Naps give your baby the necessary amount of sleep during the day to support his growth and development. A nap routine helps your baby fall asleep easier during the daytime hours, to create a regular sleep and awake pattern. Finding a nap routine that works for your baby's temperament and natural schedule makes nap time more efficient and calming.
Follow Baby's Sleep Patterns
Babies vary in the amount of sleep they need during the day. If your baby sleeps longer at night, she is likely to sleep for shorter periods during the day. A baby up to six months old needs between 16 and 20 hours of sleep total each day. A baby between six and 12 months needs about 14 to 15 hours total. Watch for signs of sleepiness, such as eye rubbing and crankiness, to get a sense of when your baby is ready for a nap. Establish a nap routine at these times each day to create a schedule that works with your baby's rhythms.
Establish Nap Signals
Once you know when your baby needs to nap, use certain signals to let him know it's rest time. Move to his nursery or put away his play things to change to a nap environment. Change his diaper and his clothing if he isn't already in a sleeper. Turn off any overhead lights or lamps and close the curtains to create a darker sleeping environment. Quiet music or a sound machine is another way to set the environment and signal that it is nap time.
Shorten the Nightly Bedtime Routine
One option to establish a nap routine is to simplify your baby's nightly bedtime routine, to make it fit the daytime. Skip steps like bathing that aren't fitting for nap time, but keep elements like singing, rocking, nursing or reading a book that help your baby realize she needs to sleep. She is already familiar with these activities during evening bedtime, making them an effective way to start a nap-time routine as well.
Stay Consistent
The key to an effective nap-time routine is consistency. Each day you need to implement the same routine elements so your baby understands what is coming next. Some babies resist nap time at first, even with a routine. Continue using the routine each day until it becomes more familiar for your baby. Activities sometimes interfere with naps, but keep the general time of day consistent when possible.
