Welcome to The Sleep Edit, the podcast that helps tired kids and parents sleep better. Each week, Dr. Craig Canapari and sleep consultant Arielle Greenleaf break down evidence-based strategies you can actually use.



Why are nap transitions so confusing—and why do they so often derail nights? In Part 2 of our napping series, Craig and Arielle dig into the real-world challenges families face when moving from 3→2 naps, 2→1 nap, and eventually dropping naps entirely. Using concrete examples, sleep-need math, and practical troubleshooting, this episode explains exactly what to look for and how to navigate every transition with less stress.



You’ll learn



• How to know when it’s time to drop a nap



• The signs of a nap transition vs. a temporary “nap strike”



• Why total 24-hour sleep matters more than wake-window charts



• What typical daytime sleep looks like for infants and toddlers



• The sleep math behind transitions (high vs. low sleep-need kids)



• How daycare schedules can derail naps—and what parents can control



• Strategies for capping naps, shifting schedules, and preventing bedtime battles



• When early morning awakenings actually signal too much daytime sleep





Chapters




00:00:01 — Welcome & Episode Setup



00:01:07 — The 3→2 Nap Transition: When It Starts



00:02:48 — Biology of Sleep Drive & Late Naps



00:03:43 — Why Late Bedtimes Are So Common Now



00:04:59 — How Total Sleep Needs Shape Nap Schedules



00:06:32 — Wake Windows vs. Real Sleep Need



00:07:52 — Consolidated Naps & Nap Length Targets



00:09:41 — How to Use the Third Nap as a Bridge



00:11:06 — Example: Designing a 13.5-hour Sleep Day



00:12:59 — Signs It’s Time to Drop From 3→2 Naps



00:14:45 — Why Transitions Are Messy (and Normal)



00:15:56 — The 2→1 Nap Transition: Age & Signs



00:17:46 — Developmental Milestones That Disrupt Naps



00:19:06 — Case Example: Drew (13 Months)



00:20:57 — How to Start the 2→1 Transition Step-by-Step



00:22:54 — Shifting Nap Timing & Early Bedtime Strategy



00:23:56 — Tracking Sleep: Apps vs. Diaries



00:24:53 — Why Smart Monitors Often Mislead Parents



00:26:50 — When Nights Get Worse Because of Nap Issues



00:27:59 — The 1→0 Transition: What Truly Signals Readiness



00:29:18 — Daycare Nap Challenges & Parent Options



00:31:56 — Capping Naps to Protect Nighttime Sleep



00:33:30 — Nap Strikes vs. True Transitions



00:36:06 — Early Morning Awakenings & Too Much Day Sleep



00:38:30 — Final Thoughts & The Greenleaf Windows




Links




Napping spectacular episode 1



CIO episode of the Sleep Edit



Dr. Canapari’s article on Le Pause Sleep training



Period of purple crying



Dr. Canapari's article on napping



Dr. Canapari's article on sleep needs in children



Dr. Canapari articles on the science of why children stop napping



Arielle's website






References




Paruthi, S., Brooks, L. J., D’Ambrosio, C., Hall, W. A., Kotagal, S., Lloyd, R. M., Malow, B. A., Maski, K., Nichols, C., Quan, S. F., Rosen, C. L., Troester, M. M., & Wise, M. S. (2016). Consensus statement of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine on the recommended amount of sleep for healthy children: methodology and discussion. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 12(11), 1549–1561. https://doi.org/10.5664/jcsm.6288



Spencer, R. M. C., & Riggins, T. (2022). Contributions of memory and brain development to the bioregulation of naps and nap transitions in early childhood. PNAS, 119(11), e2114326119. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2114326119



Staton, S., et al. (2020). Many naps, one nap, none: A systematic review and meta-analysis of napping patterns in children 0–12 years. Sleep Medicine Reviews, 50, 101247. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smrv.2019.101247



Galland, B. C., Taylor, B. J., Elder, D. E., & Herbison, P. (2012). Normal sleep patterns in infants and children: A systematic review of observational studies. Sleep Medicine Reviews, 16(3), 213–222. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smrv.2011.06.001



Horváth, K. (2018). Spotlight on daytime napping during early childhood. Frontiers in Psychology, 9, 1238. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01238



Wolke, D., Bilgin, A., & Samara, M. (2017). Systematic review and meta-analysis: Fussing and crying durations and prevalence of colic in infants. The Journal of Pediatrics, 185, 55–61.e4. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpeds.2017.02.020



Lavner, J. A., et al. (2023). Sleep SAAF randomized clinical trial. JAMA Network Open, 6(3), e236276. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.6276



Paul, I. M., et al. (2016). INSIGHT Responsive Parenting Intervention and Infant Sleep. Pediatrics, 138(1), e20160762. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2016-0762

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