profile

Craig Canapari MD

Why nap transitions feel impossible (and how to make them smoother)

Published 2 days ago • 1 min read

Hi everyone,

Nap transitions are one of the most confusing parts of early childhood sleep. One week your baby is taking three predictable naps… and the next week everything is chaos. Naps get shorter, bedtimes get later, and suddenly you’re Googling “is my child dropping a nap??” at 3 AM.

This week on The Sleep Edit, Arielle and I break down the messy reality of nap transitions — from 3→2 naps, 2→1 nap, and eventually the big one: dropping naps entirely. Using real cases, practical sleep math, and what we’ve learned from thousands of families, we explain:

  • The signs your child is actually ready to drop a nap
  • How to tell a true transition from a “nap strike”
  • What typical daytime sleep looks like at different ages
  • Why total 24-hour sleep matters more than any wake-window chart
  • How to shift schedules, cap naps, and prevent bedtime battles
  • What daycare can and can’t control
  • When early morning waking is really a daytime sleep issue

​

If nap transitions feel like guesswork, this episode will give you a clearer path forward.

🎧 Listen here

📺 Watch with timestamps on YouTube​

I think this two part series is the best work we've done so far on the podcast. If you like it, please share it with your friends.

Thanks

Craig Canapari MD

Craig Canapari MD

Pediatric sleep Expert

I'm a pediatric sleep doctor, author, and in my day job I run the Yale Pediatric Sleep Center. I've been writing about pediatric sleep issues for tired parents since 2012. Join my newsletter to get the best information about sleep problems (and solutions) in children.

Read more from Craig Canapari MD

Hi everyone, Why do some toddlers nap like champs while others fight every rest? And how can parents tell when it’s time to drop a nap—or hang on to one a little longer? In this week’s episode of The Sleep Edit, Arielle and I kick off our Napping Spectacular (Part 1) by digging into the science of naps: How much total sleep kids really need at each age (AAP–AASM consensus) Why naps matter for mood, memory, and learning What brain development has to do with nap transitions When most children...

about 1 month ago • 1 min read

I hope you having a great summer, and perhaps have a cool vacation ahead of you. However, summer can be a tricky time for parents and kids in terms of sleep. Arielle and I just recorded a whole episode of The Sleep Edit podcast on Summer and Back to School Sleep issues. You can find the podcast here or in your local pod catcher Or, if you prefer video, here is the YouTube link for the podcast episode. I also want to share a few articles I wrote on this topic, with the first being the most...

4 months ago • 1 min read

Are magnesium sprays the next miracle sleep cure—or just marketing? You may have seen it on TikTok or in the parenting forums: magnesium sprays and lotions being hyped as the natural fix for kids who struggle with sleep. As a pediatric sleep doctor, I get asked about these products all the time. So I did what I do best—dug into the science. 📉 Spoiler alert: There’s no solid evidence that these products actually help kids sleep better. And they may not even be absorbed through the skin. In my...

7 months ago • 1 min read