Description

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

1. 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
2. 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
3. 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
4. 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
5. Horváth, K. (2018). Spotlight on daytime napping during early childhood. Frontiers in Psychology, 9, 1238. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01238
6. 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
7. 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
8. 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