Why is my baby taking short naps
If you know my story, then you will have read that our former sleep thief would nap for a maximum of 29 minutes all day. This was until we worked with a sleep consultant (before I become a Gentle Sleep Coach) just before he turned 1.
This short nap would have been bearable if he was at least sleeping at night. That coupled with my husband being out of the house for work, within that 29 minutes (maximum) I needed to eat, drink, shower, “sleep when the baby sleeps”, oh and according to my husband, tidy my mess. I was exhausted.
Fast forward 4 years, another child later, 2 Sleep Coaching qualifications and trainings, hundreds of sleepless clients later, I am The Working Parents Sleep Coach.
Why does my baby or toddler need to nap?
You maybe wondering how important naps are for your child. For most babies or toddlers naps are really key because they ensure that your baby does not become overtired. Overtired children tend to wake more at night, resist naps or bedtime, wake early and even take short cat naps. In order for naps to be effective, it is essential they are appropriately timed for your child. If you are unsure how often your baby needs a nap, see How much does my baby need to nap? Alternatively if you are unsure if your toddler needs to nap, see Does my toddler need to nap?
Why is my toddler or baby taking short naps?
Age/stage of development
Your very young baby many yet be able to extend their naps because they are not yet developmentally ready to. Although the good news is that there are plenty of tricks you can try before ruling out longer naps
Overtiredness
If your baby or toddler crashes to sleep at nap time and/or is crying, screaming, backarching whilst you try to put them down for a nap, then they are likely to be overtired. Overtiredness leas to your child having excess cortisol in their body, which can result in short cat naps.
Undertiredness
Is your child tired enough for their naps? It is a fine balance between overtiredness and undertiredness. To make sure your baby or toddler is tired enough, it is important that they are physically exerted in between their sleeps. It is recommended that children under 5 are physically exerted for 3 hours a day. This includes non mobile babies that will need your assistance to be physically exerted.
Satisfaction
Has your baby or toddler had enough stimulation during awake time so that they feel satisfied to sleep? It may seem like an odd concept but even very young babies need variation in their day, a change of scenery or a change of face. Play has an important role in good quality sleep, I recommend incorporating varied play within your child’s day.
Sleep Association
How does your child currently fall asleep at nap time? Do they need your help? For example, do they feed, rock, cuddle, need a dummy/pacifier, walk in the sling or buggy? These are all known as sleep associations. If you are finding that your child wakes within 45 minutes of that start of a nap, this maybe due to them needing you to help them to fall asleep again as they reach the end of their sleep cycle. This is how they know and associate falling asleep.
There are my 5 reasons why your baby or toddler is taking short naps. If you are struggling with your babies/toddlers cat naps, then now is the time to book in for your free sleep consultation.
Exhausted & Drained?
