Sleep Detectives: 3-Year Olds, Early Wakes & Nap Transitions
Want to subscribe to every ep and enjoy FREE sleep tools? 👉 www.naptrappedpodcast.comYou've been sending questions and Sally and Bec are answering them all. This week's Sleep Detectives covers everything from sleep training older toddlers to fixing stubborn 5:30am wakes to figuring out if your baby actually needs medical tests. If you've been stuck on when to drop a nap or how to handle a baby who treats their cot like a playground, this one's packed with practical fixes.Sally and Bec tackle seven different parent questions with their usual mix of evidence and humor. They explain why extinction bursts happen with toddlers (not just babies), how to tell if early rising is a schedule problem or a behavior problem, and when iron or B12 tests are actually worth pursuing. Plus the definitive answer on when to drop to one nap and why your 7-month-old probably still needs three naps even if everyone says otherwise.What You'll Learn:• How to sleep train a 3-year-old (yes, it's still possible)• Why your toddler's extinction burst is different from a baby's• The fix for 10-month-olds standing in the cot during naps• How to treat 5:30am wakes like overnight wakings (delay, delay, delay)• When Sally and Bec refer families for iron or B12 testing• Why your 7-month-old on 2 naps probably needs 3 naps instead• The exact wake windows for 20-month-olds on one nap• When to actually drop to one nap (spoiler: later than you think)Chapters:00:00 Intro and welcome back01:27 Q1: Sleep training a 3-year-old who needs parents to settle05:52 Extinction bursts in toddlers vs babies09:12 Q2: 10-month-old standing in cot and refusing nap 213:32 How to handle new skills (sitting, standing) at nap time14:13 Q3: 7-month-old waking at 5:30am every morning18:55 Treating early rising as overnight wakings19:22 Q4: When to seek medical investigations (iron, B12, etc.)24:26 What Sally and Bec look for in consultations28:42 Q5: 7-month-old on 2 naps but needs 4-hourly feeds33:04 Why this baby needs to go back to 3 naps35:15 Q6: Wake windows for 20-month-old39:56 Bedtime fading technique for older children41:02 Q7: When to drop to one nap (15-18 months)44:06 Wrap-up and outro🎙️ ABOUT NAP TRAPPEDJoin sleep experts Sally Woods and Bec Maher as they tackle real parent sleep struggles with warmth, science, and zero BS. Nap Trapped makes baby sleep less mysterious and way more manageable.Links📩 Get updates + exclusive tools: Subscribe www.naptrappedpodcast.com📸 Follow Sally & Bec on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/thesleepconcierge/https://www.instagram.com/_thesleepcentre/🎧 Listen on Spotify & Apple Podcasts
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Should You Cap the Morning Nap? Short/Long Naps Explained
Subscribers get a full breakdown of the schedules from this ep 👉 www.naptrappedpodcast.comWondering if you should cap that glorious morning nap? Sally and Bec break down the short/long nap schedule for 9-12 month olds, when to use it, when to skip it, and how to make it work without the chaos of overtiredness.In this episode, they explain why the OG schedule (two equal naps) is where they always start, but when your baby keeps throwing short second naps or early rising won't quit, it's time to strategically redistribute sleep pressure. You'll learn exactly how to cap the first nap to protect bedtime and overnight sleep.What You'll Learn:• Why Sally and Bec always start with the OG schedule (two equal 1.5-hour naps)• Signs your baby needs a short/long schedule instead of medium/medium• How capping the first nap redistributes sleep pressure to nap 2 and bedtime• Why a 45-60 minute first nap works better than 30 minutes for most babies• The scheduling formula: wake windows and nap lengths that actually work• How to handle daycare naps when control is out of your hands• Why that popular guide with the 30-minute morning nap creates problems• When short/long is a strategy vs when it's just what your baby needsChapters:00:00 Intro and code names for sleep consultants04:36 What is a short/long nap schedule?07:14 The OG schedule: starting with two equal naps08:36 When babies refuse the medium/medium routine11:03 Why the second nap must be equal or longer12:24 Example: 9.5-month-old on short/long to fix early rising16:50 Using short/long to stop reinforcing early wakes18:14 Real-life reasons families need short/long schedules19:22 Daycare naps and working with what you've got22:25 The 80/20 rule: prioritizing home days to balance childcare24:47 You still need sleep training, not just schedule changes27:31 How to structure a short/long schedule (the numbers)30:48 Why the 30-minute morning nap doesn't work for most babies35:44 The right age for ultra-short morning naps (hint: not 6 months)38:06 Next episode: whiteboard edition with all the schedules🎙️ ABOUT NAP TRAPPEDHosted by sleep consultants Sally Woods (The Sleep Concierge) and Bec Maher (The Sleep Centre), Nap Trapped helps tired parents solve baby sleep challenges with warmth, evidence, and no judgement. Every week we turn your questions into practical solutions.Links📩 Get updates + exclusive tools: Subscribe www.naptrappedpodcast.com📸 Follow Sally & Bec on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesleepconcierge/https://www.instagram.com/_thesleepcentre/🎧 Listen on Spotify & Apple Podcasts
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7.5 Month Old Case Study: Drop the Dream Feed & Sleep Through
Want to subscribe to every ep and enjoy FREE sleep tools? 👉 www.naptrappedpodcast.comThat dream feed was supposed to help your baby sleep longer, but at 7.5 months it's holding you back from real progress. Sally and Bec break down a real listener question about a baby with solid sleep skills who's stuck with a 10pm dream feed, a 3am wake, and early rising, showing you exactly how to redistribute calories and drop that safety net feed without chaos.In this mini consult episode, they walk through nap timings, solids portions, and the step-by-step plan to ditch the dream feed and push overnight feeds later, giving you the confidence to know when hunger is genuine and when it's just habit.What You'll Learn:• Why the 10pm dream feed is impacting 7am appetite and overnight sleep• The exact nap schedule for 7.5 months: capping morning nap at 45 minutes• How to balance solids and milk feeds so bedtime breastfeeds are full• The simple dinner rule: pull back portions to bring bedtime milk back in• Step-by-step plan to drop the dream feed and resettle until midnight• How to mirror 4-hourly day feeds overnight (12am feed, then 4am minimum)• Why resettling at 10:15pm proves baby doesn't need that feed• The confidence game: knowing the difference between habit and genuine hungerChapters:00:00 Welcome back and episode intro03:02 The listener question: 7.5 month old schedule and feeding04:08 Why this age group is so common for consults05:20 Nap timings: the key to keeping three naps08:27 Sleep totals and distributing pressure to the night10:01 Calorie distribution and the 6:30pm breastfeed issue12:21 Full feeds explained: what counts as complete13:33 Solids timing: big lunch window vs. dinner danger zone16:08 Why two overnight feeds are impacting day appetite17:03 The dream feed discussion: time to ditch it20:04 The plan: drop dream feed cold turkey (with a plan)23:38 Redistributing calories: what you take out, you put back in27:14 The hard work is already done: baby can go 6 hours29:41 When doubt and inconsistency creep back in32:04 Sleep training technique: whatever gets baby back down34:17 Why this is less about sleep training and more about scheduling36:53 Real example: the six-feed overnight baby success story38:44 When sickness or teething happen: getting back on track40:44 Wrap-up: you're so close🎙️ ABOUT NAP TRAPPEDHosted by sleep consultants Sally Woods (The Sleep Concierge) and Bec Maher (The Sleep Centre), Nap Trapped helps tired parents solve baby sleep challenges with warmth, evidence, and no judgement. Every week we turn your questions into practical solutions—with a side of Aldi chocolate.Links📩 Get updates + exclusive tools: Subscribe www.naptrappedpodcast.com📸 Follow Sally & Bec on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/thesleepconcierge/https://www.instagram.com/_thesleepcentre/🎧 Listen on Spotify & Apple Podcasts
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Sleep Detectives: Early Rising, Nap Schedules & Feed-to-Sleep - Your Questions Answered
Don't miss an episode 👉 www.naptrappedpodcast.comGot a baby waking at 5AM? Wondering if your nap schedule needs tweaking? This week Sally and Bec answer your real questions about early rising, nap timing, and breaking the feed-to-sleep cycle. They go deep on why 5AM is an overnight waking (not morning), how to future-proof your sleep wins, and the step-by-step approach to weaning from feeding to sleep without chaos.What You'll Learn:• Why your 4-week-old sleeping 5-6 hours overnight is likely fine• Whether to use wake windows or clock time for bedtime• How to spot when a 16-month-old needs a nap schedule shift• Why playing happily in the cot at bedtime doesn't need fixing• The solids timing that supports longer naps at 8 months• How to wean from feed-to-sleep using a sideways step approach• Why 10-hour nights and 5AM wakes need the early rising protocol• The rationale behind holding wake-up time steady at 7AMChapters:00:00 Intro and coffee chat01:31 Q: 4-week-old sleeping 5-6 hour stretches overnight04:01 Q: Wake windows vs clock time for 9-month-old bedtime07:31 Q: 16-month-old nap schedule review (11:30-2PM nap)10:55 Q: 5-month-old plays in cot at night despite schedule tweaks16:31 Q: 8-month-old with 5-minute first nap18:53 Solids timing for 8-month-olds on two vs three naps21:13 Q: Weaning from feed-to-sleep at 12 months29:33 Q: Is 10 hours overnight normal? (7PM-5AM wake)35:17 The early rising protocol explained40:28 Why early rising takes time and stamina44:28 Plans for early rising masterclass and Nap Trapped lives🎙️ ABOUT NAP TRAPPEDHosted by sleep consultants Sally Woods (The Sleep Concierge) and Bec Maher (The Sleep Centre), Nap Trapped helps tired parents solve baby sleep challenges with warmth, evidence, and no judgement. Every week we turn your questions into practical solutions with a side of Aldi chocolate.Links📩 Get updates + exclusive tools: Subscribe www.naptrappedpodcast.com📸 Follow Sally & Bec on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/thesleepconcierge/https://www.instagram.com/_thesleepcentre/🎧 Listen on Spotify & Apple Podcasts
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Which Nap to Train First? Your Step-by-Step Guide To Baby's Naps
Want to subscribe to every ep and enjoy FREE sleep tools? 👉 www.naptrappedpodcast.comWondering where to even start with nap training? Sally and Bec break down their strategic approach to teaching naps without derailing your hard-won nights. Instead of tackling everything at once, they explain exactly which nap to train first (spoiler: it's not the first one), why staggering the process protects your progress, and what to do when things go sideways.In this episode, they walk through the specific order for 3-nap babies versus 2-nap babies, how to cap naps strategically, when to rescue versus push through, and why nap three stays fully assisted until the very end.What You'll Learn:• Which nap to train first for 3-nap babies (and why starting with nap 2 protects your nights)• The rescue plan when naps don't go to plan• Why you cap the nap even if baby falls back asleep in the last 10 minutes• How to stagger nap training so it feels sustainable, not overwhelming• Which nap to start with for 2-nap babies (9-12 months)• Why trimming nap 1 gives you better success with nap 2• The contingency plans when baby doesn't link sleep cycles• Why nap 3 stays fully assisted and why that's totally fineChapters:00:00 Intro: No niceties, straight to nap training02:15 Starting with nap 2 for 3-nap babies08:41 The short-long-short structure explained12:29 The thoughtfulness behind the plan16:16 Why the 3-nap age is ideal for sleep training19:59 Capping naps and protecting your schedule24:37 Where to start with 2-nap babies28:44 Why we stagger instead of all at once33:19 The Holy Grail: synchronized nap schedules🎙️ ABOUT NAP TRAPPEDHosted by sleep consultants Sally Woods (The Sleep Concierge) and Bec Maher (The Sleep Centre), Nap Trapped helps tired parents solve baby sleep challenges with warmth, evidence, and no judgement. Every week we turn your questions into practical solutions—with a side of Aldi chocolate.Links📩 Get updates + exclusive tools: Subscribe www.naptrappedpodcast.com📸 Follow Sally & Bec on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/thesleepconcierge/https://www.instagram.com/_thesleepcentre/🎧 Listen on Spotify & Apple Podcasts
Nap Trapped, hosted by expert sleep consultants Sally Woods (The Sleep Concierge) and Bec Maher (The Sleep Centre), transforms baby sleep challenges into practical solutions. Whether you're currently trapped under a napping baby or seeking better sleep, each episode combines evidence-based advice with real parenting experience. No judgment, just expert insights with a side of solidarity - because understanding the 'why' behind sleep behaviors is the key to confident parenting. We're here to help sleep make sense from nap transitions to early rising.
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