How to Improve an Infant's Napping
If putting your infant to nap is a parenting task that you dread every day, the good news is that it need not be so. With some techniques, you can make nap times sweet for both your baby and you. The secret to making nap time smooth and long is to make your baby feel comfortable and follow a consistent ritual.
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Instructions
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Make your infant comfortable for a nap. Feed her first and let her burp as much as she wants to. Some infants need to burp after their meal. They feel uncomfortable if they don't do so and this can disturb their nap. Change her diaper. Dress her in light and loose cotton clothes to allow free air flow and body movement.
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Prepare a sleep-friendly environment for your baby. Put him to nap in the same crib and room that you use for him at nights. Pull down window blinds to block sunlight and turn off lights, if any, in the room. Switch off TV or phones nearby so that the resulting noise doesn't ruin his nap. If you rock or sing a song to your infant at nights, follow the same ritual. Following nighttime patterns conveys to your baby that it's time to sleep.
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Avoid waiting till the last minute to put your baby to nap. While it's fine to look for nap-ready signs such as yawning and rubbing eyes, it's not necessary wait for these signs. If you do, your baby can become overtired and turn restless and frustrated, which makes the task putting her to sleep even more difficult. Watch for a few minutes for the signs before her regular nap time, but put her to sleep whether or not she displays these signs.
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Follow the same pattern every day. Consistency is important. A routine also provides him with a sense of safety, which soothes him and makes it easier for him to sleep. As your nap time becomes a routine, you'll find that your infant goes to sleep without much fuss.
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References
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