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When you work on helping your baby sleep better, sometimes it’s hard to know whether you can get even more sleep from him. Sometimes it might feel you are being greedy wanting more sleep – when you’ve already come so far. Or, sometimes when you work on naps, night sleep goes out the window or vice versa. This article will talk about whether napping or night sleep is more important and general guidelines to know whether you have a good balance of night sleep and naps.
Do babies need naps and night sleep or is night sleep enough? Are catnaps sufficient?
I had a client tell me once their doctor told them “Babies don’t need naps. They’re extra.” I was pretty shocked to hear this considering babies need A LOT of sleep. That was just once I’ve heard that, thankfully!
Will your baby survive? Yes, a baby can survive without any naps at all, but I would argue that it would likely affect their development, mood, and behavior. There are likely a few rare babies who don’t nap and are very happy during the day. And, some will likely grow up to be intelligent babies. Just like I’m sure there are babies who get an above-average amount of sleep and are still fussy or cranky (and maybe have average intelligence with challenging behavior, who knows?). There are always a few exceptions who are on the extreme end of any spectrum. My eldest son could barely function being awake longer than one hour 15 minutes until after 7 months of age, so he definitely thrives on getting the sleep he needs. There is NO way he’d be able to learn much of anything in his state when he is overtired, even now that he’s older. But, I have heard plenty of stories of babies who are happy and smiley with just little catnaps during the day.
But, are catnaps enough?
In my opinion, your baby’s happiness and behavior is the #1 thing you should watch when deciding whether he is getting enough sleep. Next, would be his development or abilities. If your toddler becomes extra clumsy and gets hurt a lot, for example, that could be a sign he is extra tired. How good is our balance when we are exhausted? If his attention span is very short sometimes and not others, perhaps this is a sign as well (short attention spans are normal, in general, so it might be hard to tell, but you know your baby best!).
Always keep in mind that your baby’s total sleep in a day will stay relatively constant, so a baby who sleeps 12 hours (some even more), it will directly impact how much sleep she may or may not need during the day. If her average total sleep is 13 1/2 hours then that means she may split 1 1/2 hours into 2-3 naps, for example. That means if you have a 6-month-old who takes three naps, you might be looking at three 30-minute catnaps, if she’s sleeping 12 hours at night. If she has above-average sleep needs, she can nap more than that.
So, what’s more important? More night sleep or longer naps?
As most of the articles on this site will say, this will depend on your baby and may take some trial and error, but here are some of my general guidelines and philosophies:
- If your baby is sleeping longer than 12 hours at night, but barely napping during the day, I would absolutely shorten night sleep to achieve longer naps and “balance” your baby’s sleep. Wait, you want me to wake my baby? :O Yes, as much as I try to help our babies sleep, this would be one situation I would wake your baby. Ideally, this would be a short-term strategy and her body will then regulate. You may need to find the right schedule for your baby.
- If your baby is sleeping just 10 hours (or less) at night, I consider this the minimum for all ages who likely frequent this site. Therefore, I would say the opposite, in this case, and say that if your baby is napping more than three hours per day, you should shorten naps to achieve more night sleep OR it’s time for a nap transition. If your baby is sleeping 10 hours or less and not napping much, then that is likely a different issue and you likely need to think about sleep training.
- If your baby is sleeping 11-12 hours at night, then I consider this the ideal amount of night sleep and I would work on achieving a good balance of napping, respecting her sleep needs. What I mean by that is that if your baby averages 14 hours of sleep in a day, for example, and is sleeping 12 hours at night, don’t expect much more than two hours total during the day. Trying to push her to nap too much and you are liable to affect her night sleep and you will end up in a vicious cycle. If she thrives on just 11 hours of sleep at night, but more napping, that is good to know, too!
There are so many variables in our babies’ schedules and how much our babies sleep. Your unique baby has unique sleep needs, so don’t be afraid of doing your own research on what’s best for YOUR baby and use what the books say or how much your friends’ babies sleep as a guideline, not a rule.
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kate says
Hi Nicole -Yes, I put her down while she is still awake after breastfeeding at 7p, and she talks and fusses for about 5-10 minutes and then is out. I do let her put herself to sleep for naps as well, but the afternoon nap is a battle, and I end up having to rock her or give up on it all together. I’ve tried going to just one nap, but she doesn’t sleep enough at night to go to one nap yet.
She typically only stays “out” for the night maybe 2x-3x/week. She is breastfeeding typically still at 7a, 10a (then a nap), then 1p, then a nap at 3p (at which time I breastfeed, or I wait until after her “nap” around 4p) then she is going down at 7p being breastfed again. She eats regular solid food as well, 3 meals per day. She eats solids well and takes almond milk also. She is 13 mo. She was on a “perfect” schedule until about 6/7 mo, since then nothing has worked. She sleeps in her own room in a crib; if I do not give her the 9/10p feeding if she wakes, she will wake approx. every 2 hrs until I give it to her. I usually cave about 4/5am when I simply cannot take it anymore. This am after feeding her at 9p last night (6 total breastfeedings for the day) I let her cry it out form 4:45-6:15am. She then slept from 6:15-7a and woke at which time I fed her. I’ve read the book and tried every single schedule, had her thoroughly checked at the doctor, and she is generally a happy baby, but I don’t get it. If I don’t get some solid sleeping hours at night (in a row) soon I’m going to crack.
Len says
Our nearly 15-month-old usually sleeps 11-12 hours a night, but hardly ever naps during the day. We’re on day 10 of the latest no napping streak. She does get one “rest” a day–quiet time in her crib, but no sleep during that time. Usually about 20 minutes into rest, she cries fiercely, which almost always indicates a poop filled diaper. We change her and put her back down, but still no sleep. By late in the afternoon (4 or so), she gets punchy and loses attention span, etc, which prompts us to start the bedtime routine earlier. Oh, she’s in bed (and almost always asleep) between 6:15 and 7, depending on when the routine starts. What can we do to get her to nap?
Nicole says
@Len Oh no about the nap strike! It is likely a phase. Is she trying to talk? She is likely working on a developmental milestone. I’d keep putting her down for her rest time and she will most likely go back to napping very soon. The average age to transition to no naps is between 3 & 4 years old, so she needs the nap. Try to offer the nap within 4 1/2 to 5 hours of waking for the day to make it more likely she will nap.
@Kate I completely understand! 🙁 Have you tried a snack before bed? 7 p.m. could actually be on the too-early side for bedtime if she is napping 3-4 p.m. You might try 7:30 or 8 p.m. at this age to see if that will help get another snack in and have her sleep solidly at night. Early bedtimes are great, but since she’s only awake 3 hours before bed, at her age, that could make her not quite tired enough. Start slow and move bedtime by 15 minutes to see how it might help or not. Good luck!
Lisa says
Zarina,
I would say this is total hours of sleep, not consecutive. For example, my 10 month old night sleeps 6 hours, then has a short feed, then goes right back down for 3 or 4 more hours, then another feed, then 2 hours. She also naps during the day for about 2 hours total. I agree that longer sleep would be better, but her schedule now is much improved from waking every 3-4 hours not too long ago!
Zarina says
I’m reading a lot of babies in here sleeping 10+ hours. Are we talking continuous hours throughout the night? Because I have a 4 month old who sleeps 4-5 hours at night then wakes up to feed and then goes back down for another 3-5 hours. I would be so happy if I can get him to sleep 7+ hours at a time at night!
kate says
My 13 mo old will not sleep. I feel like I haven’t slept since she was 6 mo old and I’ve tried everything! I’ve tried the total “cry it out” method, I’ve tried, the check and console method, I’ve tried changing nap times, her schedule, the works. I am still breastfeeding and wonder if that has something to do with it. I am breastfeeding 5x per day, and then sometimes have to cave and do a late night (9-10pm) feeding to ensure she sleeps at least the next 7-8 hours without waking. She eats great solids during the day, and is a happy girl 90% of the time, but I’m not too happy considering she is waking! She takes two naps, one at 10am and one at about 3pm, I’ve tried doing one long nap and even adding a third… nothing has seemed to work consistently. So at this point I think night sleep is more important because she isn’t getting it. She goes down fine for her morning nap but will scream up to an hour or more for her afternoon nap. Thoughts from experienced Mom’s?
Ophelia says
My 5 1/2 month old averages 16-17 hours per day altogether, and is cranky if she gets less than this. She will do 11 hours at night, then sleep for another 1.5 hours immediately after her morning feed. Then another 4 hours spread across 3 naps during the day. Her last nap has to end within an hour of bedtime otherwise she can’t get to sleep. I know it’s weird, but it’s the way she is and I don’t want to force her into another routine because someone says so. I agree that as mums we know what works for our babies and we should just trust our instincts.
Marcia says
My 11 month old sleeps about 11.5-12 hours a night and takes 2 naps that are usually 1-1.5 hours. She needs the naps as well as the night time sleep or she gets cranky during the day. It is sometimes a fight because she is the type of child who will nap only if conditions are ideal (in her own crib, darkened room, etc.) and if we hit her window of tiredness exactly right. She also had a very irregular nap schedule until she was about 8 months old, which was a big challenge. Thanks for the tips on this site. They helped when I was at the low of thinking that I would never get more than a few ours of sleep in a row.
Haidi says
My 7-month-old son is only sleeping 10-10.5 hours a night and maybe 2 hours in the day. He used to sleep 11+3. I don’t know if it’s just a phase or what. The only things that have changed: he went from 4 naps to 3 naps and has a bit of solids now. I think he does need more sleep, but I’m not sure what to do about it.
Stephanie says
Good article – I agree that naps and night sleep need to be in balance with one another. I also think that total sleep can be misleading sometimes. My 2 year old is on a nap strike. Since she has not napped for several days, I have been putting her to bed extra early, and she will sleep 13+ hours sometimes. This is the total she was getting before – with 11 @ night and 2 during the day. However, her mood and behavior CLEARLY indicate that the total sleep is better spent divided between nighttime and naps! Hopefully we can get her back on track soon.
Katie says
My 11 month old sleeps about 11.5 – 12 hours per night and then usually takes 2 naps during the day; a morning nap which is usually 1.5 – 2 hours and then a shorter nap in the afternoon for about 45 – 1 hour. He’s definitely a baby that gets crabby if he doesn’t nap well during the day. Also, I’ve noticed that if for some reason he sleeps in and gets up late in the morning, than his naps are totally off for that day – sometimes this happens on the weekend if we don’t have to get up for work, but then I feel bad if I’m messing up his nice schedule.
Nicole says
@Katie Thank you for sharing! Your baby needs a lot of sleep and I’m glad you give it to him! 🙂 He might be tied to the clock and even if he sleeps in, he wants to nap at his normal time. Have you tried that or will he not sleep? Likely, his body becomes a little “off” due to usually being asleep during certain times of the day. Hopefully that doesn’t happen often! You can always try waking him at around the same time in the morning (within 30 minutes or so).
@Stephanie When my son transitioned to one nap and then again to no naps he, too, slept 13+ hours. It’s crazy! I hope she starts napping again, soon! It’s most likely a phase, so keep offering it to her. Good luck!
@Haidi During nap transitions, over-tiredness is really common. Try bumping bedtime earlier by 20-30 minutes and see if that helps. He will likely sleep his 11 hours or more! I know it’s counter-intuitive, but it works more often than not.
@Marcia Your 11-month old sounds like she’s doing great! Thanks for sharing. I know it’s a roller coaster!
@Ophelia Your daughter is on the higher end of sleep needs, it sounds like. You’re doing a great job! Enjoy it now, because it could change rapidly. 😉
@Kate Is she only waking for the 9/10pm feeding or more than that? Is she going to sleep at bedtime without breastfeeding all the way to sleep? If not, I’d start there. What time is bedtime after her 3 p.m. nap?
@Zarina We are talking total sleep, but not necessarily consecutive, depending on the age of the baby. It sounds like your 4 month old is doing GREAT! 4-5 hours for a first stretch is very normal. This may change around 6 months or so, so I’d give him more time. Here is an article about night feedings and when to night-wean: https://www.babysleepsite.com/sleep-training/night-feedings-by-age-when-do-you-night-wean/ Good luck!