One of my saving graces as a mother has been Waverley’s rather unwavering nap schedule. She enjoys two naps a day that last for about two hours each. The predictability and routine this provides our day is my anchor of sanity and stability … and hers as well. As an occupational therapist, I am all about routine. The importance of routine and impact on our health is at the foundation of our profession, defining routine as “patterns of behavior that are observable, regular, repetitive, and that provide structure for daily life.” By practicing rituals and establishing routines in your family you are assigning meaning to actions, which can build relationships within the family (e.g., parent-to-child). Given this strong correlation between well-being and routine, it was no surprise that I was stringent in establishing a napping routine for Waverley. I’ve had many people tell me “You’re so lucky, my baby hates naps,” and while that very well may be true, I believe luck has little to do with it. Just like someone who is thin by exercising frequently and eating healthy, Waverley naps well because we have worked diligently to establish a napping routine. So, how did this happen and how am I now enjoying the fruits of my labor? I’m so pleased you asked!

• Begin with no expectations. At first, it would take upwards of an hour to get her to nap in her crib and then she’d only sleep for 10 minutes or so. I kept at it and gradually the amount of time required to put her to sleep decreased and the amount of time she slept increased.
• Consistency is key. When Waverley started sleeping in her crib at night at three months-old, I began attempting naps in there, too. We targeted the same time every day regardless of her other naps (she was pretty little, so would tend to fall asleep frequently) in order to instill predictability.
• Establish a pre-nap ritual. Our nap time ritual consists of: diaper change, sleep sack (or swaddle when she was tiny), reading books, and then a feeding. At this point I put her in her crib slightly awake and she falls asleep on her own. In the beginning, I also sang a “Big Girl Nap” song to get her in the mood. It’s a catchy little tune I think:) Our bedtime ritual is very similar, just with a bath beforehand.
• Create a strong foundation. Once both of you are accustomed to the routine you will have more freedom to deviate. I know! It sounds counterintuitive. Think of it like building a savings account: once the funds are there you have more freedom to splurge every now and then.
• Consider the factors that go into napping: environment, time of day, amount of time since last nap, accompaniments, person. Try to keep the majority of factors the same and your baby will be able to apply their napping knowledge in other areas. For example: keep the same amount of awake time hours in between naps if the actual times of the naps differ than usual; plan a car nap if you have a drive ahead with the same pre-nap ritual as when at home; generalize naps in other cribs with the comforts of home (e.g., sleep sack, blankets, etc). For Waverley, she is very flexible with the person putting her down for the nap if all other factors are familiar yet it seems I am the only person that can put her down for a nap if the other factors are in disarray.

A few important things to remember:

• Skipping a nap because you’re out and about or having an off few days does not mean the entire napping existence is over or all of your hard work has gone to the wayside. Go back to basics with a set time table and predictable pre-nap ritual and a normal napping schedule will likely resume.
• A morning nap is often dropped by 18 months of age. (Bittersweet, right?)
• Long naps during the day should not take the place of quality sleep at night.
• Do what works for you and your family! The most well-meaning intentions are futile if they don’t fit into your life and remember: not all advice works for everyone. For example, there are many sources that claim napping past 4:00 or 5:00pm will hinder bedtime. For us, that simply has not been the case. There are days Waverley will get a later afternoon nap (3:30-5:30pm) and is still ready for bed at 7:30pm.
• Keep in mind that gross motor development may interfere with naps. If your little one’s naps begin to change consider what he/she has been doing lately (e.g., newly crawling, freshly sitting independently). You may need to alter the environment to reduce distractions, such as lowering the mattress to prevent grabby little hands from tearing down the mobile.

To summarize, the most important aspects of napping are: setting a strong foundation through perseverance, consistency, and rituals. You will then have a glorious napping routine that will make everyone in the house happy, happy, happy! Do you have any other tips and tricks for getting your little ones down for naps?

*Please understand this does not take the place of medical advice from your pediatrician.*