Prioritizing Your Day Around Naps

31st May 2016

Naps aren’t just to give mom and dad a break for a couple hours. They’re absolutely important for your child’s development, even if your child is a great night-time sleeper.

For a baby under six months, “nap” doesn’t have much meaning. It’s best to let your baby fall asleep as his or her body sees fit. There won’t be a clear distinction between nap time and night time. After six months, however, a natural pattern will begin to emerge. Your child will sleep longer at night and stay awake more during the day. This routine is expected, but don’t push it too hard and keep your baby awake too long.

The best way to ensure your baby gets plenty of day time sleep is to “build” your day around their nap schedule, but this doesn’t mean you have to enforce a rigid nap routine (in fact, we don’t recommend that at all). It means monitoring your child’s sleep habits closely and making decisions about your day that facilitate more sleep.

1. Growth happens during sleep – Human Growth Hormone, the chemical primarily responsible for making your child grow is released mostly during sleep. Without proper sleep, their growth can actually be stunted.

2. Sleep improves behavior – It’s no secret that tired children can be dreadful to deal with. Good luck standing patiently in line at the supermarket with a sleep-deprived toddler. It’s far easier to wait for the nap to finish before running your errands.

3. Quality day sleep makes for better night sleep – It’s a myth that forcing a child to stay awake during the day will help them sleep better at night. Children who sleep well for naps have an easier time going to sleep and staying asleep at night. Plus, you want children to fall asleep in a relaxed, unstressed environment so they associate sleep with calmness and rejuvenation. If an overtired child screams for 10 minutes before going to sleep every time, they will associate sleep with that feeling and resist it.

4. Your child will enjoy experiences more – A child who has had plenty of rest will enjoy the things you do with him in between. Take a tired child to the aquarium and the experience would be miserable for the both of you. But a rested child will explore, learn and get much from the trip.

So how do we prioritize around naps? It’s simple.

  1. Accept that naps are mission of the day. Everything else comes second. If that means something waits until tomorrow, so be it.
  2. Any trips out should be easily accomplished within the “awake window.” If your child takes three naps a day, you only have two or so hours to be out of the house. If your child takes two naps, you have about four hours. (Your results may vary.)
  3. Napping should happen at home in your child’s usual sleep space as much as possible. Yes, things come up and sometimes you’ll have to give your child a nap somewhere else, and your baby will fall asleep in the car occasionally. But aim for all sleep to happen in the crib.
  4. Don’t wake your child up. Let his or her body determine how much sleep is necessary. Don’t schedule things too close to the time your child usually wakes up in case he/she decides to sleep extra-long. Sleep is good!

That’s it. Happy sleep!

infant support pillow

Written by Alicia Overby - Founder & President of Baby Elephant Ears

Alicia is wife, mother, and creator of Baby Elephant Ears. Baby Elephant Ears was created out of parental concern, not financial desire. In 2005, when their second child was an infant, he cried all the time and just couldn't seem to get comfortable.

After seeking advice and suggestion from the medical community and alternative medicine, they eventually ended up in the chiropractors office where their baby was successfully treated for asubluxation, discomfort most likely the result of the strain during labor, which was now being exacerbated by the normal lack of infant neck strength. Only proper neck, head, and back alignment would offer him relief. When they couldn't find a product to give their baby the necessary support, Alicia took matters into her own hands and crafted her own infant support pillow. The first Baby Elephant Ears was born!

For more information, visit www.babyelephantears.com.

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