Can I change my baby’s “disaster naps”? Short naps of 30-45 minutes (“disaster” naps or “cat” naps) are quite common in infants younger than 9 months. They are often completely normal, as some young babies are simply short nappers. Infants that are “short” nappers can [...]
How can I help my toddler nap? There are several things that you can do to help your child nap. Keys for a good naptime A good routine for naps will help your child to learn to sleep well and on their own. • Keep naptime at about the same time every day • It’s best to make your [...]
How do I help my toddler keep napping as he gets older? Virtually all 2-year-olds and about 87% of 3-year-olds nap, while only about 8% of children still nap at age 5. A number of things influence the transition from a having a nap plus nighttime sleep, to nighttime sleep only. We know that a [...]
How do I stop contact naps? You can stop contact napping by taking a few steps. First, create a consistent sleep schedule for naps (and bedtime). Become familiar with and recognize signs of drowsiness in your baby (such as yawning, eye rubbing) and start naptime when you see these behaviors. [...]
When can she lie on her stomach? All babies should sleep on their backs during the first year of life. This is important for naps in the day as well as at night-time and helps prevent sudden infant death syndrome (or SIDS). There are only a few simple rules to follow to protect your baby – see [...]
How do I know if my baby is sleeping too much? All babies are unique and have different sleep needs. The range of normal is quite wide. So even if your baby seems to sleep more than others, there is a good chance they are just a super sleeper! The amount of sleep babies need changes with every [...]
What should I know about toddler sleep? 1. It is normal for toddlers (and everyone else!) to wake several times during the night. 2. Most toddlers (over 80 %) stop taking naps between the ages of 3 and 4 years, but some will still need a nap at age 5 years and a few may even need a nap at age 6 [...]
How can I tell if my toddler is sleeping too much? Most toddlers will require between 11-14 hours of sleep in a 24-hour period, including nighttime sleep and daytime naps. If your toddler seems to be sleeping more than this, he may be sleeping too much – and there can be several possible reasons [...]
How do I get my child on a nap schedule? Some babies seem to fall into a sleep schedule without any problems while others struggle and tend to have very short sleeps during the day (that is, less than 1 hour per nap). We call these babies ‘cat nappers’. Around 15% of babies catnap and these [...]
My baby screams and cries every time I put her down for a nap. What can I do to change that? Many babies take time to learn to go to sleep, so first of all be patient! Try to develop a little routine so she knows what to expect and when. For example, when she first wakes up from a nap, give her a [...]