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The 5-Step System to Better Toddler Sleep 
Catnaps. Mini-naps. Micro-naps.
Whatever name you give them, short naps can feel like the bane of your existence as a mom or dad. It may seem like you spend an eternity trying to help your baby fall asleep at nap time, only to have her wake 20 minutes after you lay her down. Not exactly restful for anyone!
So why do some babies tend to take short naps? Is there an underlying reason? And (most importantly) – is this a problem you can fix? Those are the questions we are tackling in today’s blog article.
Short Baby Naps: What Is Normal, and What Is Not
First, let’s define our terms. A short nap is a nap that’s less than an hour long. It can be as short as a few minutes! A long nap is one that’s 60 minutes or more. Most parents can expect 1 – 1.5 hours for a long nap, although some babies and toddlers will take longer naps (especially toddlers who have transitioned to just one afternoon nap – those naps can be as long as 2-3 hours!)
Second, let’s be clear about something: short naps are not unusual, or abnormal, for newborns. Remember, during the newborn stage, babies need to eat every 2-3 hours, so it is understandable that newborns take lots of mini-naps throughout the day.
As your baby grows, and as his brain and body develop, his short naps should begin to consolidate into several longer naps. And those naps should gradually organize themselves into a semi-predictable daytime schedule. Over time, your baby will continue to drop naps, and the naps themselves will gradually become longer. By the time your baby is a toddler, she will be taking one long nap in the middle of the day.
Third, remember that older babies may take a catnap each day when they’re approaching (or in the midst of) a nap transition. For instance, many 7 month olds take a third catnap late in the afternoon, as they transition to a two-nap-a-day schedule. This catnap is not a problem, provided the other 2 naps are an hour or more.
Not All Babies Naturally Consolidate Their Naps
Note the ‘shoulds’ in that last section. Not all babies consolidate their naps easily (or at all, for that matter!) Some of this nap consolidation is dependent on your baby’s unique growth and development patterns; the simple fact is that some babies are biologically ready (and willing) take longer naps much sooner than other babies. Some babies will begin this process of nap consolidation quite early – as early as 4-6 weeks. Other babies will do this much later – more like 5 or 6 months. So if your baby is past the newborn stage, but continues to take mini-naps, understand that some of this may be due to biology.
Of course, you don’t want to spend the next 3 years blaming biology for your little one’s short naps! 😉 So, what’s the cut-off point at which you can consider your baby’s short naps a problem to be solved, and not simply an indication that she’s just not ready for longer naps? Generally, if your baby is less than 6 months old, consider her catnaps normal, and a sign that she’s still figuring out how to nap. After the 6 month mark, though, if your baby is still taking constant catnaps, you can work on improving naps.
Why Does Your Baby Take Short Naps?
So, why do babies who are older than 6 months continue taking short naps? There are several possibilities, including…
- …schedule problems. Ensure that your baby’s daily nap schedule is one that jives well with her sleep needs, and with her bedtime and morning wake-up time. Need help creating a schedule that’s optimized for sleep? Check out our suggested sleep and feeding schedules by age.
- …inconsistency. Unpredictability in the daily routine tends to mess with naps, especially for babies who are sensitive to change. If your baby is napping at different times each day, or in different places, it will be even harder to help her take long restorative naps. If this is a problem in your home, work to establish predictable daily routines, and strive to make sure that naps happen at home, and not naps on-the-go.
- …too much wake time between naps. It may seem like stretching your baby’s wake time will help him take longer naps (since, theoretically, he would be nice and sleepy when nap time rolled around). But the opposite is actually true; keeping your baby awake too long will make him overtired, which will, in turn, make naps even worse. You’ll know your baby is overtired by his cues; if he’s rubbing his eyes, yawning, looking glassy-eyed, and fussing (or possibly wailing), then he is likely overtired.
- …sleep associations. This is probably the biggest reason why babies who are over 6 months take short naps. If your baby still relies on being fed or rocked to sleep, or if your baby needs you to replace the pacifier every time it falls out in order to fall back to sleep, then take this as a sign that your baby doesn’t know how to fall asleep on her own. And if she can’t fall asleep on her own, then when she wakes in between sleep cycles during her nap, she will cry. If sleep associations are a problem for your baby, then it may be time to consider changing those associations through sleep coaching.
Nicole’s Note:
“One of the most misunderstood facts about baby sleep, in my experience, is that waking is not normal. We ALL wake briefly between sleep cycles and a baby’s sleep cycles at nap time will be about 30-45 minutes. The key is not to wake ‘too much’ for something to be replaced such as a bottle, pacifier, breastfeeding, bounce on a yoga ball, etc.”
How To Lengthen Your Baby’s Naps
Short or non-existent baby naps can be so frustrating – but you don’t have to suffer through them! We have a ton of nap resources – and one of those nap resources is our free guide, 7 Common Napping Mistakes. Are you making any of these common nap mistakes? If so, they may be the cause of your baby’s non-napping. So download your free guide today, and start putting the tips to use as early as your baby’s next nap!
Whatever the reason, rest assured that if your baby is past the newborn stage, then short naps are an issue that can be solved.
For even more nap and schedule help, check out these members-only resources, found in our VIP Members Area:
- Mastering Naps and Schedules e-Book (unlimited VIP member access at no extra cost!)
- Custom Schedule-Maker (unlimited access – make as many schedules as you’d like! Includes meal times)
- Nap Transitions tele-seminar with Nicole Johnson
- Short Naps tele-seminar with Nicole Johnson
- How To Put Your Child on a Schedule tele-seminar with Nicole Johnson
- 5 Tips To Manage Nap Transitions [EXPANDED VIP MEMBER-ONLY VERSION]
- 5 Tips For Handling Tough Daycare Nap Schedules [EXPANDED VIP MEMBER-ONLY VERSION]
- Day-by-Day Nap Training Plan
- Downloadable Sleep/Nap Coaching Plan Workbook (learn how to create your own nap coaching plan!)
- Printable Sample Schedule Shifts Forward (great for daylight saving’s time change)
Not a VIP member? Not a problem! Join today, and you’ll receive instant access to our vast online library of sleep coaching resources.
Is your baby taking short naps? How are you working to solve the problem?
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Stephanie Grubb says
Hi! My almost 5 month old sleeps through the night in her crib about 10 hours. In the last week I’ve transitioned her from her swing to her crib for naps. In her swing she would nap anywhere from 45 minutes to 2 hours. Now that she’s in her crib she will only nap for 40 minutes each time! Twice I’ve let her sleep in my arms and she slept for longer. How do I get her to nap longer? These short naps are getting to me!
Debbye @ The Baby Sleep Site says
Hi @Stephanie –
Thank you for writing to us! I am sorry to hear that you are struggling with your baby’s short naps! This is quite common, especially right after moving her to a crib from a swing! Keep encouraging her to fall back to sleep! Short naps are also common at this age, though since she was sleeping longer before the move to the crib, she can likely learn to fall back to sleep in her crib too.
For more help, please consider our Member’s Area for a resource now and as your baby grows! Our Members Area gives you access to all of our ebooks as well as all teleseminar recordings, case studies, and much more!!
You can read more about the Member’s Area here:
https://www.babysleepsite.com/diy/
Good luck, and please feel free to contact us with any further questions!
Clarissa says
Hi!
Not sure if this is even a problem, my 1 year old sleeps pretty much through the night from 7pm-7/8am (depends on when older brother wakes up, they share a room) with one feed at 5am. But she only naps for 45 min once a day from 1pm. If I make her go down for a morning nap she’ll only do 30 min each. She used to take 2x1hour naps before she got sick/teething/ear infection or 1 2 hour nap (so when she’s at 10 months). She is sort of walking. Despite the short naps she still sleeps well at night, overall not cranky though.
Janelle Reid says
Hi @Clarissa, thanks for writing to us. I’m glad your daughter is doing so well at night, but we would like to see her naps lengthen out for you if possible! I suppose there is always an exception to the rule, but we would hope she’d be getting more daytime sleep. Here is a link to a sample toddler schedule so you can see what kind of sleep is needed for a baby her age: https://www.babysleepsite.com/schedules/toddler-schedule/
You may also want to download our free guide with tips to help with naps here: https://www.babysleepsite.com/free-baby-nap-guide/
I hope that helps! If you need more assistance in lengthening her naps, let us know. We have so many other resources that could help you through this.
Emily Lee says
Same. I’ve got a short napper and we are almost 7 months here. He started his short naps around 3 months. It is literally 30 minutes on the dot. I can see on the monitor that he is fully awake and is rolling around in the crib, lifting his head on his tummy time and playing with the crib railings right when he wakes up and this continues for 5 minutes plus until I finally give up watching on the monitor in the hopes that he is going to go back to sleep and just accept that he is awake. He is all smiles and is happy to see me when I take him out of the crib from his short nap. So I can’t say he is tired all the time, but he lets us know If he is deficit on sleep in the evening and so bedtime happens earlier on those days. The only times he naps longer than 30 minutes is if I co-sleep with him. He no longer is dependent on the pacifier…but he seems to nap longer when I’m close. Overall, we have a routine and schedule and if he naps short and wakes up a little earlier then everything just gets shifted by 30 min to an hour back. Just need to know if I should continue hoping that he will nap longer and go back to sleep, or if this is just his rythmn? I dont know how he is supposed to go down to only 1-2 naps a day if his naps are so short.
Janelle Reid says
Hi @Emily Lee, thanks for visiting the Baby Sleep Site. I am sorry to hear your son is struggling with short naps! I do think there is hope that they can stretch out longer, but it may take some time and a plan of action. Here is a link to download a free guide to help give you some tips on naptime: https://www.babysleepsite.com/free-baby-nap-guide/
You may also find that the guide and our free articles on our site aren’t quite enough information since they are more general (which since we are trying to write to a broad range of sleep issues, I’m sure you can understand why it may not go into the specifics of every issue) we do have more in-depth resources you may be interested. We offer resources for a more DIY approach where you can read and implement the information you need, or if you want to take the guesswork out, we also offer one-on-one sleep consulting. You can read about our different options on our website here: https://www.babysleepsite.com/baby-toddler-sleep-consulting-services/
If you have any questions, please feel free to email us directly to [email protected] and we can send you in the direction of more specific resources you may be interested in. Hang in there!
BE says
I’m trying to get my 5 month old on a 3 nap schedule (8-10, 12-1:30, 4). If one of those long naps becomes a short nap, say 12:00-12:30, should I be adding on an additional nap around 2pm or keeping her awake until 4? She is able to stay awake for 4 hours now and then without too much of a fuss but I don’t want to push her too long! She is still waking 2-3 times during the night so I’m trying really hard to push the 3 nap schedule and make it a solid routine.
Janelle Reid says
Hi @BE, thanks for writing to us! It can be challenging in the beginning to get on a good nap schedule so hang in there! Both of my kids didn’t really catch on until closer to 8 months, so I hope you have more success than I did! But I say that just to let you know that you’re not alone if it takes a few months for her to get the hang of it. At this age, if she takes a shorter nap and it’s going to be a super long gap, I would agree with you to not push her too long. Here’s a link to a sample schedule for a 5 month old which will give you the info you need to make sure you don’t stretch it too much: https://www.babysleepsite.com/schedules/5-month-old-baby-schedule/
If you need more help, let us know! We are happy to help. 🙂
Valerie says
I am a frustrated first time mom who can’t get my 6 month old to nap. He has never been good at taking naps and I can’t get him on any sort of a schedule. I have tried everything. I have tracked the times he sleeps for weeks and input it into an excel spreadsheet and there is absolutely no consistency on when he naps. It is at random times all throughout the day, he always fights it, cries and screams at the top of his lungs, and sometimes it takes an hour, and once I get him down, he will only sleep for 30 min. Sometimes I’ve gotten lucky and gotten him to nap for 2 hours. I feel like I catch his cues when he’s tired early, yawning, eye rubbing, etc. He is fussy most of the day, except for right after waking up in the morning. He usually wakes from any bit of nap cranky and immediately starts rubbing his eyes again, but I’m never able to get him back down. His night time sleep is also getting worse. He used to sleep 9.5-10 hours consistently since he was 2.5-3 months old, but now, he is only sleeping 8 hours. The other night it took me 2 hours to get him to bed, and then had to go back in after 10 minutes because he woke again. I know he’s overtired (how can he not be?) with what little sleep he gets. I feel like a terrible mother that I can’t get him to nap, nap long, and on a schedule. I don’t know what else to do, I feel like I’ve tried everything!
Neosha says
@Valerie – Thank you for reading and for sharing with us. I know how frustrating dealing with this type of nap issue can be and how exhausted both you and your little guy must be as a result. Please don’t feel like a terrible mother – you’re out here looking for answers and support to helping your little guy get the sleep that you know he needs. That’s not the hallmark of a terrible mother at all – it’s that of a mom who is willing to do what it takes to help her baby be well-rested and happy, so bravo to you! Our team of sleep consultants have literally worked with thousands of families across the globe on sleep issues just like yours and I know they’d welcome the opportunity to work with you and your son as well. Please consider connecting with one of them whenever you’re ready to get on the road to better sleep -https://www.babysleepsite.com/about Hang in there, Valerie!
Sonya says
Hi, I’m confused. The article about the 6 month schedule says that at that age, they often have 30-45 minute naps during the day but in this article, it says by 5-6 months, they should be able to have longer naps and consolidate naps. Which is it?
Debbye @ The Baby Sleep Site says
Hi @Sonya – Thank you for writing! Schedules can be really tricky at this age, because many 6 month old’s can not stay up past 2 hours to get to the next scheduled nap-time! At this age, it’s likely naps are still on the short side, but come more frequently, as on the 6 month schedule. If your baby is still taking shorter naps, the 6 month schedule should be a good fit, though if those naps are starting to lengthen, which does happen offer at 5-6 months, you can use the 7 month schedule as a reference. Here is a link to all of our free sample schedules by age:
https://www.babysleepsite.com/baby-sleep-feeding-schedules/?utm_source=menu&utm_medium=schedules
Good luck Sonya!
Michelle A says
My 7 month old twins nap for about 35 minutes to 45 mins sometimes. The most time the stay awake between naps is around 2.5 to 3 hours. They tend to wake up tired or cranky. Is this normal or what can i do so they can nap longer. Please help!
Janelle Reid says
Hi @Michelle A, thank you for writing to us! I’m sorry to hear your twin’s have been experiencing short naps. We actually have a free guide available with nap tips. Here is a link to sign up to receive it: https://www.babysleepsite.com/free-baby-nap-guide/
If you are still struggling, you may be interested in our ebook “Mastering Naps and Schedules” which goes more in depth than our articles and free guides. You can read about and purchase the ebook in a variety of packages here: https://www.babysleepsite.com/mastering-naps/
I hope this helps!
Jeneane says
I’m glad to know short naps are common at a young age. My son is 4.5 months old and naps for 30 minutes, unless I’m holding him, then he could nap for hours! Should I be continuing to hold him for one of his naps each day so that he gets enough sleep? Or continue with nap times in the crib? Bed times and night sleeps are a struggle, and I suspect he’s overtired from these short naps.
Janelle Reid says
@Jeneane, Thanks for your comment! I am glad the article was helpful for your situation but am still sorry to hear you’ve been experiencing short naps! If you haven’t yet, you should sign up for our free nap guide that you may find provides some helpful advice: https://www.babysleepsite.com/free-baby-nap-guide/
If he is continually overtired from his short naps and you need help getting him to sleep longer stretches independently, I think you would benefit from working with one of our sleep consultants so they can give you personalized advise for your specific situation. You can email us directly to find what may be the best fit for your situation: https://www.babysleepsite.com/contact
Hang in there and I hope you get some longer naps soon!
Emily DeJeu says
@ Emm — oh, I totally know how you feel. Is your daughter your first baby? I remember so well being completely overwhelmed by my oldest son’s weird sleep cycles when he was a newborn — he was a catnapper, too, and there was just no rhyme or reason to his nightwaking. It made me crazy trying to figure it out!
You’re right — this is considered very normal for a newborn. But you’re also right when you point out that just because it’s normal doesn’t make it easy!! Have you considered doing a personalized consultation with us? We recently developed a sleep plan template that’s specifically for newborns. This means that you could purchase any of our consultation packages (found here: https://www.babysleepsite.com/baby-toddler-sleep-consulting-services/) and get advice that’s tailored to your newborn.
We also have a new e-book, Essential Keys to Your Newborn’s Sleep. The bundle comes with a lot of newborn info, as well as a Basic E-mail consultation. You can read more about the newborn book bundle here: https://www.babysleepsite.com/essential-keys-to-your-newborns-sleep/
Hope these resources help, Emm! Feel free to reach out and ask further questions via the comments, or by contacting as at info (at) babysleepsite (dot) com.
Thanks for commenting! 🙂
Emm says
I can see that apparently its very normal for babies under 6 months to catnap but this doesnt make it any easier to cope with on a day to day basis.
Our daughter is just 7 weeks old and catnaps frequently during the day, most days. My issues are that she ends up getting little sleep overall, around 10/11 hours per 24, and I dont know what to do with her when she wakes so soon. I really try to pick her tired signs and get her down for her naps asap. Still she takes a while to settle to sleep and then she wakes half an hour later. She often doesnt cry when she wakes and seems very awake! But then what? Do I try to resettle, how long do I keep trying for? When do I give up and get her up? If I get her up, what do I do with her? Do I try to get her back to sleep after some awake time? (this hasnt worked so far). I dont want to feed her more than 3 hourly or she feeds poorly and then we end up in a snacking/catnapping cycle. But I cant give her 2 hours of activity can I? I don’t know, I’m totally lost!