The secret to great naps
Naps are tricky, confusing and often downright stressful, especially when you’re trying to manage a few of them each day (and even more so if you’re little one isn’t a real fan of day naps)
So here are my biggest tips to achieve great naps
Sleep pressure:
Naps require a balance of building enough sleep pressure to promote easy settling and appropriate nap lengths. This will all depend on the age of your baby - so if you don’t have it yet, download my free guide which will break down the awake time that your baby will need based on their age. You can grab it here
A suitable sleep environment
The hormones required to allow a baby/toddler to fall asleep are far lower in the day than what they are at night. This means that we need to set them up with an excellent sleep environment to help promote good quality day sleep. Think cave like: Cool, dark, quiet (white noise is fine!).
Consistency with settling, resettling and structure
This one is tricky - especially if you have lots of commitments or more than one child. Choosing one nap each day where you consistently settle them at home, and resettle to teach them to have a longer nap is the key. Choose the same nap each day (I like the middle of the day for this), and be consistent with the time it is offered and the time you resettle for. If you’re not sure how to structure day sleep, my routines guide can be really helpful. Grab it here.
Naps can definitely feel challenging, but with time and patience they can really come together - you’ve got this!