Some babies can sleep well at night, but fight naps at the daytime. Parents are tortured by their baby’s nap issue because they refuse to take a nap in a crib or bed. They will start crying or screaming upon being placed down, or becoming fussy or crying for unknown reasons, causing parents feel stressful and anxious. If you are encountering such issue currently, you may need to train your baby’s nap time to help them establish a regular sleep pattern and healthy sleep habits. Sleep training for naps can not only maintain a better mental condition at daytime, but also improve nighttime sleep. 

The easiest way to conduct sleep training for naps for your baby

When you start sleep training for naps on your baby, it is also strongly recommended to use the Moonycare App. It is an excellent parenting App that can be dedicated to tracking your baby’s nap time and calculating a scientific sleep schedule combined with appropriate wake windows specially for each individual. It frees parents from recording time by writing down on a note or phone notes. Compared with these traditional recording methods, this App displays more phenomenal visuals by the form of colorful charts and lists. 

IN THIS ARTICLE

What are the benefits of train naps for babies

Why sleep train naps is harder than nighttime sleep

How to sleep training for naps

What is the suitable age to start nap training for babies

How long does sleep training naps take

Should you start sleep training for naps and nighttime at the same time  

Why Need to Sleep Training for Naps on Babies?

Some parents may ask “should I sleep train for naps to babies”. Actually, there are some benefits behind it.

1. Establish regular lifestyle habits

Nap training is good for babies to cultivate a regular sleep routine, making it easier for them to adapt to daily life. Besides, it can help babies establish a stable biological clock, helping babies to fall asleep more easily at night and improving the overall quality of sleep.

2. Promote healthy growth

Taking a nap ensures that babies get adequate rest, which is crucial for their physical and brain development. Also, adequate sleep can strengthen a baby's immune system and reduce the chances of getting sick.

3. Improve emotional stability

Regular napping can reduce a baby's fatigue and avoid emotional fluctuations and irritability caused by excessive fatigue. Thus, the happening of crying and temper tantrums will be diminished, helping babies better manage their emotions.

4. Reduce the pressure on parents

Parents can have more time for personal affairs or rest during their baby's nap, slightly reducing the pressure of taking care of babies, returning the harmonious family atmosphere to the family in a short time.

Why Sleep Training for Naps is More Challenging Than Nighttime Sleep?

According to parents’ feedback, it is harder to soothe their baby to fall asleep during the day. Combining with experts’ experiences, we have archived some reasons to why this situation happens.

1. More environmental interference

During the day, there are more family activities that lead to more noises, such as phone ringing, TV sound, and the activities of family members, which may disturb the baby's nap. Moreover, natural light during the day is strong, which may make babies feel more alert and difficult to fall asleep.

2. Differences in physiological rhythms

The human body's circadian rhythm typically causes drowsiness at night and wakefulness during the day. So do babies. They are more inclined towards activity for exploration rather than rest during the day, which makes them more excited and energetic.

3. Interference with daily activities

During the day, there are usually more family activities and social interactions, such as going out, visiting relatives and friends, which may interrupt the baby's nap time. Plus, feeding and changing diapers are more frequent during the day, and these activities may also interfere with the baby's nap time.

4. Emotional and psychological factors

It could be the influence of separation anxiety emerging in some babies, especially for babies who strongly rely on their parents’ companionship and comfort during the day, making it harder for them to fall asleep on their own.

5. Lack of fixed routine procedures

Compared to a fixed bedtime routine at night, daytime activity times may be more flexible and irregular, making it more difficult to establish a fixed nap routine. Also, some parents may not be able to consistently perform nap routines during the day for various reasons, which can affect their baby's nap habits.

How to Start Sleep Training for Naps on Babies?

1. Establish a fixed nap time

Set a fixed nap time: Based on the baby's age and needs, set a fixed nap time. Usually, infants need to nap three or four times a day in the early stages (4-8 months), two times a day in the middle stages (9-12 months), and 1 or 2 times a day in early childhood (1-3 years old).

Consistent schedule: Try to schedule nap times at the same time every day to help your baby establish a stable biological clock.

2. Create a quiet and comfortable environment

Reduce noise: Try to minimize daytime noise interference by using a white noise machine or soft music to help babies fall asleep.

Blackout curtains: Use blackout curtains or curtains to block strong light and create a darker sleeping environment.

Appropriate temperature: Maintain a suitable room temperature, making it not too hot or too cold.

3. Establish a fixed nap routine

Bedtime activities: Establish a regular pre-nap activity, such as gentle massage, reading storybooks, singing lullabies, etc., to help babies relax.

Simple rituals: For example, changing the baby's pajamas, turning off the lights, and playing soft music before each nap.

4. Observe the baby's fatigue signals

Pay attention to signs of fatigue: Observe the baby's fatigue signals, such as rubbing the eyes, yawning, and feeling irritable, and arrange a nap in time.

Avoid excessive fatigue: If a baby is excessively fatigued, it may be more difficult to fall asleep, so it is important to schedule a nap in a timely manner.

5. Gradually establish the ability to fall asleep independently

Gradual withdrawal method: If the baby relies on parental comfort to fall asleep, the gradual withdrawal method can be used to gradually extend the time interval for leaving the baby's room.

Accompany to sleep: During the baby's nap, you can be by your side to provide comfort and a sense of security, and then gradually reduce the time spent with them.

6. Flexible adjustment

Observation needs: Pay attention to the specific needs and status of the baby, and flexibly adjust the nap time and method.

Appropriate activities: If the baby is really unwilling to take a nap, they can engage in some light activities such as reading picture books or playing quietly, and then try to guide them to sleep.

7. Maintain patience and consistency

Continuous execution: Nap training may take some time to take effect, parents need to be patient and continue to execute the training plan.

Consistent approach: Try to maintain consistent training methods and timing to help babies gradually adapt to nap habits.

When to Start Nap Training for Babies?

Generally speaking, babies are usually best suited for nap training between 4 and 6 months old. At this stage, the baby's daily routine begins to gradually form, allowing them to better adapt to the nap schedule. Here are some other key timing for parents to choose to start the training, which may make it easier for babies to develop a consistent and healthy nap habits.

4 to 6 months: At this stage, the baby's circadian rhythm begins to stabilize and is suitable for starting nap training.

7 to 12 months: Most babies will develop a regular nap pattern during this period, usually two naps.

Over 1 year old: As babies age, they may gradually reduce their nap time to one, usually after lunch.

How Long Will Sleep Training Naps Take?

The effect of training babies to nap usually shows significant improvement within 2 to 4 weeks. However, the specific time varies depending on individual differences in babies (age and personality), family environment and consistency, and the applied methods. Here are some possible timelines and suggestions:

Within 1 week: During the initial adaptation, the baby may have resistance to the new nap schedule, and parents need to maintain patience and persistence to closely observe babies’ reaction, record their behaviors and flexibly adjust the training method if needed.

2 weeks: Most babies will gradually adapt, may become easier to fall asleep, and can maintain a certain amount of nap time.

3 to 4 weeks: If a consistent sleep schedule and environment are maintained, most babies should be able to form a stable nap habit, with improved nap time and quality.

Should I Start Sleep Training for Naps and Nighttime?

It is more recommended to start sleep training during the day and night simultaneously. If sleep training on daytime and nighttime are not conducted at the same time, the consuming time may be longer. On the one hand, babies may feel confused about the time and the applied methods during day and night. It may even prolong the entire training process as babies need to adapt to two different sleep patterns separately. On the other hand, not training at the same time may lead to more stress and challenges for family members, especially when the baby's nighttime sleep problems are not resolved in time. It may require parents to repeatedly adjust training methods and schedules, increasing the complexity and uncertainty of the training.