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How Regular Naps Improve Nighttime Sleep
How Regular Naps Improve Nighttime Sleep
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 Nap
time is a chance for both Baby and parent to get a much needed break!
Getting to know your baby’s sleep pattern will help you to
know when your baby will lay down and sleep effectively. When your
little one is asleep you should take the opportunity to relax. Sometimes
we may be tempted to “get things done” during this time.
You should realize that a rested parent and/or caregiver is a happy
parent!
Between 3 months and 12 months, most babies need
two daytime naps, usually with lengths of 30 minutes to two hours
each.
- Most infants are ready to take their morning nap about two hours
after they wake up.
- Put your baby down to nap in the same location where she sleeps
at night.
- Develop a routine that is a mini-version of the bedtime routine.
- Be careful of letting your infant nap exclusively in the Snugli,
a stroller, or a car seat. If he becomes too accustomed to these
things, he might not be able to nap anywhere else.
- When your baby is napping, don’t be afraid to flush a
toilet or squeak a floorboard; you want him to be able to sleep
through the noises of normal house-hold activity.
Once you’ve established a nap schedule for
your baby, it is very helpful if you create a simple but specific
nap routine. This routine should be different from your nighttime
routine, although it can have similarities that signal sleep- for
example, the presence of a special sleep-inducing music. Follow
your nap routine the same way every day, unless your baby is showing
clear signs of being tired. For a reluctant napper, your routine
might include some relaxing motion, such as rocking/relaxing in
a swing/walking in a sling or stroller, and some gentle lullaby
music.
A nap routine doesn’t have to be long and
involved to be effective. If your baby’s nap occurs about
the same time every day there will be many subtle cues, such as
the timing of his lunch, that tell your baby that nap time is nearing.
Better naps mean better nighttime sleep.
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