Nap time, arguably the sweetest moment of the day for many parents! But if your baby is giving you a hard time with napping you might not see it that way.
Inconsistent naps are a common challenge for new parents, just when you think you've got it sussed things start to change again. By understanding why your baby or toddler might be struggling then implementing some simple strategies, you'll be able to help your little one nap more solidly. The cause of inadequate napping can also roll onto night-waking and/or early morning waking.
Here are a few of my top tips to support successful napping.
Don't rigidly follow a nap schedule that is age related. A baby/toddler is an individual with individual needs for sleep.
Take into consideration how well your baby/toddler sleeps overnight. Babies on the 7pm to 7am Sleeping Baby Routine and sleeping soundly from a few weeks of age will generally need less sleep in the day and often drop naps quicker than a baby that still wakes in the night at 6 months onwards.
The first thing to investigate with any kind of sleep issue is milk and food intake.
A baby/toddler needs to be able to self settle in order to sleep well consistently.
As a parent, it's only natural to want your baby to nap for long periods. However, it's important to remember that an excessive amount of sleep is not always best for your little one and may disrupt settling and the most important stretch of sleep .. overnight.
For more help and a bespoke plan to resolve settling, sleep and nap issues, book one of my baby sleep support packages, or contact me.
