Sleep Detectives: When to Start “Awake but Drowsy”, Separation Anxiety & Holiday Sleep

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This week’s Sleep Detectives is a proper grab-bag of the questions you’re Googling at 2am, and we didn’t even need a question box because we had leftovers from last week 😅

We cover everything from “should I start putting my 10-week-old down awake?” to toddler bedtime battles that look like separation anxiety, plus the practical, real-world way to protect sleep while you’re away on holiday (without being nap-trapped in your accommodation all day).

What you’ll learn:

When to start putting your baby down awake (yes, even at 10 weeks)

The “moment of curiosity” that builds self-settling without pressure

Why a pitch-black room matters for cot naps, even for little babies

Why most schedules start around 7am, and how to shift it later if you want

Separation anxiety vs bedtime resistance (and how not to feed the drama)

A simple, calm approach to toddler check-ins that doesn’t escalate bedtime

Transitional schedule tweaks at 13–15 months before you drop to one nap

3-to-2 nap transition truth bombs (and why we fight for nap 3)

What to do when a 9-month-old suddenly struggles with nap one

Holiday sleep at 18 months, realistic expectations, routine, naps, and night one

Chapters:

00:00 Welcome to Sleep Detectives (questions galore)

00:45 10-week-old, when to start putting down awake

02:20 The “moment of curiosity” + how to rescue without pressure

03:40 Set the scene, pitch black rooms and newborn cot naps

04:40 Why we work to 7am, and how to shift your whole day later

08:10 Toddler separation anxiety at bedtime, what to do (and not do)

13:50 A tool for emotional reassurance, “The Invisible String”

15:10 13 months on a transitional schedule, is this a “12 month regression”?

19:10 7 months, nap 3 is messy, keep it or drop it?

24:20 9 months, medium-medium routine, struggling with nap one

31:30 14–15 month routine, transitional schedule before 2-to-1

32:40 Holiday sleep at 18 months, routine, naps, and night one

🎙️ ABOUT NAP TRAPPED

Hosted 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

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