When a baby takes two naps a day, parents and caregivers have more free time, so they may encourage two naps beyond the point at which the baby needs them. By age 1 or 2, some children no longer need a morning nap. Determining that your baby doesn't need to nap in the morning anymore is a matter of trial and error and observing his behavior.
Step 1
Calculate the amount of sleep your baby gets daily. According to Judith Owens on the BabyCenter website, a child between the ages of 1 and 3 needs 12 to 14 hours of sleep in a 24-hour period. If she is getting enough hours of sleep at night combined with an afternoon nap, she may not need a morning nap.
Step 2
Observe your baby's behavior when you lay him down for his morning nap. If he plays in his bed, is happy and does everything but sleep during the usual length of time he used to nap, he may need only an afternoon nap.
Step 3
Try skipping the baby's morning nap several days in a row to see how she acts with the schedule change. If she is cranky, fussy and overtired when it is time for her afternoon nap, or well before afternoon nap time, she is probably not ready to give up sleeping in the morning.
Step 4
Talk to your pediatrician. She is your best source of knowledge and advice about your baby's sleep patterns and needs. Talk to her about your baby's temperament in the afternoon, in the evening at bedtime and in the morning at his typical nap time. She can give you advice about how many naps your baby needs.
Tips and Warnings
- Make sure your baby's sleeping environment is quiet and dark and that you create a routine around nap time to help her relax. If she still cannot go to sleep, she might not be tired enough to need a nap.
