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# Episode 13: Toddler Night Wakings, Early Rising, and Nap Refusal: Your Pediatric Sleep Questions Answered
- URL: https://drcraigcanapari.com/episode-13-toddler-night-wakings-early-rising-and-nap-refusal-your-pediatric-sleep-questions-answered/
- Published: 2025-04-30T23:56:59.000Z
- Updated: 2025-04-30T23:56:59.000Z
- Author: Craig Canapari MD
- Tags: Podcast, #canapari-gmail-com, #wp, #wp-podcast, #Import 2026-02-27 17:07

This episode of *The Sleep Edit* is all about *you*—our listeners. We’re tackling the most common (and frustrating) pediatric sleep challenges straight from your inbox:

- What to do when your toddler suddenly won’t nap
- How to handle a preschooler who wakes five times a night
- When to push bedtime later—and when not to
- Strategies for night weaning, managing anxiety, and fixing early morning wake-ups
- Plus: Why our parents swear we were “better sleepers” back in the ’80s and ’90s

Whether you’re a parent in the trenches or a sleep consultant supporting families, this episode is packed with actionable insights and real-world context.

---

### **⏱️**

### **Chapters & Timestamps**

**00:00 — Welcome & Disclaimer**

**01:55 — How Long Should a One-Nap Schedule Last?**

*A parent asks how long to let a toddler nap after transitioning to one nap—without disrupting night sleep.*

**04:24 — Does Your Toddler Need a Later Bedtime?**

*Signs that bedtime might be too early and what research says about optimal timing.*

**07:15 — Arielle’s Take on 24-Hour Sleep**

*A fellow consultant asks Arielle how she explains this foundational concept.*

**10:32 — What Is 24-Hour Sleep Anyway?**

*A parent wants to understand how to think about total daily sleep needs.*

**12:59 — Easiest Way to Night Wean a Toddler**

*Strategies for toddlers waking twice a night for milk.*

**16:05 — Why Were 80s Babies “Better Sleepers”?**

*Craig answers a fun cultural question: Have parenting expectations changed—or is it selective memory?*

**21:18 — 4-Year-Old Suddenly Waking All Night (Tried Everything)**

*Becky shares a sleep regression story after months of solid sleep and multiple failed interventions.*

**26:45 — 2-Year-Old Needs Touch to Fall Asleep, Progressive Breaks Failing**

*Charlotte asks whether this method is right for her daughter after meltdowns.*

**32:17 — 7-Year-Old with Bedtime Anxiety & Nightmares**

*A parent shares a common dilemma: supporting an anxious child without becoming a permanent bedtime fixture.*

**39:12 — 5-Year-Old Calls Out But Stays in Bed**

*Carys from the UK wonders how to manage frequent call-outs from a child who does fall asleep independently.*

**44:06 — Toddler Wakes at 5 a.m.—Can We Shift Later?**

*Anjo asks how to extend a solid 7–5 schedule without creating new problems.*

**46:50 — Sibling Sleep Chaos: Two Kids, Two Problems**

*Pat shares a double trouble scenario: one kid waking for milk, another up too early and waking the house.*

**51:03 — Nap Refusal at Home, But Not Daycare**

*Morgan asks how to handle nap refusal at home after major life changes (new baby, new daycare).*

**55:10 — Final Thoughts & Wrap-Up**

## Links

Arielle’s new website :[ Expect to Sleep Again](https://www.expecttosleep.com/?ref=drcraigcanapari.com)

Arielle on Instagram: [@expecttosleepagain](https://www.instagram.com/expecttosleepagain/?ref=drcraigcanapari.com)

Research links:

[Metanalysis showing that earlier bedtimes led to more sleep](https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/fullarticle/2795862?ref=drcraigcanapari.com)

[Small study of infants showing sleep extension with earlier bedtimes](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11983790/?utm%5Fsource=chatgpt.com)

**Dr. Canapari’s articles:**

[Do Wake Windows Help Babies and Kids Nap Better?](https://drcraigcanapari.com/do-wake-windows-help-kids-nap-better/)

[How to Stop Night Feedings](https://drcraigcanapari.com/learned-hunger-nighttime-feeding-stop-night-feeding/)

[Huggy puppy intervention for night time fears](https://drcraigcanapari.com/my-favorite-treatment-for-night-time-fears-meet-huggy-puppy/)

[Early morning awakenings: What to do about them](https://drcraigcanapari.com/early-morning-awakenings-what-to-do-about-them/)

[Bedtime pass for middle of the night awakening](https://drcraigcanapari.com/the-bedtime-pass-a-great-sleep-training-technique-for-older-kids/)

[Accommodations and anxiety](https://drcraigcanapari.com/help-kids-with-anxiety-sleep-better/)

[Progressive breaks sleep training method](https://drcraigcanapari.com/the-excuse-me-drill-a-gentle-sleep-training-technique/)

[Camping out method sleep training](https://drcraigcanapari.com/camping-out-sleep-training/)