When to drop sleeps

As your baby grows they will naturally outgrow their routine. As your baby gets older and as they sleep longer at night, they will naturally need less and less daytime sleep.

On AVERAGE … and I repeat ON AVERAGE (remember ALL babies are different). This overview maybe helpful.

Day sleeps:

0 – 3 months average 5 hours daytime sleep over 4 to 5 sleeps

3 – 6 months average 4-5 hours daytime sleep over 3 to 4 sleeps

6 – 9 months average is 3-4 hours per day over 3 sleeps

9 – 15 months the average is 3 hours sleep per day over 2 sleeps

A side note: From 12 months – Don’t let them sleep past 3.30pm

15-18/24 months. 1 sleep of about 2 hours

2 – 3 years average 45 mins to 1 hour per day – in the middle of THEIR day, not the day

There are a few signs when your baby is ready to drop their sleep:

  1. They take longer to settle at the night time bedtime
  1. They become increasingly upset when it is time to go to bed during the day (especially after that 1st sleep of the day with every sleep getting harder and harder to settle and shorter and shorter in length)
  1. They simply refuse that last sleep of the day

It is essential that you do not rush that dropping those sleeps too early as it may lead to over-tiredness, increase night wakings, shorter daytime sleeps and of course the early morning wake ups.

When your baby starts fighting naps your focus should always be on the daytime routine – not the night bedtime routine.

Many parents start pushing back the bedtime routine. You should ALWAYS keep their night bedtime routine time the same.

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