By the time your baby reaches his first birthday, he has become much more aware of the world around him, and there’s a much greater potential for things to disrupt his sleep. Many babies at this point start showing some resistance towards sleeping. After all, there are so many interesting things to do and see. Your little one is growing up, standing, crawling, maybe even walking, and it will seem like he wants to go, go, go all the time.
Of course, toddlers still need quite a bit of sleep. At least ten hours a day, and preferably twelve or thirteen hours. But as your baby gets older, you will have quite a bit of flexibility concerning when exactly your baby gets that sleep.
Most parents still want their toddlers to take naps, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Most toddlers function better with at least one nap, and it’s perfectly fine to continue laying him down for two short naps per day if you prefer. You’ll especially want to make sure spends some extra time napping when things like teething keep him up at night.
When it comes to how long your baby should sleep overnight and how long he should sleep on naps, you should feel free to make a judgment call. Some toddlers don’t take naps at all, and they are generally no worse for wear.
Feel free to experiment and see what works best for you and your toddler. If you use a day care service at all, it’s likely that they will have a nap time, too. Make sure that you’re aware of when they lay the kids down for naps; it might influence whether or not you want to lay him down for another nap in the afternoon.
By the time your child is a year old, it’s OK to let him sleep with a favorite toy if you like. Toddlers will often take comfort in attachment items like teddy bears or a favorite blanket. If they help him to fall asleep, let him cuddle with them as long as they are safe items. Before you do, though, make sure they don’t have anything like buttons or long ribbons which could present a choking hazard.