Is your baby taking short naps and you’re not sure why? Does it feel like your baby won’t ever nap longer than 30 minutes? I know short naps can be challenging for both you and your baby. I can help. Let me answer your questions about short naps and give you tools to get your baby to napping longer.
How short is too short for naps?
Short naps are typically naps that last less than one sleep cycle (about 50 minutes). A nap that is 50 minutes or longer demonstrates your baby’s ability to transition from one sleep cycle to the next. For the point of our discussion, anything less than 50 minutes will be classified as a “short nap.” So, yes, if your baby only naps for 30 minutes, that’s a short nap!
My baby won’t nap for more than 30 minutes. Is this just an annoyance or a real problem?
Short naps are a REAL problem. Here’s why:
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Short naps prevent deep, restorative daytime sleep. This leads to a cranky baby who is often in that “overtired, meltdown” mode.
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Short naps can cause babies to wake up throughout the night as well as early in the morning. Those night wakings and early morning wakings can cause short naps. It’s a cycle that can feel completely overwhelming.
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Short naps often cause us to feel trapped at home because the baby is overtired and cranky, and they always seem just a few minutes away from their next nap.
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Short naps can cause anxiety for parents! These short naps encourage us to obsess about baby sleep, chart every nap, never leave the house in order to fix “the schedule,” and try to replicate that one day weeks ago when naps were really good.
When do babies start taking longer naps? When do naps consolidate?
Naps begin to consolidate and lengthen around 5 months of age.(1) That means normal naps in the first four months of a baby’s life last anywhere from 20 to 120 minutes. Yes, it can actually be normal and developmentally appropriate for newborns to have short naps.
Why is my baby only taking short naps?
Many factors contribute to nap length. Some reasons for short naps include your baby’s age, their sleep environment, the timing of naps, and hunger. How your nights are going can also play a role in daytime sleep.
Something you should know: Naps only begin to consolidate and lengthen at about 5 months of age.(1) That means it can be normal for naps in the first four months of a baby’s life to last anywhere from 20 to 120 minutes. And that doesn’t mean that anything is “wrong.” Even though these short naps are normal for babies 4 months and younger, you can still set your baby up for longer naps now.
How do I get my baby to take longer naps?
Let’s talk about how you can encourage your baby to take longer naps:
1. Start a nap time routine.
Imagine walking out of the gym or an important business meeting and having someone tell you to “go to sleep now.” You might be exhausted and needing to rest, but you probably won’t be able to just shut your eyes and instantly fall asleep. Instead, you will likely want to get out of those sweaty yoga pants or change into something more comfortable. You’ll probably want to just sit on the couch for a moment to help your brain and body relax. Your baby is just like you! They need time to wind down and a comfortable environment to fall asleep and stay asleep.
So, just before each nap, we want to do a little “nap-time routine” (Think 5-10 minutes). Do the same things in the same order before every nap. Here’s an example: change your baby’s diaper, change into comfortable clothes, zip up a sleep sack, turn on the sound machine, pull the blinds, and sing a lullaby. This soothing routine helps your baby’s brain and body prepare for the upcoming nap.
2. Set up an environment for sleep.
Here’s what we know: most babies and toddlers (even adults!) sleep better when they are in a dark, cool, and comfortable space.
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Get the room as dark as possible. When you block out the light around windows, doors, and electronics, it makes it much easier for little ones to stay asleep.
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Add a sound machine. The constant hum of a sound machine blocks out any noisy distractions outside the room that might disrupt sleep.
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Check for comfort. Changing into comfortable clothes, adding a fan, or turning down the temperature helps your little one sleep.
3. Pay attention to wake windows.
During the first 3-4 months of a baby’s life, it is so important to watch sleepy cues and get your little one down for a nap at the first sign of being tired. After about 4 months of age, we need to balance a yawn or an eye-rub with your baby’s wake windows. The goal is to build up enough sleep pressure (but not too much) so that when it’s time for a nap, your baby can fall asleep easily AND take a long, restorative nap. Keep in mind that as your baby gets older, they need more awake time before a nap. And while they’re awake, be sure to make time for active play.
Expert Tip: If your baby takes a short nap, don’t shorten the wake window that follows it. This will often encourage another short nap. Continue to aim for that age-appropriate wake window range.
4. Offer full, effective feedings.
Some babies will truly wake from hunger if it has been longer than 3 hours since their last feeding, resulting in a short nap. To avoid this, prioritize full feedings every 2.5-3.5 hours throughout the day (every 2-3 hours for newborns). Feel free to offer a feeding before a nap to prevent a short nap.
Expert Tip: For the first year of life, your baby’s formula and/or breastmilk is their primary source of nutrition. This means that the breast or bottle should be offered every 2.5-3.5 hours, even if your baby is getting solid meals throughout the day.
5. Help your baby learn to fall asleep independently.
Babies who need help falling asleep (Think: being held, rocked, or fed to sleep) need more help falling back to sleep and often take shorter naps. (2) If you are doing all or most of the work of helping your baby fall asleep, they likely do not have the skills to put themselves back to sleep between sleep cycles. If you’re thinking: “My baby can’t fall asleep on their own!” You are not alone; I can help.
If you need help with those skills and your baby is 5 months or older, my class Conquering Naps is perfect for you. I’ll teach you everything you need to help your baby fall asleep independently for naps and transition between those sleep cycles. You’ll have the tools to create a flexible routine that works for your family’s lifestyle and values. If your baby is younger than 5 months, I can help you too.
6. Work on great night sleep.
Babies typically crawl before they walk, babble before they talk, and sleep through the night before they get long naps. There are exceptions to these rules, of course, but most babies do best by learning night sleep first.
So what do you do? If your baby isn’t sleeping well at night, I can help! Many parents find that as night sleep solidifies, nap sleep naturally improves. The 5–24 Month Collection will be the perfect fit for you. I’ll teach you everything you need to know to get great sleep for nights, naps, and every bump along your sleep journey from now until your baby turns 2. Have a little one 4 months or younger? My Newborn Sleep Bundle can help you get longer stretches of sleep at night and set naps up for success!
Should I help resettle my baby after a short nap?
You can. Do what works for your family. If helping your baby resettle results in longer naps, and that works for you, great. (This can be especially helpful for babies younger than 5 months.) If this isn’t effective, or it’s not working for your family, you can also lengthen naps through formal sleep training (for babies 5 months and older).
Need help with extending naps or night sleep for a baby under 5 months? I’ve got you. My Newborn Sleep Bundle walks you through several options for getting longer stretches at night and more restful naps during the day. It’s an emotionally-connected, developmentally-appropriate, no-cry approach.
