a little bit, and make sure to limit the morning nap to one hour. This is so important! This prevents your toddler from rejecting their afternoon nap.
Toddlers at this age are very active and energetic. Getting outdoors as much as possible will help to burn off all that toddler energy and keep them happily napping on a 2 nap schedule.
Sample 2 nap schedule (13-14 month old)
Final Thoughts
For a 2 nap schedule to work for your baby they need to be sleeping well overnight and able to take long, restful naps of 60-90 minutes regularly. This may seem impossible but my team and I have helped thousands of parents get their little ones sleeping well both day and night.
Check out my sleep training program for night sleep, and my nap training program so you can get your baby sleeping independently and happily both day and night. (Yes, it’s possible!)
Once your baby is napping predictably well, you will be better able to plan and enjoy your days, because you know exactly when they will be sleeping! I loved the two nap schedule because I could get everything ready for a trip out of the house during my daughter’s first nap, and then have some downtime or prepare dinner during her second nap.
Wake windows and by-the-clock schedules can seem daunting. I personally prefer a by-the-clock schedule so I can easily plan my days and not worry about counting wake windows and adjusting sleep times. Once your baby is sleep trained, if they wake from a nap a bit earlier one day, you don’t have to worry about it. You can just roll with it and they will cope. It’s incredible!
It’s easy to become a bit obsessive with baby sleep, I’ve been guilty of that in the past. Sometimes you just need to take a step back and go with the flow. If wake windows and schedules are stressing you out, take a moment to focus on how adorable your baby is and come back to it when you are ready.
Let me know in the comments what schedule worked best for your baby and what age they transitioned to 2 naps!
FAQs
What is 234 sleep schedule?
The 234 sleep schedule refers to wake windows of 2, 3 and 4 hours during the day. This means that your baby has a 2 hour wake window from morning wake up until the first nap. Then they have a 3 hour wake window between naps, and a 4 hour wake window before bedtime. This schedule works well for some babies as long as they can handle a 4 hour wake window in the evening.
When should babies take 2 naps?
Most babies transition to 2 naps between 7-10 months old. Your baby will be ready for a 2 nap schedule when they are sleeping well at night and able to handle wake windows of 2.5-3.5 hours.
What is a good 2 nap routine?
Babies on a good nap routine have wake windows of 2.5-3.5 hours and sleep 10-12 hours at night. They’re also able to nap for 60-90 minutes at a time.
What is the ideal 2 nap length?
1-2 hours. On a 2 nap schedule your baby needs to nap for 1-2 hours at a time. Try adjusting your baby’s schedule to find what balance works best for them.
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