Why Does My Baby Only Take Short Naps?

A short nap is usually a nap that lasts less than one sleep cycle (about 50 minutes). A nap that lasts 50 minutes or more shows your baby’s ability to transition from one sleep cycle to the next. For the purposes of this discussion, anything less than 50 minutes will be classified as a “short nap.” So, yes, if your baby only naps for 30 minutes, that’s a short nap!

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My baby won't nap for more than 30 minutes. Is this just annoying or is it a real problem?

Let's be honest, short naps are a real PROBLEM. Here's why:

• Short naps prevent babies from getting deep, restorative sleep. This causes babies to be cranky and often in “overtired, tantrum” mode.
• Short naps can cause your baby to wake up at night or wake up early in the morning. This combination of waking up at night and waking up early in the morning can lead to short naps. It's a cycle that can feel overwhelming.
• Short naps often leave us feeling stuck at home because babies are overtired and cranky, and they always seem to be just minutes away from their next nap time.
• Short naps are STRESSING for parents (especially those of us who are super organized)! They make us obsess over baby's sleep, log every nap, never leave the house to fix the "schedule," and try to relive that day a few weeks ago when naps were great.

Naps start to become regular and longer around 5 months of age . That means a normal nap in the first four months of a baby's life lasts between 20 and 120 minutes. Yes, it is actually normal and developmentally appropriate for newborns to have short naps .

For babies younger than 5 months, helping them go back to sleep after a short nap can be very helpful. You don’t have to do this for every nap, but if you can stretch out 1 or 2 naps a day, it can make a big difference.

For babies over 5 months, do what works best for your family. This could mean helping to lengthen short naps or doing sleep training to lengthen naps as offered by Mimpiofficial.id .

Remember, if you’ve been trying to get your baby back to sleep for more than 10-15 minutes and they’re still not asleep, it’s time to end the nap and start the next wake window .

Expert tip: For babies who are still napping 3 or more times a day, the last nap is often the hardest. Don’t let this last nap stress you out. You can let your baby sleep in your arms, in the car/stroller , or in a sling. Getting this last nap is much more important than how or where your baby sleeps. The last nap is usually shorter, and that’s okay.

There are various reasons why your baby may have difficulty napping for more than 30 minutes and may have short naps. Let's discuss some of the causes and how to overcome them:

Naps start to become regular and longer around 5 months of age . In the first four months of life, naps usually last between 20 and 120 minutes. So, it is normal for newborns to take short naps .

What can you do? While short naps are normal for babies under 4 months, you can still try to make them last longer. Try picking your baby up and rocking them back to sleep for 10-15 minutes if they’re short. Sometimes, switching to a pacifier can help prolong a nap. If this works, go ahead. However, if it’s been 10-15 minutes and your baby hasn’t gone back to sleep, let the nap end! Start a new wake window and watch for signs of sleepiness before offering the next nap.

Don't worry that this will create bad habits in the future. We have to meet the needs of babies according to their current developmental stage. Yes, regular naps are a developmental process, and longer naps will come with time!

As you work on improving your younger baby’s naps, it’s important to remember that naps develop in isolation. The first nap of the day will usually be longer and more consistent, followed by the second nap, and eventually the third. So start by focusing on the first nap of the day! If you need help, check out our 7 Tips for Newborn Sleep from 5 Months blog which can help lay the foundation for healthy sleep and provide age-appropriate strategies for dealing with short naps.

Imagine you just got out of the gym or an important meeting and someone says, “GO TO SLEEP NOW.” You may be tired and need a break, but you can’t just go to sleep. You may want to change out of your wet clothes or put on something more comfortable. You may also want to sit on the couch for a while or read a book to help your body and mind relax. Your baby needs the same thing! They need time to settle down and a comfortable environment to fall asleep and stay asleep.

So what to do? Before each nap, do a little “nap routine.” It doesn’t have to be complicated or take more than 8-10 minutes! Just do the same things in the same order before each nap. Change your baby, remove any uncomfortable clothing, and use a sleep sack to signal to their brain that it’s time for bed. Then, read a book, turn on a sound machine, turn off the lights, and cuddle together. This calming routine helps your baby’s body prepare for naptime.

Expert tip: When our body temperature drops a bit, we sleep better. Consider adding a fan or lowering the room temperature during your baby's nap.

Expert tip: When our core body temperature drops slightly, we sleep better. Consider adding a fan or lowering the room temperature during baby's nap.

Is your baby’s room dark? I mean, really DARK? Light can overstimulate a baby’s brain, making it hard for them to fall asleep and stay asleep.

What to do? When you walk into your baby’s room during nap time, can you see your hand in front of their face ? If so, the room isn’t dark enough. I know you’re probably worried that your baby will depend on darkness to sleep. But if you’re reading this, then short naps are already a problem. Let’s fix naps first so they’re more regular, and then we can be more flexible.

To block out all light, do whatever you need to including blackout curtains. Some parents use cardboard taped to the windows. Others use blackout blankets or paper. Feel free to use whatever works best for your baby’s room, but make sure all light blocking is out of your baby’s reach.

Expert tip: Light can also come in from under the door. Just place a rolled-up towel or blanket there during nap time. Is light coming in from the edge of the curtains? Tie-backs are a great way to keep them close to the wall, blocking out even more light!

During the first 3-4 months of a baby’s life, it’s important to pay attention to sleepy cues and put them down for a nap when they start to feel tired. After about 4 months of age, we need to balance these cues (like yawning or eye rubbing) with your baby’s wake window . The goal is to build enough (but not too much) sleep drive so that when nap time comes, your baby can fall asleep easily and have a long, refreshing nap.

How to do it? See an age-appropriate sleep schedule for appropriate wake times and sample schedules based on your baby's age. Remember, as your baby gets older, you'll need to adjust their wake times. During wake times, make sure there are fun activities .

Expert tip: If your baby takes a short nap, don’t shorten their wake time afterwards. This will only reinforce the short nap pattern and lead to them taking the same nap again. Keep trying to maintain an age-appropriate wake time.

For babies 5-6 months old, it is very common to have 3 naps a day. This third nap is also often shorter. The goal of this “quick nap” is to help your baby get to bedtime. These naps can last anywhere from 20-45 minutes, and that is actually a GREAT amount of time!

Is this nap in the bed a struggle? Check out articles or blogs for 5-7 months and read about the third nap in a day.

In order for a baby to fall asleep and stay asleep, sleep pressure has to build up in his body. I call it your baby's "tired tank ."

Have you ever had this happen to you? You’re so tired at 10:00pm. You fall asleep on the couch for 10 minutes while watching TV. When you wake up, you change your clothes, wash your face, and go to bed… but you’re lying awake. That nap on the couch has made you lose the desire to sleep. This can happen to your baby too, causing them to struggle with short naps.

So what should you do? Make sure your baby is fully awake before nap time by staying in a bright room and doing normal daily activities, rather than going into a dark room.

Some babies actually wake up hungry if it's been more than 3 hours since their last feed, which can cut their nap short.

What to do? First, make sure you are giving your baby a full feed of breastmilk or formula every 2.5-3.5 hours throughout the day (every 2-3 hours for newborns). You can also offer a feed before naps to prevent short naps, but make sure your baby is fully awake during the feed!

Expert tip: During the first year of life, formula and/or breast milk are your baby’s primary sources of nutrition. This means that breastfeeding or bottle feeding should occur every 2.5-3.5 hours, even if your baby is also getting solid foods throughout the day.

Whatever your baby needs for a nap may also be needed 30-45 minutes later to help them transition between sleep cycles and extend their nap. So a baby who is held, rocked, or nursed to sleep may need the same help getting back to sleep.

What to do? We want to give your baby the chance to fall asleep on their own when nap time comes. I know you’re probably thinking, “If it was that easy, I’d do it already!” And I understand how you feel. That’s why we’ve created all these blogs on Mummasphere , to give you developmentally appropriate, step-by-step guidance on how to get your baby to fall asleep on their own.

Expert tip: Does your baby need a pacifier for naps? If their pacifier falls out shortly after they fall asleep, they may need it again 30-45 minutes later to move into their next sleep cycle. What can you do? Try helping your baby learn to find their own pacifier by playing “The Pacifier Game. ” Place 3-5 pacifiers in their crib so they can easily find them when they need them.

Yes, this is similar to the previous statement! However, it is very important. If you are the one doing all the work to “put your baby to sleep,” chances are they don’t have the skills to fall back asleep on their own when they wake up between sleep cycles.

What to do? Try to give your baby the space to learn to fall asleep on their own, so that when they wake up, they can use those skills to continue their nap. If you’re thinking, “My baby can’t do that!” you’re not alone; I can help.

In our blog post about “ Conquering Naps ,” we’ll teach you everything you need to help your baby fall asleep on their own during naps and transition between sleep cycles. You’ll have the tools to create a flexible routine that fits your lifestyle and family values. If your baby is younger than 5 months, I also have 7 Tips for you.

Babies usually crawl before they walk, babble before they talk, and sleep through the night before their daytime naps get better. There are exceptions, of course, but most babies do better at learning to sleep at night first.

What to do?
If your baby isn't sleeping well at night, we can help! Many parents find that as their nighttime sleep improves, their daytime sleep improves too.

Short Nap FAQ

• What is a quick nap for babies?
  I consider a quick nap to be one that lasts less than 50 minutes.

• Can babies naturally take longer naps?
  Some babies can! However, if your baby can't extend their nap on their own, don't worry.

• Is it OK to let a baby cry after a short nap?
  If your baby is fussy or fussy, it’s okay to give them a few minutes to see if they settle down! However, if the crying increases or the fussing lasts more than a few minutes, I recommend ending the nap and starting the next wake time.

• What is a “45 minute interruption”?
  The “45-minute disruptor” refers to when a baby wakes up about 30-45 minutes into a nap. This occurs when a baby is unable to connect one sleep cycle to the next. When a baby can easily connect one sleep cycle to the next, that’s when you’ll see long, refreshing naps!