HOW TO MASTER NAPS ON THE GO FOR YOUR BABY
it’s important to get out and about and not restrict yourself to being at home for naps all day. READ THE SLEEEP LAB’S TIPS ON HOW TO MASTER THE ART OF NAPS oN THE GO!
Everything in life is about balance and when we have children, we may sometimes feel more restricted than we used to be. Whilst I am an advocate of a regular nap routine, in a wonderful environment at home in their cot, it’s absolutely essential that you introduce flexibility into your day! You and your baby will feel all the better for it.
When is a good time to nap on the go?
When your baby is a newborn, their naps don’t start to organise themselves until around 5 months of age so enjoy this time as much as possible. They are in and out of sleep at this age with no particular structure so this is a great time to meet new mums, share experiences and go with the flow.
As your child gets a bit older (from 5 months +), they will start to form a more regular structure with their naps, which serve a really important function. Naps are really important for development, restoration and form the basis of one the key sleep foundations. I encourage you to get into a really nice and regular routine at home in a great environment. For more information, please read my blog on the importance of routines https://www.thesleeeplab.com/blog/routine
How often shall we nap on the go?
Overall naps outside the home tend to be less restorative than those taken in their cot and they are more likely to be cut short due to so much stimulation and loud noises. If we interrupt with their naps too often, then you may start to observe a few negative impacts with over-tiredness creeping in and overall fussiness, however doing this every now and again is not going to cause any major issues.
top tips to nap on the go successfully
1. Get the timing right
Typically, your child is going to be a little more excited and stimulated if they are outside of the house. Trying to have them nap too early or too late though can lead to a missed nap opportunity which will lead to a great deal of over-tiredness in the day. I recommend presenting the nap opportunity about 15- 30 minutes later than their normal nap time at home to ensure they have a decent amount of sleep pressure, which you will need to successfully get them to fall asleep. If you try too early, the chances are they will fuss around and protest the nap and its likely to lead to nap for that day.
2. Practice from a young age.
The more you do anything, the more likely you will have success! The same applies here. Find a method that suits you and your family, whether that be in a carrier, having a car ride, or taking a stroll in the pram. Don’t feel defeated if it doesn’t work the first couple of times – keep going! Motion is likely to be your best friend so all that jiggling will hopefully lead them to slumber.
If you use a pram, I recommend investing in the snooze shade https://www.snoozeshade.com/ or clipping muslin cloths safely around the pram . This worked for me and my kids as it allows for some darkness and removes all those interesting things to look at which they might want to stay awake for! Always ensure you allow for ventilation when covering a pram or blocking light in anyway – safety first!!
3. Remember their sleep props
If they have a special blanket or comforter bunny or soft toy that they typically need for sleep, make sure to bring that along! They will associate this with sleep and increase the chances of success!
4. What to do if you miss a nap
If you happen to be out about and the nap doesn’t go to plan or they skip it completely, just ensure they have a nice calm wind down at the end of the day and you may need to bring their bed time forward so that they don’t spiral into an over-tiredness cycle.
Good luck and have fun!
