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Infant Nap Time Problems and Solutions

Helping Your Baby Get the Proper Rest She Needs

Oct 12, 2008

Naps are important for your infant's health, both physically and mentally. Sometimes it's hard to start a nap time routine for various reasons. Find some solutions here.

Your infant may often give you clues to let you know when it is time to put her down for a nap. You need to watch for these clues carefully so your baby will fall asleep and stay asleep. Some examples of sleepy clues include:

Eyes look tired and droopy
Yawning
Fussiness, where nothing you do makes your baby happy

Of course, you know your baby best, and not every infant will give the same clues. Look for other clues unique to your baby.

There are some babies, however, that will not give you any obvious clues that they are sleepy. At this point you will have to go by the clock and experiment with nap times. Getting your infant on a nap routine takes a little effort, but it is a routine that is necessary for proper health said reviewer Dr. Mary L. Gavin in Naps in the April 2006 issues of KidsHealth.

Transitioning from Bassinet to Crib

One of the major problems parents have with infant nap times is when it comes to transitioning their baby from a bassinet to sleeping in a crib. This usually occurs when an infant reaches the age of six-months-old. Often times parents want their newborn close to the bedside, especially in the first few months, which makes it easier to get up for frequent feedings. It is also just that warm feeling of providing security to your child that the closeness brings.

When you want to place your baby into her crib, not only will a nighttime routine be hard at first, but a nap routine as well. Some doctors feel that you should not keep a crying child in the crib, while others believe that since the crying stage of being left alone only lasts about a week or two, it is fine to leave the baby to cry herself to sleep. This is something you will need to discuss with your pediatrician and feel comfortable with.

If you choose to let your baby cry herself to sleep, it should not begin before the six-months-old mark. The crying will stop soon as long as you:

Keep a consistent nap time during the transitioning stage
Do sneak a peak every once in a while to make sure she is okay and not hurt
Listen for a change in crying to alert you that something else may be wrong

If you prefer to rock and hold your infant until she falls asleep, this will take more of your time, but will keep your baby from crying any length of time. A main problem with this method is that a baby may sometimes wake up as soon as you place her in the crib, and you have to start the whole routine over again.

When Baby Will Not Nap

Another major problem that parents have with infant napping is getting her to sleep and keeping her asleep for a length of time. If you are having a hard time getting your baby down for a nap, there are some things you can do.

Try cutting back her awake time by 15 minutes. The reason for doing this is because the infant is overtired and getting really fussy. She can't relax and go to sleep because she is overtired.

If your infant is waking up too early from his nap, the same principle applies. Make sure you are not putting your baby down too early for his nap. Do not let your baby sleep too long either. Be sure to wake him up when it is time for a feeding.

You cannot spoil a newborn or very young infant. If your infant is really young, try swaddling her, as a lot of times babies find comfort in that. You are meeting your child's need at this age, and only when she gets older does she understand anything about manipulating you for other reasons.

When the Nap is Not Long Enough

Sometimes a baby will not take long enough naps. There could be several reasons for this. Maybe the house is too noisy and he is waking up. Maybe the room is too bright. Maybe he wakes up because he is hungry.

If the home is too busy or noisy, try getting a "white noise" machine and putting it in the room with the baby. You may also want to get room-darkening shades for the window.

If your infant is waking up too soon because he is hungry, try putting him down for his nap right after a feeding. Make this a routine, and you will both be happier for it.

The most important thing is to get your baby into a nap time routine. Infants need this routine. As mentioned above, it promotes strong growth and a healthy body. Look for the sleepy signs, and get a routine going for your baby now.

The copyright of the article Infant Nap Time Problems and Solutions in Infants & Toddlers is owned by Denise Oliveri. Permission to republish Infant Nap Time Problems and Solutions in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.