Getting Your Baby to Nap
Posted by Nicole on June 24th, 2008
Last week I posted my newborn sleep tips. Today I’ll talk about getting your baby to nap. I am specifically talking about babies older than newborns (i.e. 3+ months old).
A nap is considered to be restorative if the baby is not moving (i.e. such as in a swing or car or stroller) and the nap is one hour or more. I specifically want to mention this because it widely varies what people believe to be a “normal” or “good” nap. Some think babies should sleep 3 hours each time and others seem to think 30 minutes is enough.
It is normal for babies younger than 6 months old to take 3-4 short 30-45 minute catnaps. Around 6 months, they should begin to lengthen to 2-3 longer naps. The 3rd nap is almost always just 30-45 minutes, just to help them get to bedtime. However, some babies don’t have this nap at all and only have 2 longer naps. The average amount of napping is 2-3 hours each day.
With babies younger than 9 months old, short naps are almost always due to too much wake-time between naps. When a baby is overtired, he will have trouble settling down enough to nap well and make it past that first sleep transition around the 30-45 minute mark. If your baby is short-napping you, try to decrease the wake-time between naps. This wake-time should ideally be just 1-2 hours, tops when baby is under 6 months old and 2-3 hours, after. When she isn’t overtired, she is better able to transition to the next sleep phase.
Also, around 6 months of age (some are ready by 5 months and some won’t be ready until 7+ like my first-born), you should nap baby more on a schedule. I have several sample baby schedules on this website (and always working on more). You should always use your baby as a guide, first and foremost, but in general, a schedule works wonders for babies who are having trouble napping (particularly when the problem is short-napping in an older baby). We all have internal clocks and if you get your baby used to sleeping at the same time every day, this will make it easier for her to nap. Remember, our bodies release hormones to fight fatigue, so if she is napping at different times every day, her body will be fighting fatigue and make it even harder for her to nap when you want her to.
Finally, a nice 10 minute nap routine will cue him that a nap is coming up. Change his diaper, read a short book or two, cuddle for a few minutes, and put him down for a nap. If you stay consistent, it will become crystal clear to him what’s coming up and prepare his body for relaxation and a good nap.
If you’re looking for ways to get your baby or toddler into a healthy sleeping routine during the day, I encourage you to explore Mastering Naps and Schedules, a comprehensive guide to napping routines, nap transitions, and all the other important “how-tos” of good baby sleep. With over 40 sample sleep schedules and planning worksheets, Mastering Naps and Schedules is a hands-on tool ideal for any parenting style. For those persistent nighttime struggles, check out Help Your Child Sleep, a Step-by-Step Guide. Using the same unique approach and practical tools for success, this e-book helps you and your baby sleep through the night. For those looking for a more customized solution for your unique situation with support along the way, please consider one-on-one baby and toddler sleep consultations.
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Tags: baby, baby nap, baby naps, baby sleep, baby won t nap, help, infant nap, nap, sleep, toddler nap
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January 29th, 2009
Hi Nicole, thank you for the informative articles and website. My 9 1/2 month son won’t nap longer than 30 minutes at a time. He wakes up between 6:30-7:30am, naps usually at 10 and 2 (depending on what time he wakes up for the day). He wakes up several times during the night for his pacifier. PLease help! He’s been this way for many months. We are so exhausted. We would appreciate any advice.
January 31st, 2009
@Diana Hello there! You’re very welcome and I’m so glad my site is helping so many people. I would love to help you but I would need to know a lot more details about your specific situation. If you don’t find the help you need on the website, please check out my consultation services: http://www.picknicksbrain.com/services
February 26th, 2009
I have now placed him on a nap schedule 10am & 2pm regardless of the time he wakes in the morning (6:30-7:15am) and sleeps at 7:30pm every night. He does not nap past 30 min. I have tried your suggestions of giving him more frequent naps but still naps for 30 min.
My question is, should I just accept that he naps for an hour total a day? He wakes up crying from his naps everytime, should I let him cry it out? Will that help him go back to sleep? I have tried letting him cry for 13 min. today but he did not go back to sleep. He was just really fussy afterwards.
March 2nd, 2009
@Diana Lengthening naps can be tricky. I would need more information, but usually you do need to allow them some time to try to go back to sleep, but it depends on the age of the child, too. Crying when they wake up is usually a sign that they are not done sleeping.
March 3rd, 2009
I guess, the problem then is, how can I get him to continue sleeping? Like I mentioned earlier, he screams/cry everytime he wakes from a nap. Should I continue to let him cry by himself? and how long should I wait to go pick him up?
I tried to pick him up and rock him back to sleep in the past but he wont do it!! He is 10 months old and has always been a horrible napper. He is fussy too, poor little guy is tired but refuses to sleep. HELP!
March 3rd, 2009
@Diana I really need to know your WHOLE situation to give specific advice. That is why I offer (affordable) sleep consulting services (http://www.picknicksbrain.com/services) to help people with their specific issues. I don’t like to give blanket advice because I don’t know all the details, particularly the age of the baby. I don’t want to give haphazard advice. That would be very irresponsible of me. I LOVE helping people and try to make my services as affordable as possible for this reason. I also talk about naps in my e-Book (http://www.picknicksbrain.com/ebook) and I am currently writing a “just naps” e-Book, as well, but it’s not complete yet. Good luck!