Does your baby nap? You will realize that your child baby changes constantly from eating to sleeping to napping and so much more. It sometimes feels that you cannot keep up but try to take everything in, it passes so fast. A big stresser for most parents is getting their baby on a nap and sleep schedule. Although my children were and are still great nappers I did experience some hiccups along the way.
Sleep regressions were my issues although they are a common occurrence in babies and can happen several times during their first year. The most common sleep regressions occur around 4 months, 6 months, 8-10 months, and 12-18 months. During these times, babies may start waking up more frequently during the night or have difficulty falling asleep. This passes, you just have to have a little more patience.
These regressions are often caused by developmental changes in the baby’s brain and body, such as learning new skills or teething. Remember to maintain a consistent sleep routine during these regressions and provide comfort and reassurance to your baby.
Here are some tops I tried during my children’s sleep regression period. I tried to create a calming bedtime routine, I tried avoiding over-stimulating activities before bedtime, and implementing a sleep training method that works for your baby, such as the Ferber Method. Then there were those nights where I was way to tired and my child slept on me.
The Ferber method is a popular sleep training approach for babies, also known as “controlled crying” or “gradual extinction”. It involves gradually teaching babies how to self-soothe and fall asleep independently, by gradually increasing the amount of time you leave them alone to cry before offering soothing comfort. The idea is to help babies learn healthy sleep habits and reduce the likelihood of sleep problems that can persist into childhood and beyond.
For naps, like I said before I was blessed with great nappers but they always had their days. Here are some tricks I used to get my kids more on a nap schedule. Naps are all based on your child’s age. Every kid is different so it doesn’t mean if your child doesn’t nap for the same amount as someone else’s that it is a bad thing.
TIPS TO HELP YOUR NAP LIFE BETTER:
1. Establish a nap schedule: Try to create a regular nap schedule based on your baby’s sleeping patterns. This will help your baby get into a routine and may make it easier for them to fall asleep.
2. Create a calming environment: Create a calming environment to help ease your baby into sleep. This can include things like lowering the lights, playing soft music, or using a white noise machine.
3. Stick with a pre-nap routine: Develop a pre-nap routine that will signal to your baby that it’s time for sleep. This routine could include activities like a bath, reading a book, or singing a lullaby.
4. Avoid over-stimulation: Overstimulation can make it harder for babies to fall asleep. Try to avoid activities that may over-stimulate your baby, such as watching TV or playing loud music.
5. Stay consistent: Consistency is key when it comes to getting your baby to nap successfully. Try to stick to your baby’s pre-nap routine and napping schedule as much as possible to help them feel secure and comfortable.
