5 Ways To Lengthen Naps
“My baby won’t nap longer than 30 minutes!”
“I can’t get anything on my to-do list accomplished, their naps are so sporadic and short!”
“Even though they just woke up from their nap they still seem tired!”
Can you relate to any of these? Are you struggling with your little one taking short and seemingly useless naps? Have you noticed that your child seems to wake up after only 30-45 minutes of sleep?
Well, there’s good news and bad news. The good news is that this is normal! The typical sleep cycle only lasts between 40-50 minutes, and at this point there is a natural awakening before the next sleep cycle begins. Adults do it too! However, we as adults have just gotten really good at falling back asleep without ever really acknowledging that we have woken up.
Now here’s the bad news... If babies aren’t taught the skills needed to fall asleep independently, they will struggle with this awakening and will either be up and ready to party, or will rely on somebody else to get them back to sleep (hello bum patting and shushing).
Here are 5 simple things that you can do to help get those naps back on track:
Nap At Appropriate Time: To have the most restorative sleep possible, ensure that your child is napping at the appropriate time for their needs.*
Crib Hour: Both nap 1 & nap 2 (if applicable) should last at least an hour in length to be considered restorative. By giving your child a full, uninterrupted hour in their crib, you are giving them the opportunity to bridge the gap in their sleep cycles and learn the wonderful skill of self-soothing.
So how does one do this? Simply put them in their bed for a nap, and do not return until AT LEAST one hour has passed from the time you put them down. If they are still sleeping at the one hour mark, grab yourself a coffee and celebrate because they have just gotten themselves into their next sleep cycle!! You would be surprised how many babies fall asleep again at the 58 or 59 minute mark and manage to complete another full sleep cycle!
Teach Self Soothing Skills: By putting your child down to sleep drowsy but not asleep you are teaching your child that they are capable of falling asleep independently. Once they are a pro at using this skill they will naturally be able to apply it to those little awakenings between sleep cycles!
Pay Attention To Night Sleep: If your child’s night sleep is sporadic then shift your focus to that before trying to stretch naps longer. It is more important to put the work into solving any night issues before looking at naps, and it is common to see naps naturally fall into place once any night time issues are resolved.
Create A Positive Sleep Environment: Here are a few things that you can do to create a sleep-inducing sleep space:
Naps can be hard with daylight streaming through the blinds. The use of blackout curtains can increase natural melatonin production and encourage sleep.
Noise machines can block out any household noises that might wake your child, as well as help to soothe them back to sleep during the brief awakening between sleep cycles.
Utilize a shortened version of your bedtime routine to signal to your child that sleep time is approaching. Much as they do with bedtime, your child will start to recognize the routine and naturally start relaxing and ultimately looking forward to their upcoming nap.
The final, and possibly most important thing that I can tell you is to be consistent. Bouncing back and forth between tactics, routines, or methods will create confusion for your child. By providing your child with a consistent message you are providing them with the knowledge they need to develop skills to help them throughout their lifetime.
Have you tried these tactics and it just doesn't seem to click? Click here to book a one on one package with me and get your family the sleep you deserve!
*Visit The Rested Baby Co. on Instagram or Facebook to see previous posts highlighting the most appropriate sleep schedule based on your child’s age.
