If you have a baby then their sleeping pattern is probably something you’ve spent a fair bit of time thinking about. While nighttime sleep is often the main issue new mums worry about, daytime sleep is also important and getting it right can have a positive impact on the nights.
How many naps a day your baby needs will depend on their age. When they are newborns, babies will nap more than they are awake. This will gradually become a pattern of naps, usually, 3 a day, dropping to 2 a day at some point around the 10-month mark and then transitioning to one nap a day between 12 and 18 months. Here are 6 useful tips to get your baby into a good nap routine during the day.
- Have the Same “Rhythm” Everyday
While you don’t need to live your life like it’s groundhog day, keeping your daily schedule broadly the same will help get your baby into a nap routine. You should aim to have certain things in your day that always happen at the same time, for example, eating, bath time, bedtime and of course nap times. If you’re someone who is comfortable with routine you can also go a bit further than this and, for example, schedule things so that you go out most mornings and stay home in the afternoons.
2. Start Each Day at the Same Time
If your baby is an early riser this can be tricky and to some extent, you’ll have to go with the flow, but try to have a set time that is the latest you’ll let your baby sleep and wake them if they aren’t up by them. You should aim for a time that you find acceptable to start the day but one that isn’t too long after your baby naturally wakes up, for us that was 6.30am.
3. Avoid Micro Naps
Daytime sleep is actually much harder to achieve than nighttime sleep so if your baby falls asleep for even a few minutes before you put them down for a nap then it’s likely to stop them from settling well. If they tend to fall asleep in the car or pram you might need to avoid these in the run-up to nap time. You’ll also want to keep a close eye on them at home to make sure they don’t drop off when you aren’t looking.
4. Have Your Baby Nap in the Same Place Every Day
A cot is usually the best place for your baby to take a daytime nap. Even if you co-sleep at night, unless you plan to nap with your baby, then a cot is safer than an adult bed. It can be useful to get your baby used to sleeping in a different place, so you might consider using a travel cot for nap times. This will be useful if you plan to use it a lot in the future for travel or visiting family.
5. Look Out for the Sleepy Signs
When you’re first establishing a nap routine, rather than watching the clock, watch your baby. All babies are different and the best way to establish the right routine for your baby is to see when during the day they become sleepy. Once you have identified your baby’s natural sleepy times, you can put them down for a nap at those times.
6. Have a Nap Time Routine
In the same way you have a bedtime routine, you can have a nap time routine to help your baby know it’s time for sleep. It doesn’t need to be as elaborate as a bedtime routine, I would suggest starting by looking at some books together, perhaps ending with a particular book you always read before the nap and then singing a song before you put them in the cot.
These tips will help you get your baby into a nap routine that will avoid them becoming overtired which should, in turn, help them to sleep well at night.
Josie Cornhill is a work from home mum of two from Essex. She blogs about all things motherhood at Me, Them and the Others
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