Seeing your baby pass the 1 year mark is a big deal. And with their growth and development on the rise, they are now able to stay awake for longer stretches of time, which is both excited and exhausting. Making sure your toddler grabs enough Zs each night is important, but scheduling in enough time for naps should be a regular part of the day. So how often should 1-year-olds nap? It's pretty straightforward.
Establishing the right sleep patterns for your child is likely something you've been working on this entire first year of his life. Now that he's bigger and capable of more cruising and less snoozing, you'll find that adjustments to daytime sleep will start to take place. As Parents magazine suggested, approximately three of the recommended 14 hours of sleep should come from napping for 1 year old. Over the past months, you've probably been working on teaching your child how to fall asleep (and stay asleep) on his own, and the prospect of mixing up the schedule could have you in panic. But don't fret too much, with a little help, your child will adjust just fine.
The best way to approach sleep changes, is to set and stick consistently to your new nap schedule, according to Baby Center. Because your child can go longer stretches of time without the need for sleep, it may mean that you drop a nap somewhere in the day. It's around this age that many kids condense their naps from two to one a day, as Kids Health pointed out. Although this means less breaks for you, it is an appropriate part of toddler development and growing up.
However, every child moves at their own pace and not all 1 year olds are ready to give up those dreamy daytime snoozes. As Baby Sleep Site reminded, there is no need to rush the once a day nap routine if your child is not ready. You will notice your child cue you when ready for the switch, which will most likely stay their nap schedule for the next two to three years.
As long as your 1 year old is napping for three hours a day, it doesn't matter if he gets that in the form of one nap or two. The important piece as that he is logging enough hours of shut-eye to help him grow and stay healthy.
