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 stay awake for a couple of hours in between those quick naps, so that they take 3 or 4 naps a day. This pattern is definitely more challenging for parents to plan their day around! Infants who nap longer tend to have fewer naps per day with longer stretches of wake time in between. Whether you’ve got a short or long napper, the good news is both types of naps are valuable for your baby’s growth and development.
Ideally, daytime naps take place in the same place as nighttime sleep and the environment should be quiet, dark, and relaxing. You can also encourage naps by using a brief, before-nap routine that is calming and is the same from sleep to sleep. Keep it simple with just a few activities – for example, do a diaper change, snuggle while reading to your baby – and then you’re ready for a nap!
