The Quick and Dirty Guide to Naps

[cs_content][cs_section parallax="false" style="margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;"][cs_row inner_container="true" marginless_columns="false" style="margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;"][cs_column fade="false" fade_animation="in" fade_animation_offset="45px" fade_duration="750" type="1/1" style="padding: 0px;"][cs_text]Most parents have a love/hate relationship with naps. Yes, they provide a much-needed break in the day. But if your child resists (or refuses) naps, it can be the worst part of your day.While there are many causes of poor napping, oftentimes an easy schedule change can work wonders. Here's an overview of best napping practices:Newborns (0-16 weeks): Lots and lots of naps; your goal is to keep your baby well-rested so a short awake time between naps is key.4-8 months: Three naps (9am / 1pm / late afternoon catnap that ends by 5pm)8-14(ish) months: Two naps (9am / 1pm)Resist the temptation to drop to 1 nap too early!14(ish) months+: One nap (12/1pm)As your child gets older and needs fewer naps, keep an eye on bedtime. Instead of being a fixed time every night, your little one's bedtime should always be responsive to the quality and quantity of daytime sleep. A baby who takes 3 naps can tolerate a later bedtime (7-7:30pm) because he's taking a late afternoon nap. Once that catnap is no longer needed, you'll need to move bedtime earlier or risk over-tiredness kicking in. Similarly, a toddler transitioning from 2 to 1 naps may need a temporary super early bedtime as she gets used to less daytime sleep.[x_gap size="1.313em"]This was originally published in the Bonne Nuit Baby newsletter. Want monthly sleep tips? Sign up here.[/cs_text][x_gap size="100px"][x_image type="none" src="http://www.bonnenuitbaby.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/quick-and-dirtyguide-to-nappins.png" alt="" link="false" href="#" title="" target="" info="none" info_place="top" info_trigger="hover" info_content="" class="aligncenter" style="width: 200px;"][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][/cs_content]

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