Everything you need to know about naps
I don’t remember much about my first son’s naps…everything was a blur! I’m sure they were short or worse, nonexistent.
I didn’t know as much as I knew the second time around, and I was intent on setting healthy sleep foundations and doing things “right” from the start when my second son was born. But just because something is “right” doesn’t mean it’s not hard. Even when I did know what to do, getting my son to take quality, consolidated naps still took time and a lot of effort.
If there’s one thing to take away from this post, it’s to remember that consolidated, independent naps are completely developmental, and the more your practice with them the better your baby will get.
We started sleep training my youngest at four months. Nights were great, however, he would go down for a nap and wake at 30 minutes on the dot. EVERY SINGLE TIME. It was so painful! I couldn’t do anything! I couldn’t shower or cook in that short amount of time, and it was extremely frustrating. It took me a solid month of practicing to lengthen his naps. In the dark and listening to audio books, no less.
I’m here to share all my knowledge with you as well as remind you that naps are hard. And that’s okay. Be patient with yourself and with your baby. Eventually, they will get it, and you’ll have a solid hour or two a few times a day to do everything you want…. or just nothing at all ;)
Short Naps Are Developmental
For the first six months (possibly earlier if you work really hard at it) or so, short naps are normal, common even! Yes, I know this doesn’t help you, it used to frustrate me so much reading this…
When your baby will start to consolidate naps will depend on a few things:
How they’re initially falling asleep
How old they are
Keeping this in the back of your mind can be helpful when you’re feeling frustrated as your little one wakes from yet another 30 minute nap.
Because babies are only born with two stages of sleep, they may nap for very short periods of time or very long periods of time. You never really know what you’re going to get, and no two days are the same.
By the time their sleep stages develop and shift from two to four sleep cycles, usually between 3.5-5 months, there are more opportunities for them to wake up, resulting in shorter naps. If you’re wondering why your baby who once napped for two hours every time is suddenly taking short naps more frequently, this is why. It’s also normal.
What can you do to help?
Your baby, essentially, is not linking their sleep cycles. They are falling asleep and getting through one cycle of sleep, and are waking between cycles and are then unable to get into the next one on their own.
How to Lengthen Short Naps
First, make sure you’re providing the same sleep environment for ALL sleep, just as you are at night, at least while you’re working on lengthening the naps.
Nap Sleep Environment
It should be fully dark in the room where your baby sleeps.
you should be playing white noise for the duration of all sleep.
your baby should be wearing a sleeping bag, apart from ensuring they’re not cold this is a great sleep association.
you should have a solid bedtime and nap routine in place before each period of sleep ( 10 mins before nap time).
If your little one is younger than four months, you can help extend their naps if they wake after less than an hour. Give them a few minutes to see if they’ll go back to sleep on their own, but if not, go in and assist by holding them. Don’t engage too much and don’t turn on the light. Keep them in their room with the white noise on and just hold them. Yes, I know it’s boring for you. Have your headphones handy so you can listen to your favorite podcast or audiobook.
If your little one is older than 4 months and you’ve been sleep training them, apply the same technique you are using at bedtime for naps and short naps. Let’s say your baby wakes after 45 minutes. It hasn’t quite been an hour, so give a few minutes to see if your baby will get into the next sleep cycle on their own. If they don’t, you can respond with your sleep training technique. I’d give it an honest 20-30 minutes of trying. If they go back to sleep, great! If not, just get them up and move on with their day. The important thing to remember, even if they don’t go back to sleep to extend the nap, is that they spent a solid hour in their cot and were given the opportunity to practice. Practice makes perfect!
The more consistent you can be with your opportunities to practice, the better your baby will get!
Another thing to keep in mind is making sure your little one is following the right wake windows for their age. Having a window that is too short or too long can also result in short naps. Make sure they’re on the correct schedule, and remember that as soon as you think you’ve got it down, it’ll likely change again! They’re constantly growing and developing throughout the first three years of their life, and consequently, their sleep needs are always changing.
Not sure about what your baby’s schedule should be? Don’t worry! I’ve got a free guide for you, just for that. Grab yours here.
