How to Make a Nap Routine

Rest with your baby if you feel tired.

Sleep schedules vary widely from baby to baby. Most babies will take a one- to two-hour nap in the morning and another in the afternoon, then sleep for longer stretches at night. As your baby approaches the one year mark, though, he may begin to drop down to just one afternoon nap. You don't have to feel confined by your baby's nap schedule. Work with him to find the schedule that works best for both of you.

Things You'll Need

• Blackout curtains

Instructions

1. Keep a log of your baby's natural sleep patterns. Write down the time he wakes up in the morning, what times he generally goes down for a nap and how long he naps for. Most likely, you'll see some sort of pattern to the napping. For example, you may notice that he always takes his morning nap two hours after waking up or his afternoon nap one hour after eating.

2. Use your baby's natural sleep pattern to create a nap schedule that works better for you. If your little one always falls asleep in the car, for example, you may want to arrange your schedule so he's ready for his morning nap during the time you have to take your older toddler to preschool. In this case, you might wake your baby up two hours before you have to leave.

3. Prepare your baby for his nap. Babies have different patterns that help them fall asleep. Some need to eat just before sleeping, for example, while others sleep better immediately after play time. The "Parenting" magazine website suggests following a modified version of what you would normally do for your nighttime routine, such as singing a lullaby in a dark room.

4. Hang blackout curtains in your baby's windows to create a dark space for daytime naps. Many babies will sleep better if they're in a dark space.

5. Place baby in his bed during the designated time. Look for signs that he's sleepy, such as eye rubbing or crankiness. He may not go down for a nap every day at exactly 10 a.m., but he will likely fall asleep within 30 minutes of that time.

6. Stick to the same routine as much as possible. Your baby will become used to this schedule and start to get sleepy at the same time every day. When you disrupt the routine, it may become difficult for your baby to sleep.

Tips & Warnings

• If your toddler seems ready to switch to just one daily nap, do this by gradually pushing back his morning nap time.

• Schedule your errands around naptime. If your baby requires quiet and dark, run the errands during the time between naps. If your baby sleeps well just about anywhere, you may have an easier time running errands as he sleeps.

• All babies are different. What worked for your sister's baby or even your first baby may not work for this one. If you're still struggling, try different approaches, like letting baby sleep in a swing in the living room for naps.

References

• BabyCenter; Seven Keys to Creating a Successful Baby Sleep, Feeding and Play Schedule; Maureen Connolly
• Parenting; Napping from A to Zzzzz; Mindy Berry