Why is my toddler waking up so early during the nap transition?

Early morning waking can be caused by a variety of factors during the 2-to-1 transition. It is often linked to the toddler's total daily sleep load—if they are getting too much nap time, they may have less 'sleep pressure' at night. Conversely, if they are overtired from a short nap, they may wake early. Other factors include early morning light in the room, hunger, or reliance on sleep-onset associations (like needing a parent to rock them back to sleep). Try adjusting the bedtime earlier to mitigate overtiredness and ensure the room remains as dark as possible.