When do babies take longer naps

Your child may need longer awake windows to have time to build up more sleep pressure in between naps. The most common reason this happens is because your little one is unable to self-soothe independently as they connect their sleep cycles, which last about 30 to 45 minutes.

What to do: If this is happening, start working on those self-soothing skills so baby can start connecting those cycles on their own. There are several reasons baby might be stuck in an overtired and overstimulated cycle, leading to poor naps and nighttime sleep. Yes, and this is only meant as a temporary solution until you break the overtired cycle.

What to do: The goal for the first year of life is to aim for full feeds: about 4 to 5. Short naps can be frustrating for both you and baby, and it can take a bit of troubleshooting to determine the culprit and figure out how to get baby to nap longer.

Rachel Mitchell is a maternity and pediatric sleep specialist, founder of My Sweet Sleeper and mom of six. She has been working with families all over the world for nearly 10 years, helping them implement practical tips and approaches with their children to help them get better sleep. My Sweet Sleeper offers online classes , one-on-one sessions , e-guides and helpful content through social channels and blogs. If you need assistance, please contact Mitchell here.

Between 4 and 6 months is typically the age when naps can start to more consistently extend past the 30 to 40 minute mark. Babies get overtired because they have gone past their ideal sleep window. Their bodies compensate for missing that window with stimulating hormones like adrenaline and cortisol. This then makes it harder to fall asleep and stay asleep. Think about being so exhausted and depleted and then taking an espresso shot.

Overtired babies may feel like their body is fighting them in going to sleep and often appear to be fighting their nap even though you know they are tired. Sleep pressure is a result of adenosine building up in our brains during the time we are awake. Then it decreases as we sleep. This leads to baby waking up from their short nap feeling rested.

Just like short cat naps often help adults recharge and feel more awake and alert. You also have to consider their total sleep. The solution is to stay focused on your child's unique clues that he is ready to nap. These may include eye-rubbing, yawning, finger-sucking, rooting even after he's finished nursing, and general fussing.

Try to keep your baby awake during feedings and put him down for a nap when he's sleepy but not yet asleep. Even with three kids, I rarely abandoned my ideal scenario, which was a nap in the crib. Many mothers I knew were more easygoing about naptime, happy to have their child nap in a stroller , a car seat, or a baby carrier on the go. So is it better to have a baby get used to falling asleep somewhere other than her own crib or bed?

Several sleep experts say no. Kass, who suggests trying to achieve that whenever possible, rather than having the baby sleep in a bouncy seat while you're vacuuming nearby or in the car when you're en route to an older child's soccer practice. The sleep sanctuary, however, doesn't always have to be the crib in your baby's room. It can be a portable crib in another room or another house.

The idea is simply to keep the environment similar. Once you have a cool spot, try light-blocking shades to make the room dark enough. To achieve that elusive silence, a white-noise machine can go a long way, as does heading off potentially loud events.

Does the dog go crazy when the mail is delivered at 1 p. Put the dog out back or in a room where he won't hear the mail carrier. Do friends or neighbors sometimes drop by without calling? I used to place a note on my doorbell that read: "Baby napping 1 to 4. Love to see you when she wakes up. To encourage good napping , make sure that your baby is engaged when she's up.

Make eye contact with her and sing to her while you fold laundry. If you're on the phone, pretend to direct the conversation at her. Even a trip to the grocery store right after breakfast can be an adventure in sights and sounds for a little one.

When your child is still napping as a toddler or preschooler, be sure she gets plenty of fresh air at the park or has permission to get her yayas out indoors on a rainy day. The plus side is that your child might leave you with a more flexible schedule, able to run errands with a kid who will nap on the go. A baby carrier or sling may make it easier to accomplish things at home. At this age, you may be able to get a nap schedule going.

Most babies have moved to napping twice a day, for a total of two or three hours. For some families, it helps to start a going-to-sleep routine for naps during the second half of the first year, says Walden. This could include a story, a familiar song, perhaps some time in the rocking chair. This is also an age when you could give your baby a small stuffed toy or blanket to comfort himself as he goes to sleep. Weiss advises parents to be flexible. You may have to change the pre-nap routine to help her wind down from active play.

Move back to his previous schedule gradually. Toddlers in daycare will usually have a scheduled afternoon nap. For example, you might try skipping the morning nap, then giving your toddler lunch around 11 a.