Short Naps are a very common issue that many parents face. I hear this often, “My baby will nap for 2 hours if I hold her but only 30 mins or less if I lay her down. Help!”
Here are some reasons your baby may be taking short naps:
- Research shows that nighttime and daytime sleep cycles actually use two different parts of your child’s brain. Sleep Cycles at night last about 90 mins vs daytime cycles around 30 mins. Therefore, a baby’s daytime nap will naturally be short unless the baby knows how to connect her sleep cycles by self-soothing. A Sleep Consultant can provide you with a personalized plan that fits your baby’s temperament and at the same time teaches her to put herself back to sleep using self-soothing techniques.
- Your baby also needs to be on the right nap schedule based on his age. If he hasn’t been awake long enough between naps, then his naps won’t be long enough either.
- Another cause of short naps are sleep props. If your baby falls asleep using a pacifier, rocking, or nursing, then when one sleep cycle (usually about 30 mins.) is complete, your baby will be unable to get back to sleep without her sleep props.
- If Mom/Dad respond to their baby’s wake up cry immediately, this definitely reinforces short naps! Remember babies are noisy sleepers especially between sleep cycles. They can snort, cry, and move about as if they were awake – all while still being asleep.
3 Tips for Lengthening Your Child’s Nap
What can you do? I’m so glad you asked!
First, wait! Before offering comfort, give your baby at least 2-3 minutes to see if she can put herself back to sleep. If your baby is still fussing after several minutes, try placing your hands on her tummy and chest and add a slight jiggle or try patting on her bottom and shushing.
Second, make sure your approach to naps is the same as nighttime. This means if your baby sleeps in his crib at night, then naps should be in the crib. A cave dark room (like at night) encourages more restorative sleep during the day. Consistency is key!
Third, make sure your baby is on the right nap schedule. From 4 to 12 months, there can be as many as four schedule changes allowing for more awake time, which ultimately increases nap length. The resource page includes a table for how much daytime and nighttime sleep your baby needs based on his age.
Last but not least, sleep training teaches your little one how to soothe himself back to sleep whether that be by sucking his fingers or jammies, rolling around or changing positions. This takes practice and time but babies catch on quickly.
I can help you with this process. Your baby could be sleeping better at night in just a few days and short naps can be a thing of the past in just a couple of weeks. Let’s start today making sleep a thing!
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