Baby naps are restful periods for  your little ones. However, getting your little ones to nap can be stressful.

How many naps should my baby take a  day ?

It may take a while for newborns to follow a pattern of sleep. During the first month , babies usually sleep and wake around the clock with almost about equal periods of sleep and feeding.

As he gets older , baby naps becomes more predictable.

• 4 months to 1 year : A newborn will usually nap twice a day , one in the morning and one  in the afternoon. Some babies need late afternoon naps too. The durations of baby naps is usually 3 or more hours.
• 1 year and older : Around this time , babies usually take only afternoon  naps for about 2 to 3 hours. Most kids continue to take afternoon naps until 3 to 5 years old

What is the best way to get your baby to nap ?

These tips will help you get your baby to take a nap

• set the mood by putting the baby in a dark, comfortable and cool environment
• put your baby to bed awake but drowsy. The more overtired and fussy a  baby is, the more difficult it will be for him to take a nap
• don’t rock, hold or feed your baby to sleep. If you keep doing this , eventually this will be the only way the baby will fall asleep
• place the baby in a safe sleeping position which is his back. Clear the crib of items such as blankets and  other soft items
• you have to be consistent . Putting the baby to nap each time for the same length of time will help. Of course there may be a few exceptions.

What if my baby is fussy when i put him to sleep ?

It is normal for babies to fuss when you put them to sleep. However most of them will quiet down when left alone  for a few minutes. If crying last longer than a few minutes, check on the baby and offer some comforting words. Then give him some time to settle.

If your baby wakes up shortly after you put him to sleep , and isn’t hungry, wet or ill, be patient. You can gently pat your baby on the back, offer a massage or breastfeed for a short time.

You should also note that babies are active during sleep. They twitch their arms and legs, smiling, sucking and generally restless. It is easy to mistake these as baby waking up. Wait to see if the baby falls asleep again.

Should i limit the duration of baby naps ?

Some babies confuse day and night. They sleep longer during the day and shorter at night-time. You can correct this by limiting nap time especially late afternoon naps  to no more than 3 to 4 hours. Napping too long  during late afternoon can make it harder for the baby to fall asleep during bedtime.

NOTE 

If your baby doesn’t want to nap even though he needs rest, you need to adjust bedtime. Making bedtime earlier or later during the night  can help babies take nap during the day. It may be challenging at first . Try to look for signs that indicate that the baby is tired and try to keep nap time consistent.