Today: Experts explain how much sleep is enough and share their tips for organizing a sleep schedule and nap routine for babies and toddlers.
Newborns tend to be marathon nappers, and while there’s no one-size-fits-all sleep schedule for babies, most usually fall into their own sleeping and waking rhythm by the time they’re 2 or 3 months old — napping three to five times a day. They typically drop down to two naps a day starting around 6-9 months.
“Around about the 12-month mark, baby may start fighting two naps a day,” Carolynne Harvey, a baby sleep consultant for 4moms and founder of Dream Baby Sleep, told TODAY Parents. “But it’s usually a classic ‘nap strike’ tied to a developmental leap like walking and talking. At this age, the crib is their safe place. They like to practice new milestones there.”
Just because your toddler starts skipping the occasional morning or afternoon nap at 12 months old, don’t immediately go to one nap.
