Glorious Nap Time
New-born babies mostly do nothing much other than sleep; they feed and fall asleep and wake up just to feed again. In fact, many newborns sleep up to eighteen hours a day so nap time is pretty much guaranteed at first.
For most of us, the trouble with nap time starts as they begin to sleep less and less between feeds. At this point, we need to start working on instigating regular nap times because all babies need plenty of good quality sleep for optimal growth and parents need their baby to sleep to allow them time to relax and take care of other areas of their life!
Getting a baby to settle into a routine can be difficult – however it is achievable with perseverance. We have a few helpful tips that all parents will find useful in their quest to get their little bundle into the routine of regular daytime naps:
Teach the difference between night and day
- Daytime: In between naps babies should be in rooms that are light, bright and noisier than at night. Avoid the temptation to whisper all the time and tiptoe around. Have some background music on and continue to do all the normal tasks that are part of the daytime
- Night: Bedrooms should be dark, calm and quiet. Voices should be kept low and background noise at a lower volume. During summer months use blackout blinds to keep the bedroom dark during the evening.
Try to avoid constant holding or rocking
- Holding babies is lovely and snuggly but if you always resort to using this method to get your child to sleep, eventually it may be the only way they nod off.
- In a similar way, it can become a problem to let your child always take his naps in the car or pram. After a period of time a baby will associate movement with sleep and may find it difficult to sleep in a normal crib/cot.
Wind down
- Just before nap time make sure everything is quieter and calmer and keep conversation to a minimum to get your child into the napping zone.
- A baby massage or stroking their head can help them to feel relaxed.
- Reading quietly to your child should make them feel nice and sleepy.
- Make the room darker. Ideally, your child should be in their cot or crib even for daytime naps because they will grow to associate this space with sleep time.
- Ensure that they are comfortable and warm, not wearing tight clothing and have their comforter, if they use one, to hand.
Busy between naps
- For older babies or toddlers try and keep them stimulated or active in between naps. Swimming is a great activity or playing simple games. Any fun activity will help to make your child tired enough to want to nap in the afternoon.
- Fresh air is good for your little one – take a walk to the park or spend time outside in the garden.
Routine
- Try to be consistent – taking a nap at the time every day will create a solid routine and your baby will soon become used to taking a nap at that time.
- Occasional exceptions are bound to occur because no-one’s life if that simple and regulated. Don’t stress the odd irregular or missed nap and try to get back into routine as soon as possible.
Babies don’t arrive with a manual and much of the child-rearing process is a matter of trial and error and this is exactly the case when it comes to nap time. Your child may not like to lie down immediately after lunch because they find sleeping on a full stomach more difficult whereas another baby may need this full feeling in order to be sleepy.
In reality, the best option is to establish a suitable routine around how your baby reacts at certain times and then stick to it as much as possible. However, try to avoid getting stressed over the odd missed nap because your child will be extremely adept at gauging your concerns and moods and may resist sleep because they feel your stress. Remain calm and in control and hopefully your little one will respond by being happy and calm when it comes to that glorious naptime.
