Why Won’t Baby Nap in the Crib?

There are usually a few reasons a baby won’t nap in their crib. Here are the top reasons:

Baby Only Sleeps in Arms

Many babies only want to sleep in your arms or chest. They were in your womb for many months and want to mimic that same safe environment. This is why babies love swaddling!

Baby Likes Movement

If your baby likes to be rocked to sleep or in a carrier, they may prefer to be moving when they sleep. Once you get them to sleep and lay them in the crib, they are no longer moving and can’t seem to stay asleep!

Baby Doesn’t Like to Sleep on Their Back

Your baby may not like sleeping flat on their back. Instead, your baby might prefer stomach sleeping or side sleeping. However, that’s not considered safe! You should always try to put your baby on their back to sleep, if possible. Be sure to follow all of the safe sleep tips.

Baby Takes a Short Nap Then Wakes Up

Your baby may sleep in the crib for a little while but then wakes up after a short nap! This is extremely common and usually, related to how they’ve gone to sleep in the first place. They don’t know how to go into the next sleep cycle without your help. We call these sleep associations

You May Also Be Interested In…

• 7 Common Napping Mistakes – Are you doing them?
• 7 Reasons Your Baby Won’t Nap
• How to Handle Baby Standing in the Crib

When to Start Naps in the Crib

When you have a newborn, typically, you’d have your baby nap in the common area so you can tend to them quickly. This is true especially if you’re still recovering from delivery. As your baby becomes more aware of the world, though, naps in the common area can be disruptive.

Therefore, it’s a good idea to start naps in the crib around 8-12 weeks old to 6 months old. It’s often easier to work on naps in the crib before they can sit up and/or stand up.

If your baby is older than this, it’s never too late to try to get them to nap in the crib! However, it often gets significantly harder at 18 months old or older.

How to Get Baby to Nap in the Crib – 5 Tips

Getting your baby to nap in the crib will take effort but since your baby will nap until 3 to 4 years old, on average, the effort is WELL worth it!

I work with parents a lot who don’t mind holding the baby the first few weeks or even the first few months. But, once your baby gets heavier, the newness of having a new baby wears off a bit, you have more to do around the house, your baby becomes mobile, etc. it becomes very difficult to sit for long periods of time holding the baby. And, every mama could use a break sometimes!

Don’t feel bad if you want your baby to nap in the crib. In most cases, it will pay off for both of you! They will be more rested and you will have a little time to do chores, work, or take a break.

Here are 5 tips to get baby to nap in the crib:

1. Spend Awake Time in the Crib

I know you want your baby to sleep in the crib but we have to start somewhere. First, get your baby used to the crib during awake playtime. You don’t want the crib to be a “foreign” place. In fact, you want it to be a comforting, welcoming place!

You can consider a crib mobile but consider some are meant to stimulate and some are meant to soothe. Be sure to buy the right kind of mobile to promote sleep and napping!

Also, be mindful that too much downtime in the crib can have the opposite problem. Your baby might equate the crib with playtime or, worse, cause insomnia or difficulty sleeping.

I recommend you spend around 8-10 minutes of awake time in the crib at least 2-3 times a day when you’re first starting out. Once your baby is napping in the crib, it is not usually necessary to continue doing playtime in the crib. But, of course, it doesn’t hurt either!

If your baby cries when placed in the crib, start with just 1-2 minutes at a time and work your way up. Be sure to interact with your baby by playing peek-a-boo, singing upbeat children’s songs, and just being silly sometimes!

2. Consider Swaddling

I can’t tell you how many parents come to me and say they are swaddling their baby at night but not during the day. They are worried about confusing the baby between day and night sleep. And, this is a reasonable worry! Newborns do have day / night confusion for several weeks until it’s sorted out.

However, once it is sorted out, your baby generally can’t confuse day and night even if they tried! Our circadian rhythms (aka internal clocks) handle all of that.

So, if your baby is younger than 6 months old, consider swaddling your baby for a bit longer even at nap time and especially if they still have a strong moro reflex.

3. Put Baby in the Crib Asleep

Another “baby step” (pun intended) you can try is putting your baby in the crib already asleep. If you are rocking or feeding your baby to sleep, for example, do so, and then wait approximately 10 minutes until you can lift their arm and it drops down like a log. No resistance or your baby “catching it.”

Once they are asleep, put them down gently into the crib, feet touching first and at an angle, so you don’t activate the feeling of falling. Once laid down, put a hand on them gently to make sure they stay asleep. If necessary, pat or rub them gently while shushing to keep them asleep.

4. Create a Nap Sleep Routine

Most people create a bedtime routine fairly early but don’t think about creating a routine for naptime. But, a nap routine can prepare your baby for sleep just as it does at night!

Nap sleep routines, however, should not be very long. They are usually approximately 5-10 minutes long, possibly a little longer if your baby’s schedule is set to have a feeding before naps rather than a more customary eat-play-sleep routine.

Your nap routine can be simple. Here is an example:

1. Go to the nursery and close the blinds/curtains.
2. Change your baby’s diaper (if applicable.)
3. Read 1 or 2 board books.
4. Turn on the white noise and turn off the light.
5. Hum or sing while swaying or rocking for 3-5 minutes.
6. Lay your baby down in the crib.

If your baby cries when being put in the crib, we’ll work on that in a step below, don’t worry!

5. Start Sleep Training

If you put your baby all the way to sleep, put them in the crib, and they take great naps, there’s nothing you need to change!

However, if your baby wakes up as soon as you put them down to sleep and/or takes a short nap, then you typically need to change the end of the routine and put baby down AWAKE. Again, this is due to sleep associations that I mentioned above. If your baby needs your help to fall asleep, they will struggle to go BACK to sleep without help. That can lead to short naps or skipping naps altogether.

If your baby cries when put in the crib awake, I know this can be troubling. Change can be hard for all of us and we don’t blame them! But, just like all people, we can adapt to a new way of doing something with enough time and practice.

When your baby is crying, your intuition is to fix it right away. Understandable!

Even if your baby is unhappy about changing your routine of putting them down awake, you can help them see this as their new “normal” in no time.

Nap training generally takes approximately 2 weeks of sleep training to accomplish with the first 4-5 days usually being the hardest. Once your baby has a few successful naps in the crib, they will see it’s not as bad as they thought!

Keep in mind that people often equate “sleep training” with “cry it out” but that couldn’t be further from the truth. There are gentle ways to teach your baby to sleep on their own (see below). It just takes some time and effort on your part.

Consistency is key as with any new habit you’re trying to make. We have hundreds of articles on this site about getting better sleep for your baby. If you’re ready to bypass a bunch more reading, consider buying Mastering Naps & Schedules with over 40 sample schedules for your little one. Or, feel free to continue reading more about naps on our blog.

You May Also Be Interested In…

• When to Stop Swaddling and 3 Easier Ways to Transition
• Will Crib Toys Ruin Your Baby’s Sleep?
• Cry It Out for Naps? Here’s What You Need to Know
• Gentle Sleep Training + 5 Strategies

The post Baby Won’t Nap in Crib? 5 Tips to Get Baby to Nap in the Crib and When appeared first on The Baby Sleep Site - Baby / Toddler Sleep Consultants.

Sleep is huge for new parents of multiples. We all know the challenges of a new baby who is awake around the clock, but two at a time! Let’s just set the coffee pot on continuous brew, shall we? Although sleep can be difficult for new twin parents, good sleep in your house is possible.

We all know that sleep is wonderful for healthy growth and development, but how do we get good sleep? Instead of looking at sleep (or lack thereof) as something that just happens to you, let’s try viewing it as a habit to work on. While some babies seem born to sleep, some may need more practice. Some may require a long nap each day, some, no nap at all at certain stages. Chalk it up to temperament. Lucky for you, twin parents usually take a more proactive approach to sleep because of their circumstances. You may find you establish good habits and are in tune with your babies much earlier on because of your lucky twinning odds. Without further ado, here are some top tips to help your little glowworms nap happy.

Tip 1: Create a Napmosphere (Nap Atmosphere)

Put yourself in your babies’ tiny shoes for a moment. If you had the luxury of a good nap in the middle of the day, what would make it enjoyable? Lights down? Soft music? Your twinzies are probably thinking the same thing. Create a sleep atmosphere that is conducive to sleep. Does your nursery get sunny during the day? Try black out shades on the windows to help keep it dim and calm. How about the temperature? Ensure it is not too hot, not too cold, but just right for sleepy time. Some background noise can also be helpful for some babies when the sounds of the day (or their twin) interfere with a good snooze.

Tip 2: Run With a Good Routine

How you structure your day can greatly impact naptime. Try to regularly “start” your day (even if you are still operating on a 24 hour clock) at around the same time. During wakeful periods in your routine, try to provide sufficient stimulation to encourage a developmentally appropriate for their age. For the sleep deprived twin parent, setting up your living room with a Baby Workout Circuit is quite common! When choosing your gear, think about what type of stimulation each station provides and balance it with touch time, and food time. Meeting all these basic needs helps set the stage for a good nap to follow.

For some parents, cabin fever—particularly if you endured bed rest like many twin mamas out there—and your routine may benefit from scheduled outings and social activities. Others may have older kids to manage and their schedules may largely dictate your plans for the day. Either way, make your best efforts to ensure you are not over committed to a schedule that makes napping difficult. Prioritizing sleep in your routine may make your day go a whole lot smoother.

Tips 3: Separate Sleep Can Be Good Sleep

You heard a whimper. You’re up! Damn your baby cells that make it impossible to get a good REM. However, don’t underestimate how much racket your twins can actually learn to sleep through. If you are prematurely curbing Baby A’s whimpers with the hope Baby B doesn’t wake, your tactics may backfire down the road. If your twins are sharing a nursery, consider white noise that is loud enough to neutralize those whimpers for the sibling. Yet if your twins really are struggling to nap together—space permitting—you may consider temporarily separating them for naps for the sake of everyone’s sanity. Consider what alternative spaces you have in your home, and it could be as simple as a pack-n-play set up in a mater closet with air circulation or a guest bedroom.

Tip 4: Be a Team and Stay Flexible

Routines are a powerful tool. While a good routine is useful, understand that it is just that – a routine. Don’t be a slave to your routine, rather make it work for you. If your son consistently gets drowsy 30 minutes before you plan for nap, be flexible. It may be helpful for him to stick to your schedule as best he can, but provide some wiggle room so that adjustments can be made as necessary to ensure that everyone is getting good rest. Try your best to read your babies sleep cues and get them down when they are tired, not overtired. Trust your gut and adjust the flow of your day accordingly.

Tip 5: Recognize the Stages and Ages

One of the most frustrating things about parenting in the early stages is how quickly things change. Four months in, everyone is rocking two naps a day and getting good nighttime sleep. Suddenly, out of nowhere, morning nap is a disaster and everyone is cranky all the time. Needs shift over time and will continue to as they grow and reach new ages and stages. The more prepared you are mentally for these shifts, the better you will handle them and reach your new normal for that stage. You cannot always control what happens, but you can control how you react to it. Be gentle with yourself and your babies, and remember that you are guiding them, stage by stage. Work with them, not against them and you will get through it.


About the Author
Out-of-the-box thinker, Krystal Workman, gets creative under stress…and life with twins happens to be full of it! In order to soothe her crying babies while alone, Krystal invented the first ergonomic twin baby carrier—TwinGo Carrier—to cuddle both her babies at the same time. TwinGo now empowers thousands of parents worldwide to keep their babies close. As former President of one of the largest twins clubs in the USA, Krystal assists new parents with babywearing, breastfeeding, sleep coaching, healthy routines, and positive discipline. You can get more twin-related information on the TwinGo Blog.

The post 5 Nap Tips for Twins From the Land of Nod appeared first on The Baby Sleep Site - Baby / Toddler Sleep Consultants.

Picture this. You’ve just settled into a nice, predictable daytime sleep schedule, you’re feeling good about life, and then, before you know it, your baby gets a little older and blows your perfectly-crafted routine to pieces.

I’m positive a lot of you know exactly what I’m talking about (even those of you who’ve never been able to establish a nap schedule.) The first few years of a child’s life are full of changes, and those changes add up to mean ever-shifting sleep patterns and schedules.

This is really apparent when you consider a child’s typical nap schedule from birth to toddlerhood. Newborn babies take 5 or more naps each day; by 18 months, toddlers are taking one nap. That’s a lot of change! And transitioning between all those nap schedules can be a huge headache for little ones and for their parents.

Read on to learn more about how to spot a coming nap transition!

Common Nap Transitions: When They Happen

There’s no blueprint, of course, that’ll let you know exactly when your baby or toddler is due for a nap transition. However, here’s a general timeline that most babies and toddlers follow:

• From 1-4 months, the number of naps your baby takes will be variable, but will hover around 4-5 naps per day, depending on how long his naps are and how long he can stay up between naps.
• By 3 or 4 months old, she will lean towards just 4 naps, rather than 5.
• From 5-8 months, most babies will have three naps per day. They will start to resist the fourth nap, no matter how tired they are. There are a few babies who will only have two naps at a very young age, but those naps are usually long.
• From 9-15 or 18 months, on average, your baby will nap two times a day. Although many people believe most babies can transition to one nap at 12 months, the average age is actually 15 to 18 months.
• From 18 months to 4 years, toddlers nap once a day. The age to transition away from all napping varies a lot, from 2 to 5+ years old, but the average age is between 3 and 4 years old.

The early nap transitions (from five, to four, to three) usually happen quickly and aren’t as problematic. It’s the other nap transitions (from three, to two, to one, to none) that tend to frustrate parents. Those nap transitions take longer, for one thing (my middle son has been transitioning from one nap to none for the past YEAR), and they seem to affect children more noticeably.

Common Nap Transitions: How To Tell If One’s On The Way

How will your baby or toddler let you know that a nap transition is coming? Here are a few signs to look for:

• The timing of your baby’s or toddler’s naps begins to change: Before a nap transition, the schedule generally goes crazy. Naptime goes from being predictable to being all over the place. This can interfere with nighttime sleep, too — if the afternoon nap doesn’t happen until late afternoon or early evening, for example, it can interfere with bedtime.
• Your baby or toddler begins consistently refusing a nap: Most parents find that their little one suddenly starts refusing a nap (usually an afternoon one) that, just yesterday, they agreed to without a problem.
• The length of your baby’s or toddler’s naps begins to change. You may notice that one or more of your little one’s naps are suddenly much shorter than normal. This can be a sign that your baby or toddler is getting ready to drop a nap.

Can You Make Nap Transitions Easier?

For some babies and toddlers (especially those who are highly adaptable), nap transitions are a piece of cake — they only take a few days. If that’s the case in your home, then a sort of “cold turkey” approach to nap transitions might work well. Simply cut out a nap, re-vamp the schedule, and endure a few fussy days.

For others, though, nap transitions are difficult and loooong. If your baby or toddler is in that second category, you’d probably appreciate some suggestions as to how to make those transitions a bit easier, right?

We hear you. That’s why we’ve included so many nap-focused resources in our VIP Members Area. Check them out below!

Mastering Naps & Schedules — For starters, all Baby Sleep Site^® VIP Members receive unlimited access to all our e-Books. That’s right – for the price of your membership, you can read all our e-Books at no additional cost! That includes Mastering Naps & Schedules. With over 45 sample schedules (all available for you to view in the Members Area), Mastering Naps & Schedules is THE e-Book for tired parents of non-napping kiddos! We tackle all your top napping issues, including how to get your baby or toddler to take longer naps, how to get your child’s naps to be more consistent and predictable, how to manage nap transitions, how to encourage good napping while traveling – and more! Become a VIP member today, and access the e-Book instantly – no download necessary!
 
Nap Tele-Seminars — Another great members-only resource? Our tele-seminars. Hosted by Nicole Johnson herself, these 30-minute tele-seminars offer you insider-information and our trademark sleep coaching methods and techniques. And guess what? We have a special tele-seminar that’s completely focused on managing nap transitions. That’s right – as a member, you will have access to a 30 – 45-minute coaching session with Nicole herself! She’ll walk you through the basics of navigating nap transitions without destroying your existing daytime schedule, or ruining night sleep.

Members-Only Nap Articles — And now, we’ve recently added a special members-only article on this very topic: 5 Practical, Hands-On Tips For Managing Common Nap Transitions. Learn our 5 top secrets for how to gently and painlessly navigate nap transitions, and help them happen in a way that preserves your child’s sleep while also preserving your own sanity! 😉

For more details about all our VIP Members Area benefits (including weekly chats with a trained sleep consultant and and “Ask the Author” feature), visit our DIY VIP Members Area page, and consider becoming a VIP Member today!

No matter how you decide to handle a nap transition, the first step is to be aware of any nap transitions that are coming your way. Once you know the signs of a nap transition, and are prepared for the scheduling chaos they can create, you’ll be able to plan for how you’re going to get through the transition itself.

How have you handled nap transitions with your baby or toddler?

The post Quick Tip: How To Tell If A Nap Transition Is Approaching appeared first on The Baby Sleep Site - Baby / Toddler Sleep Consultants.

All babies sleep in the car! At least, that’s what I was told as a new mom. The problem was, neither of my daughters got that memo! They weren’t lulled to peaceful dreamland by the soft hum of my ’08 Toyota. Instead, both babies would stay awake and cry, as they got more and more overtired. The well-meaning comments by other parents that my daughters should be able to sleep in the car drove me batty! What was wrong with them or me or our car seat, etc, etc, etc? Having a baby who doesn’t sleep in the car can definitely add to the feelings of isolation that being a new parent sometimes brings. If your baby has trouble sleeping in the car (either difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep), just know that you are not alone.

Both of my girls struggled to sleep in the car as babies. My oldest would fall asleep and startle herself awake 3 minutes later. She’d get a total of an interrupted 10-minute nap and was pretty cranky afterward. On her one year birthday, my husband and I decided to take a 16-hour car trip home to visit our families and celebrate with them. We decided we would drive through the night because surely every baby sleeps in the car! Two hours into the drive with a screaming, non-sleeping baby and a very stressed mommy, we changed course and stopped in the Smokey Mountains for an impromptu weekend stay. We ended up having a great time, even though it was super disappointing not being with our family for her birthday.

I’m happy to report that my oldest daughter is now 3 and will happily take a 1 hour nap in the car. She thinks it’s fun and an adventure to sleep while we are driving someplace. When my younger daughter was born, I thought, for sure, I couldn’t have two children who wouldn’t nap in the car. That was true until she hit the 4-month sleep regression and refused to sleep while driving. Just this past October, we took a 7-hour trip to see my dad and she took two out of her three naps in the car. It took a lot of work, trial and error, and the occasional missed nap, but both girls now sleep well in the car.

Here are 5 tips that I have learned that helped my 2 children become better car nappers:

• If possible, give the first nap at home- The first nap of the day is considered the most restorative, so if your timing allows, let your baby take her first nap at home in her bed. This nap often sets the stage for the rest of the day. Then, if going on a trip, hit the road right when she wakes.
• Allow time to fall to sleep- 30 minutes before you want your baby/toddler to be asleep, pull over and do your sleepy-time routine, including a feeding (if needed). Try to be back on the road driving 20 or so minutes before you want him to be asleep, so there is plenty of time to unwind and fall asleep before becoming overtired.
• Bring familiar things for her nap- Having your baby/toddler’s lovey, special blanket, a portable sound machine (I use an app on my phone), pajamas, etc, can really make falling asleep in the car more comforting to her. These items, in addition to carrying out a mini-nap routine, will help cue her that it’s sleepy time.
• Help with startling- Some babies will fall asleep in the car but then wake shortly after from startling, even when the Moro startle reflex is gone. After trial and error, you’ll find if your baby does better falling to sleep with no one in the backseat with him, or if he does better when someone is sitting next to him. If your baby prefers you being there (my youngest daughter wanted me next to her), you can wrap a blanket tightly around his body and arms and lay your arm over him. In desperation on one trip, I even put a light children’s book over my daughter’s arms to prevent her from startling, and it worked! Of course, if you try something like this, you want to be sure it’s small and lightweight for safety reasons and, preferably, that someone is constantly monitoring baby while she’s sleeping.
• Block the light- Consider a SnoozeShade! They help block out the sun and make it darker in your baby’s car seat. This works well for bucket seats. Use The Baby Sleep Site’s Coupon Code BABYSLEEP10 for 10% OFF!

If you decide to try to help your non-car-napping baby/toddler learn to sleep in the car, just remember that it will likely take time, patience, and some trial and error. Of course, we’re always here if you find you need more support, tips or another perspective.  And, be sure to NEVER leave your baby unattended sleeping in the car seat as that is unsafe. Some children, unfortunately, never get good at sleeping in the car. However, many babies can learn this skill (even if it’s not perfect, at first). With my older daughter when she was learning to car nap, we would give her a half-hour to fall asleep and, if she wasn’t sleeping at that point, we’d pull over to a park and nap her in our arms or the carrier. With time, we were needing to pull over less and less frequently. Some children outgrow their resistance to car naps as they get older, so don’t be afraid to try it again a couple of weeks down the road. If your baby ends up missing a nap, just make sure to offer an earlier bedtime that night…and know that this too shall pass. So, hang in there!

Do you have a baby who doesn’t/wouldn’t sleep in the car? What tips have you tried that helped? We’d love to hear them!

The post 5 Tips to Getting Your Baby to Nap in the Car appeared first on The Baby Sleep Site - Baby / Toddler Sleep Consultants.

Babies need naps. Let’s be clear about that. Naps are not optional, naps are not “bonus” sleep sessions….naps are necessary for proper infant growth and development. That said – try telling that to your baby! Even the best nighttime sleeper can be a prizewinning “nap fighter”. Knowing your child needs naps, and doing all in your power to ensure that she gets them, doesn’t always mean that your child really WILL nap.

So why does your baby fight naps, and what can you do about it? Read on for tips!

4 Reasons Your Baby Fights Naps

1. Your baby is overtired

This is hands-down the most common reason why your baby is fighting sleep. Simply put, a baby becomes overtired when you miss his “sleep window” (that moment when he’s drowsy enough to fall asleep fairly quickly, but not so tired that he’s begun crying) and put him down for a nap or for bed too late. It sounds odd, I know, but babies really can become too tired to fall asleep easily.

2. Your baby isn’t tired enough for sleep

This is less common, but still a reality in some cases – especially for toddlers. If your baby is fighting sleep, rewind and think about how much wake time your child has had. While younger babies definitely need short wake times throughout the day, most toddlers are capable of much longer wake time. In our experience, a toddler who’s fighting sleep may very well not be tired enough to sleep.

3. Your baby’s napping area isn’t “sleepy” enough

Prime your baby for better nap sleep by ensuring that the napping area is nice and dim, and that you are blocking out any ambient noise that may wake your baby. Blackout blinds and white noise machines can really help to create a great napping environment.

4. Your baby is ready to drop a nap

Now this one isn’t a given, but some babies start fighting naps in particular if they are preparing to drop a nap. You may find that your child fights the last nap of the day (which can in turn affect other naps over the next several days). If you think your child may be ready to transition to fewer naps, check out this article about dealing with common nap transitions.

How To Help Your Nap-Fighting Baby Nap Peacefully

How you address your baby’s nap fighting depends entirely on WHY your baby is fighting naps, so be sure to use the reasons above to pin down exactly what’s causing this issue. Once you know the cause, utilize the following tips:

• If your child isn’t tired enough at napt ime, consider a new nap schedule. You may need to either adjust the timing of naps, or you may need to transition your child to fewer naps.
• If your child is overtired at naptime, consider moving bedtime earlier and adjusting the timing of naps. Additionally, you may need to add in a catnap during the day, particularly if your child is in the midst of a nap transition.
• If you’ve addressed every underlying cause of nap fighting, and your child still isn’t napping properly, then you you may have sleep associations to address. If that’s the case, then you’ll need to work on helping your child learn to fall asleep unassisted; in other words, you’ll need to sleep train. And we can certainly help with that! Scroll down to learn more.

Have a nap fighter on your hands? Scroll down to hare your story and ask questions – we’ll answer!

The post 4 Reasons Your Baby Is Fighting Naps appeared first on The Baby Sleep Site - Baby / Toddler Sleep Consultants.

Vikki and her husband know a thing or two about nap frustrations – their daughter Lyla started out as a champion napper, but by the time Lyla was 10 months old, nap time had become a nightmare for the whole family.

Fortunately, Vikki was able to change all that, thanks to a consultation with The Baby Sleep Site^® Read on, and hear from Vikki herself about how her consultation completely changed her daughter’s naps!

A Personal Account of Nap Training – Vikki’s Nap Coaching Story

My daughter Lyla never went down easy at bedtime, but naps were another story. Lyla loved her crib. She was a superstar napper! Best in town! We’d read a book and she’d fall asleep on me in minutes. I’d put her chubby baby body in her crib and have an hour or so to do what I wanted. It was heaven. Bliss. Nirvana. Especially because, as you may remember from my last post about sticking with sleep training, Lyla brawled with sleep like a prizefighter, so we were getting no sleep overnight.

As Lyla got older and her objections to bedtime got worse and worse, her naps went to the dark side. By ten months, we were aiming for two 60-minute naps a day. I was spending hours trying to get her to sleep FOR EACH HOUR-LONG NAP. The effort did not match the outcome. Lyla wanted nothing to do with sleep, day or night.

By the time I contacted The Baby Sleep Site^®, Lyla was beyond exhausted all the time. I was frustrated that I couldn’t help my baby sleep. And I was tired. So very, very tired. No one in my house was happy.

My consultant Jen suggested we work on bedtime and overnights first, and then work on naps, as overnight sleep and nap sleep are controlled by different parts of the brain. Made sense to me! I just wanted to get Lyla some peaceful rest at SOME point in a 24-hour period! As I mentioned last time, it took about a week to see progress at bedtime, and a little longer on overnights, but things did start to get better. What was crazy, though, was that naps were getting worse. Lyla’s objection to naptime was so severe that we’d skip naps because she fought so hard for so long at each one. As you’ve probably experienced, skipping naps can lead to an overtired baby and really tough bedtimes. At least it did for us. We were getting to a really good place at bedtime and Lyla even started sleeping through the night a few nights a week. I didn’t want to risk losing the progress we made at night so I knew I had to make a change at naptime.

Even though we were only about halfway through the nighttime part of the Personalized Sleep Plan™, I started working on naps. I incorporated what my consultant outlined for an approach and actually utilized some of the overnight tactics for naps. And, eureka! We had daytime sleep. Because we were getting into a rhythm at night, Lyla understood better what we were asking her to do during the day. She would still object a bit but understand that she had to go to sleep.

Nap Training: Get Support, and Find What Works For You

I think the key for naps is finding what works for you AND your baby. Your sleep training solution needs to be fluid enough that you can augment it when necessary, and supported enough that when you do, you have help and feedback. I knew I needed to make a change, and my consultant Jen worked with me to figure out how to implement it. Remember, it’s okay to ask for help – you don’t have to be alone on this sleep mission.

I know at times it seems like nothing is going to help baby sleep at naptime. But it will. Today, Lyla is fifteen months old, and I have a (still) chubby baby girl who has returned to her previous title as the best napper in town. It didn’t happen overnight, and we still have hiccups, but I try to find what works.

We still have sleep struggles, and I think we always will, as sleep is not high on Lyla’s list of priorities. But when I think of how we went from a baby who couldn’t calm down enough to sleep day or night to a little lady who lies down and goes right to sleep most of the time, I get teary (read: I sob with joy).

To all you sleepless mamas out there: this sleep thing is hard. Hard on them. Hard on you. But believe, my fellow sleepy mommies, that there is a solution to helping your baby sleep during naps. Develop a game plan, but don’t be afraid to make changes while you’re on the field. Oh – and get help from a consultant! And don’t forget – you can do this! Naps will happen! You just have to find what works for you and baby. And you will.

Nap Training Resources That You Need To Succeed

The key to Vikki’s nap training success? A personalized sleep consultation from The Baby Seep Site^®. It wasn’t until she received her Personalized Sleep Plan™, and worked closely with Jen, her consultant, that Vikki finally saw meaningful results. And you can see results like that, too. Our team of consultants is standing by, ready to create a unique Personalized Sleep Plan™ just for you, that’s tailored to meet your baby’s needs, and that will suit your child’s personality.

Here’s how to get started: first, check out our sleep consulting packages and see which one looks like a good fit for you.

Then, connect with your consultant, and that’s it! You’ll have the expert help and caring support you need to finally get your baby or toddler napping peacefully and consistently.

Naps are tough – Do you have any nap coaching tips to offer? We LOVE hearing from you – share your wisdom with us!

The post What Vikki Wants You To Know About Nap Training appeared first on The Baby Sleep Site - Baby / Toddler Sleep Consultants.

Baby Won’t Nap? Nap time is, without a doubt, a tired parent’s favorite time of day. Baby goes down for a much-need snooze, leaving mom and dad time to have some much-needed “me time”.

But of course, in order for your baby’s nap time to be a favorite time of day, your baby has to actually, you know, TAKE A NAP. And therein lies the problem, for many parents!

So many of you have written to us over the years, letting us know that your baby won’t nap, and you are at a loss as to why. Baby is tired? Check. Baby is settled in the crib after nap time routine? Check. Baby not sleeping? ACK – check!

But why? Why is it that your baby won’t sleep, especially when you’ve tried everything? Odds are, your baby won’t nap for one of the 7 reasons listed below.

Baby Won’t Nap? Here Are 7 Possible Reasons Why:

1. Under-tired
2. Over-tired
3. Lack of Routine
4. Environment
5. Developmental
6. Hungry
7. Sleep Associations

More Details On These Reasons Why Baby Won’t Sleep at Nap Time…

1. Your baby may not be tired enough to nap (or under-tired).

   Well, this one just makes sense, right? Even if you think it’s nap time if your baby is feeling wide-awake and energized, then she may not agree with you! So why might your baby not be tired enough to take a restorative nap? Take a close look at your baby’s sleep and feeding schedule. Is nap time coming too close to your baby’s morning wake-up time, or too close to the last nap time? As your baby grows, she will need more and more awake time between periods of sleep.
    

2. Baby may be too tired to nap (or over-tired).

   I know, I know…how can ‘too tired’ be a problem? Well, it’s true – a baby who is overly-tired actually has a harder time falling asleep and staying asleep than a baby who is well-rested. If your baby recently missed a nap, for example, or had lots of interrupted night sleep, or a too-late bedtime the night before, or was up way too early this morning, it may very well be that your baby is overly tired, and that’s why he’s not napping well. The key to preventing over-tiredness is a great schedule – be sure your daily schedule isn’t stretching your baby’s awake time past what he’s capable of.
    

3. Your baby doesn’t know it’s time to nap.

   Your baby can’t really consult her watch, after all ;). And really, just like you need to know that it’s time to sleep in order to settle into bed and begin getting drowsy, your baby does, too. So how can you signal to your baby that it’s time to settle down and nap? By creating and then consistently doing a pre-nap routine! Similar to a bedtime routine, a nap time routine signals to your baby that nap time is approaching. A nap routine should be shorter than a bedtime routine. And, it should be soothing and calming enough to wind down even the most spirited baby. Just be sure that whatever you do for your nap time routine, you do it consistently at every nap – that’s how it will become routine for your baby, and consequently, that’s how it will begin to help your baby settle down and nap when she is supposed to.
    

4. Your baby isn’t in a “sleepy” environment.

   Where is your baby not napping, exactly? Is it in a darkened room, with some gentle white noise in the background? Or is it in the backseat of your brightly-lit car? Or in the stroller, in the middle of a crowded store? Or in your arms, in a noisy room? While newborns may be able to conk out and sleep just about anywhere, in any position, older babies and toddlers need a sleep-inducing environment that’s fairly quiet, dim, and calm, in order to sleep well.
    

5. Your baby is in the midst of a nap transition or developmental leap.

   Take comfort – this one has nothing to do with you! And this may very well be why some of you who know you are doing everything “right” are still struggling with naps. One common sign that a nap transition is approaching is that your baby will start to skip a nap off and on (usually the last nap of the day). And when your baby does take that nap, it may be more of a catnap than a long, restful nap. Similarly, your baby may be in the midst of a sleep regression (like the 4 month sleep regression, or the 8/9/10 month regression), and that may be the cause of the nap issues.
    

6. Your baby is too hungry to nap.

   Many of us who are “sleep-obsessed” (and hey, that describes all of us who work at The Baby Sleep Site^®) immediately jump to schedule and sleep-habit reasons when we are faced with sleep problems. But guess what? Sleep issues are often caused by a hungry tummy! Check your baby’s nap schedule, and then see how it’s lining up with her feeding schedule. Is your baby’s nap falling in the middle of what should be a feeding? Most of the time, it’s a good idea to feed your baby shortly before a nap (although not right before – you want a little time to burp your baby and let the food digest, particularly if your baby is prone to reflux).
    

7. Your baby doesn’t know how to fall asleep (and stay asleep) at nap time.

   So this one may catch you by surprise – it seems odd that a baby might not know how to fall asleep, right? Isn’t falling asleep just something that happens? Well, no, not really – knowing how to lie down, become drowsy, and fall asleep in a sleep space is actually a learned skill. If you want your baby to nap independently, in his own sleep space, then your baby will need to know how to do that. And if your baby is heavily reliant on YOU to fall asleep, because he has sleep associations that involve things like breastfeeding, or being rocked and held by you, then you may need to help your baby learn how to fall asleep with less help. And this, parents, is where Mastering Naps comes into play.

Nap questions or tips? We love hearing from you! Scroll down to ask questions, to share your story, and to hear from other parents just like you!

The post Baby Won’t Nap? Here Are 7 Reasons Why (#7 Is Surprising!) appeared first on The Baby Sleep Site - Baby / Toddler Sleep Consultants.

Naps that are too short, or naps that are erratic and don’t follow any kind of predictable pattern, can sure get a parent down. It’s especially frustrating when your baby or toddler has been napping well but then naps suddenly go into a tailspin. (Hint – this often happens during a sleep regression, or during a nap transition.)

If you’re struggling with erratic or shortened naps, don’t worry – we can help! In today’s article, we offer 10 quick tips that you can put to use right now in order to help your baby or toddler nap better.

10 Naptime Tips You Can Put To Use Today

1. Watch for sleep cues. Yawns, rubbing eyes, staring vacantly – these are all signs that it may be time for a nap. If your baby starts fussing, she’s already overtired – work to put her down a little more quickly next time. (Note that sleepy cues are great in the first 6 months or so, but after that, you can start to watch the clock a bit more to determine when it’s nap time.)
2. Remember that skipping naps does not equal better sleep! Missed naps lead to more missed naps (even though it seems counterintuitive). What’s more, if your baby or toddler has skipped a nap during the day, you may need to offer an earlier bedtime to compensate.
3. If your baby is simply refusing a nap, that’s okay – take a break and try again later. You don’t want to push a nap for too long; often, it’s best to take a break and do an activity, and then to try again “fresh” later.
4. TV and sleep DO NOT MIX, so avoid using the TV as a pre-nap time tool to calm your child. What’s more, too much TV time can lead to less nap time sleep (or even missed naps), so keep your little one’s TV exposure to a minimum, and make sure that TV time happens well before, or well after, nap time.
5. The right schedule is key – naps need to be spaced out around feeding times, and naps can’t happen too close to morning wake-up time or bedtime. Need a good, age-appropriate schedule in a pinch? Check out our sample sleep and feeding schedules by age!
6. Bedtime routine are great – and so are nap time routines! We usually recommend that you do a shorter, mini-version of your bedtime routine before nap time. Keep it short, but make sure it’s cozy and relaxing, and that it prepares your baby or toddler for sleep.
7. Dim light and silence usually make for great naps. If your child’s room is too bright, try room-darkening shades; if her nap environment is too noisy, we recommend trying white noise.
8. Try for a consistent nap schedule. You don’t necessarily need a rigid, clock-based nap schedule (especially if your baby is young), but keep in mind that on-the-go naps aren’t usually as restful as naps that happen at home, in a crib or bed. If you have a busy schedule, try to make sure that at least one nap (preferably the first morning nap) happens at home.
9. As mentioned earlier, if your baby was napping just fine and suddenly isn’t, it’s most likely one of two things: a sleep regression, or an impending nap transition. (Of course, you’ll want to rule out illness or teething as a cause.)
10. If you’re trying to work on sleep training during nap times, and working on teaching your baby or toddler to fall asleep independently at nap time, keep in mind that nap training is tougher than nighttime sleep training, in many ways. We usually (although not always) recommend starting sleep training at bedtime, and then moving on to naps once you’ve conquered nighttime sleep.

Naptime Help That Works…Guaranteed!

Many parents think that our personalized consulting services are meant for parents who are struggling with night sleep – but guess what? We have so many consultation clients whose primary struggle is naps – and our consultants are more than willing to provide you with a Personalized Sleep Plan™ that focuses mainly on nap help. So why not connect with one of our caring, compassionate sleep consultants, and get expert answers to your nap questions today?
 
Browse our list of consultation package options here.
 

Once you make your choice and purchase, you will immediately receive an e-mail with your Helpdesk login information. You’ll be able to login and start your Family Sleep History form right away – it’s that simple!

Want more information about how personalized help works? Check out our FAQ page here, and get answers.

Or, if you’re a do-it-yourselfer, you may be more interested in all the nap resources we offer in our VIP Members Area:
 
Mastering Naps & Schedules — For starters, all Baby Sleep Site^® VIP members receive unlimited access to all our e-Books. That’s right! For the price of your membership, you can read all our e-Books at no additional cost! That includes Mastering Naps & Schedules. With over 45 sample schedules (all available for you to read in the VIP Members Area), Mastering Naps & Schedules is THE e-Book for tired parents of non-napping kiddos! We tackle all your top napping issues, including how to get your baby or toddler to take longer naps, how to get your child’s naps to be more consistent and predictable, how to manage nap transitions, how to encourage good napping while traveling – and more! Become a VIP member today, and access the e-Book instantly – no download necessary!
 
Nap Tele-Seminars — Another great VIP members-only resource? Our tele-seminars. Hosted by Nicole herself, these 30 – 45-minute tele-seminars offer you insider-information and our trademark sleep coaching methods and techniques. We have several awesome nap-focused tele-seminars, including one on managing nap transitions, and one on lengthening short naps! Listening to these seminars is like getting a coaching session from Nicole! She’ll walk you through the basics of dealing with common nap problems and give you tried-and-true strategies you can implement at home.

VIP Members-Only Nap Articles — And now, we’ve also offer a special members-only article on the hot topic of nap transitions: 5 Practical, Hands-On Tips For Managing Common Nap Transitions. Learn our 5 top secrets for how to gently and painlessly navigate nap transitions, and help them happen in a way that preserves your child’s sleep while also preserving your own sanity! 😉

For more details about all our VIP Member benefits (including weekly chats with a trained sleep consultant and our “Ask the Author” feature), visit our VIP page, and consider becoming a VIP member today!
 

Have nap tips of your own? Share them below!

The post 10 Naptime Tips You Can Use Today appeared first on The Baby Sleep Site - Baby / Toddler Sleep Consultants.

You don’t have to have school-aged kids at home to enjoy the back-to-school season! But we here at The Baby Sleep Site^® know that back-to-school season can be tough – if you have older kids, you have to work on reeling in your summertime schedule and get more serious with bedtime and morning wake-time, for example.

And many of our moms of babies and toddlers tell us that fall is the season when daycare schedules shift – babies “graduate” to different rooms as they get older, and that can translate into different nap schedules. Sometimes, that’s just fine – but often, it’s very challenging! Generally, we find that daycares tend to decrease naps a bit faster than we usually recommend (for instance, most 12 months olds are placed in the toddler room, and are only given one afternoon nap, but we usually recommend that parents try to hold on to two naps until 15-18 months of age). And the timing of daycare naps is very fixed – not starting nap time early if your little one woke up earlier than usual!

So, what to do? You can’t change the daycare schedule, usually – so how can you make the new daycare schedule work for your baby or toddler without sacrificing sleep?

We’ve got two tips designed to help you do just that. Keep reading, and get the details you need to keep the new daycare schedule from creating sleepless nights and missed naps in your house!

2 Tips For Making Tough Daycare Nap Schedules Work

1. Calculate how much wake time the daycare’s nap schedule demands, and then compare that with how much you know your baby or toddler can tolerate. In our experience, daycares often expect a bit more wake-time from babies and toddlers than is age-appropriate. This is not always true, of course – but we see this happen quite a bit with clients. For instance, if the daycare schedule leaves 5 hours of wake-time between morning drop-off and the afternoon nap, but your baby can only manage 4 in the morning, then you’ll need to accommodate for that by changing bedtime, or re-arranging other parts of your daytime schedule.
2. Try to prepare your baby for the new daycare schedule early. If you know that daycare will soon change your baby or toddler’s daytime nap schedule, try to get a head-start. Begin slowly moving towards the daycare schedule at home. Gradually shift nap times until they match the daycare’s schedule. This can help to gradually acclimate your baby to what’s coming, and might help ward off overtiredness.

Want even more daycare scheduling help? Check out our VIP members-only article, 5 MORE Tips For Making Tough Daycare Nap Schedules Work, for extra do-it-yourself scheduling and sleep coaching tips.

Personalized Schedule Help That Works – Guaranteed!

Remember to take heart. Any tough daycare scheduling you have to endure will be a short-lived trial! Your baby or toddler will eventually adjust to the daycare schedule just fine. 🙂 Until then, though, if you’re going crazy trying to make the daycare schedule work for your little one, you could always consider connecting with one of our caring and compassionate sleep consultants! They will create a custom schedule that will work for your whole family – and for your daycare provider.
 
Browse our list of consultation package options here.
 

Once you make your choice and purchase, you will immediately receive an e-mail with your Helpdesk login information. You’ll be able to login and get started right away – it’s that simple!

Want more information about how personalized help works? Check out our FAQ page here, and get answers.

Have you faced daycare schedule challenges and now you have tips? Share them with us and your fellow parents!

Want an abundance of sleep coaching resources? Consider joining our VIP Members Area packed with exclusive content and resources: e-Books, assessments, detailed case studies, expert advice, peer support, and more. It costs less to join than buying products separately! As a VIP member, you’ll also enjoy a weekly chat with an expert sleep consultant.
 
For those persistent nighttime struggles, check out The 3 Step System to Help Your Baby Sleep. Using the same unique approach and practical tools for success, this e-book helps you and your baby sleep through the night.
 
 

If you’re looking for ways to get your baby or toddler into a healthy sleeping routine during the day, I encourage you to explore Mastering Naps and Schedules, a comprehensive guide to napping routines, nap transitions, and all the other important “how-tos” of good baby sleep. With over 45 sample sleep schedules and planning worksheets, Mastering Naps and Schedules is a hands-on tool ideal for any parenting style.

Can’t decide which product or service is right for you? Visit our Getting Started Page for help.

The post 2 Quick Tips For Making Tough Daycare Nap Schedules Work appeared first on The Baby Sleep Site - Baby / Toddler Sleep Consultants.

We’ve written quite a bit about baby and toddler naps here on the blog, so if you’ve been following our site for a while, you’ve had the chance to read a lot of baby and toddler nap tips and tidbits. But, some of you are new moms or new to The Baby Sleep Site^® and we strive to educate all of our parents on the importance of good sleep and how to achieve it!

Today, we’re presenting you with 10 must-know facts about your baby’s or toddler’s naps. Think of it as your nap “cheat sheet”. 😉

10 Things You Need To Know About Baby and Toddler Naps

1. The first nap of the day is the most important. This isn’t to say that other naps aren’t also important. But the first nap of the day tends to be the most restorative, setting the tone for the day, and it’s generally the one that produces the best sleep for babies and young toddlers.
2. Most babies don’t transition to one nap at 12 months; most transition to one nap between 15-18 months. There seems to be a prevailing opinion out there that at the one year mark, babies should suddenly transition from two naps to one. And some will, with no problem. But we’re here to tell you that making the 2-to-1 nap transition at 12 months isn’t the norm for most babies. In fact, most babies aren’t ready to move to one nap a day until 15-18 months.
3. Most 6 month old babies aren’t ready for just 2 naps per day; most still need 3 (or even 4). Just as there’s a misconception that all 12 month old babies are ready to transition to one nap per day, there’s also a misconception that 6 month old babies are ready to transition to just 2 naps each day. We think this misconception is at least partly due to a recommendation that Weissbluth makes in his book Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child. In the book, Weissbluth states that only 16% of babies need a third nap after 5 months. Keep in mind this statistic came from a study of a limited number of children.

   We are not discounting Weissbluth’s studies, but we do take it with a grain of salt, since all babies vary in their ability (particularly mood-wise) to stay awake for long periods of time. In our extensive work with families, we’ve found that far more than 16% of babies appear to need 3 naps at 6, 7, even 8 months of age. Therefore, we usually tell parents not to rush into a 2 nap schedule with their 6 month old babies. Doing that increases the chances that their 6 month olds will become overtired, which will, in turn, affect their night sleep. We’ve found it’s better to stick to a 3 nap schedule (or even a 4 nap schedule) and then gradually transition to a 2 nap schedule around 8 months.

4. Your child’s nap needs will change greatly between birth and 18 months. Greatly. This just makes sense if you think about it — newborns nap pretty much constantly during the day, while an 18 month old needs just 1 nap. That’s a lot of change during a relatively short period of time!

   So, how many naps does your baby or toddler need in the first 18 months of life? You can read this article for detailed information, but here’s the short version:

   *1-3 MONTHS — 4-5 naps per day, depending on how long his naps are and how long he can stay up between naps.

   *3-4 MONTHS — 4 naps.

   *5-8 MONTHS — probably 3 naps (though some will need 4 until after 7 months). A few babies will only have 2 naps at a very young age, but those naps are usually long.

   *9-15 MONTHS — 2 naps. Some babies will transition to 1 nap at 12 months, but that’s not common.

   *15-18 MONTHS — 1-2 naps. The transition from 2 naps to 1 usually happens in this window of time.

   *18 MONTHS-4 YEARS — 1 nap. The age to transition away from all napping varies a lot, from 2 to 5+ years old, but the average age is between 3 and 4 years old.

Nicole’s Note:
“But, of course, my son was very NON-textbook. He had 4 naps until 7 months old, because he simply could not stay awake longer than 1 hour 15 to 30 minutes without turning into Senor Cranky Pants! It was simply NOT fun to even try. So, I rolled with it and he stayed home all day pretty much until he seemed to change overnight, taking 3 naps at 7 1/2 months old. He then dropped to two naps a short month later at 8 1/2 months. It happened so fast! He also transitioned to one nap early and away from napping early. I would never have guessed that based on our first 7 months. So, if your baby is struggling with staying awake for long periods, he’s not alone and it could change fast for you, too! :)”

5. If your baby or toddler sleeps well at night, that doesn’t necessarily mean she’ll nap well during the day. Remember, nap sleep is different than night sleep. Naps happen during daylight hours, when the sun’s up and when it tends to be noisy and busy. External factors like that can make it hard for a baby or toddler to nap well. And many families struggle with keeping a consistent daily nap routine in place — because life tends to get in the way! That, too, can make it hard for a baby or toddler to nap consistently. Contrast that with nights — it’s dark, it’s (usually) quiet, and everyone is (usually) at home. That at least partly explains why many babies and toddlers who sleep just fine at night struggle with their naps.
6. On-the-go, “moving” naps aren’t as restorative as naps that happen at home, in bed. This might come as a bit of a surprise, but it’s true — naps that happen “on the go” (in a moving car, for example, or in a moving stroller or shopping cart) aren’t as restorative as naps that happen on a non-moving surface (like a bed). They aren’t as long, for one thing, and during a “moving” nap, your baby’s or toddler’s sleep won’t be as deep. The occasional on-the-go nap isn’t a big deal, of course; sometimes, you gotta do what you gotta do. But if the majority of your baby’s or toddler’s naps are happening in the car, or in a stroller, you may need to rethink your daytime routines and schedule.
7. It’s possible for your baby or toddler to nap too much. Yes, we realize that this particular “problem” doesn’t plague most of you. 😉 But it’s true; some babies and toddlers nap too much, and it negatively affects their nighttime sleep. How much nap time sleep is too much? You can check out this article for details, but here’s a fast breakdown:

   *INFANT STAGE (birth – 4 months) — newborns will sleep 14-18 total hours during the day. To maximize nighttime sleep, limit naps to two hours, and try to keep your baby awake for 30 minutes between naps. (Need help with newborn sleep? Take a look at our newborn e-Book.)

   *BABY STAGE (4-12 months) — babies need 13-15 total hours of sleep during the day. 2-4 of these hours should be naps (depending on how much sleep your baby is getting at night.)

   *TODDLER STAGE (12 months – 3 or 4 years) — 1-3 hours of total naptime is considered normal and healthy.

8. Educate yourself on when common nap transitions occur, and how to manage them. Nap transitions are likely to occur at the following times:

   *3-4 MONTHS — baby transitions from 5 naps to 4.
   *5-6 MONTHS — baby transitions from 4 naps to 3.
   *8-9 MONTHS — baby transitions from 3 naps to 2.
   *15-18 MONTHS — toddler transitions from 2 naps to 1.

   As for how to handle these nap transitions? We have loads of resources on that very topic in our VIP Members Area – keep reading for details!

9. If a nap just isn’t happening, know when to give up and try again later. We end up dispensing this advice quite often to our consultation clients who we are working on nap training: don’t waste too much time trying to make a nap happen. No sense in spending 3 hours trying to force an afternoon nap to happen — at that point, you’re probably closer to bedtime than you are to naptime!
10. When your toddler is finally done taking naps, consider replacing nap time with “rest time”. It’s always a little sad when your toddler finally ages out of his naps. Gone are those one or two hours of peace, when mom or dad could get some work done, catch up on chores, or take a nap themselves! However, the end of nap time doesn’t have to mean the end of your afternoon peace and quiet. Simply replace nap time with rest time.

BONUS NAP TIP: We like you so much, we’re squeezing in a bonus tip for you! This one deals with short naps, an all-too-common problems for the parents in our Baby Sleep Site^® community. The fact is, short naps are normal for newborns and young babies, but by about 6 months of age, most babies are able to take longer naps. Want all the details on why short naps happen, and how to fix the problem? Check out this article on short baby naps.

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 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. Plus, you’re certain to love the expert live chats, and our “Ask the Author” feature!

Personalized Baby and Toddler Nap Help That Works – Guaranteed!

Don’t feel up to working on your baby or toddler’s nap challenges on your own? While our VIP Members Area is great for DIY moms who prefer to tackle sleep challenges on their own, we know that other moms much prefer to go straight to one-on-one help. Well, good news – we offer that, and you can start getting the personal help you need TODAY!

 
Browse our list of consultation package options here.
 

Once you make your choice and purchase, you will immediately receive an e-mail with your Helpdesk login information. You’ll be able to login and start your Family Sleep History form right away – it’s that simple!

Are you struggling with any of these 10 points? Have nap tips to share? We want to hear from you!

The post 10 Must-Know Baby and Toddler Nap Facts. (#7 May Surprise You!) appeared first on The Baby Sleep Site - Baby / Toddler Sleep Consultants.