Naptime. One of the most wonderful times of the day, for both your baby and you. Unfortunately, it is also one of the things that is most likely to get pushed aside or skipped altogether in our busy, modern world. Maintaining a consistent nap schedule can be challenging, but it is one of the very best things you can do for your baby's health and well being.
Why should your baby nap?
The simple answer to this question is that your baby needs a great deal of sleep because his or her body is growing rapidly. Regular sleep, including nap time, is a big part of keeping your baby happy and healthy. Naps in particular are important because they help your baby regulate his or her attention span during the day, and can also have a significant positive effect on your baby's ability to sleep through the night.
Babies use up a huge quantity of energy each day just by being awake and soaking in their surroundings. Everything is a learning opportunity, and their brains are constantly in high gear as the observe and learn about the things around them. Just as you get tired when you are very busy, your baby gets tired quickly as well. Tired babies are fussy babies, so if you provide regular nap times for your baby he or she is much more likely to stay in good spirits.
An often overlooked reason why your baby should nap is the extra rest time is provides for you as a parent. Being a mom or dad is very hard, especially with small babies, so take advantage of your baby's nap time by taking a nap yourself. It might be tempting to use that free time to take care of an extra chore or two, but you will be doing yourself (and your baby) a real favor by catching a few winks and refreshing your body as well.
How many naps should my baby take?
This will vary somewhat, especially in the first couple of months. Newborn babies pretty much spend all of their time eating and sleeping, so follow your baby's lead and allow him or her to nap whenever tiredness sets in. As your baby gets older, the time spent awake will gradually increase, giving you more opportunity for active interaction. These longer periods of activity will of course make your baby tired, so it is still important to provide nap time as needed.
By the time your baby reaches two or three months of age, he or she will likely be napping at least twice a day – once in the mid-morning and once in the mid-afternoon. An early evening nap might also be necessary if baby has had a particularly busy or active day. By the time your baby becomes a toddler, he or she will likely switch over to taking a single, longer nap in the afternoon.
What are the other benefits of napping?
Maintaining regular nap times gives your baby the structure he or she needs to learn how to manage daily life. Your baby will quickly fall into a pattern, becoming sleepy when it's naptime. Establish a nap routine that is brief but consistent; this will further help your baby transition from waking time to nap time easily because he or she will know what to expect.
Napping helps keep your baby from becoming over tired, which can lead to all sorts of other issues. A baby who is overtired will be fussy, and often becomes hyper awake so that getting to sleep becomes quite difficult. Also, establishing a consistent nap routine allows you to schedule your day with at least some level of confidence about which times of day you can successfully run errands, go to appointments, and the like.
Finally, the benefits of napping extend well into your child's early years of development. Some children continue taking naps up to four or five years of age, even if just on the weekends. This extra bit of rest is important to them as well, so most experts recommend hanging on to a regular nap or rest time as long as possible.