Adjusting Baby’s Naptime

Becoming a new parent can present a whole new world for both parent and newborn. One of the first things to address so both baby and parent can get a good night's sleep is the sleeping habits of a newborn.

As can often be the case, once a newborn has arrived, they can go through sleeping changes. Should you find that your baby isn't getting proper naps during those first few formative months of life, there are several things you can do to help. It can be as simple as cutting back on their wake time by 15 minute increments. This is suggested because your infant may be experiencing an extra amount of stimulation resulting in them resisting the need to nap. You can avoid this dilemma by viewing any sleepy evidence from your baby and getting them down for a nap before they can fight it off.

Another area of concern is when to allow your baby to cry during their nap time. Some believe that this can bring emotional harm to the child, while others are not as concerned. It is believed that 15 to 20 minutes of crying won't be harmful to your baby, either physically or emotionally. When allowing your newborn to cry for this length of time, they begin to learn that crying isn't getting them anywhere and will go back to sleep. This is vital so your little one will know that everything is okay and will then go back to sleep. Even though you need to discern the difference between crying simply equaling fussing and crying that signals something else, allowing your newborn to cry themselves back to sleep will help avoid "training" your baby that crying will equal being picked up. This could result in a child having difficulty sleeping later in life.

In addition to these two areas that involve establishing baby's sleep patterns, the following list is a breakdown of the stages of a baby's life during their first 18 months of life:

* Newborn: It is perfectly normal for your newborn to sleep anywhere from 16 to 20 hours a day, including the naps that he takes between feedings. When your baby has been fed, let him stay awake for a short while and then put him down before he becomes overstimulated.

* Two months: After the first two months of life, your child should be allowed to try to self-soothe during their nap times and bedtime. Crying is normal when you put your baby down, but it is okay. If he cries for longer than 10-15 minutes, then go in and check on him. Don’t get him up, but pat his bottom or lightly rub his back until he calms down.

* 3-6 months: Between 3 and 6 months, it is likely your baby will stop taking one of his naps. Usually it is the third nap or late afternoon nap that they do not need as much. He may be a little fussy and may want to take a little nap, but you need to try to keep him up if you want him to go to bed at a decent time and sleep soundly through the night.

* 16+ months: Once your child reaches between 16 and 20 months, they normally stop taking their morning nap in favor of a longer nap in the afternoons. Babies this age usually sleep between 10-12 hours a night and take a 2-3 hour afternoon nap.

We will close with a couple of "Ground Rules For Good Naps":

1. It is important that you decide when the nap starts and ends. Don't allow your baby to be in charge here!
2. Once your baby is older than 4 months old, it is normal to wake up crying if they hasn’t gotten enough sleep. It might be due to them having a dirty diaper, being in a position that is not comfortable, or simply too cold or hot. Discern what the problem is, solve it and encourage them to go back to sleep.

Babies that have enough rest wake up happy, talking, and in a good mood. Good for both baby and parent!