Want Your Baby to Nap Better and Longer? Try These 4 Tips and Tricks

Let’s call out one of the biggest, most neglected emotions in motherhood – sleep envy.

You’ve definitely felt it.

When you hear your spouse snoring at 2:15 am while you try to soothe your crying baby; sleep envy.

The frustration when you see your friend’s post about her babe routinely taking a three-hour nap; sleep envy.

Looking at the dark circles under your eyes that even Sephora can’t fix; sleep envy.

Don’t worry, mama. We’re serving up our best baby nap tips and tricks. So you can ditch the sleep envy and catch some peaceful zzzs for yourself.

Try these tips to help your baby nap longer and sleep better.

Consistency Is Key

It’s no secret that babies love a routine and moms love to make schedules:

• Feeding schedule
• Sleep schedule
• Nap schedule
• Play schedule
• Bathroom schedule

What’s the reason for all the schedules? Because offering your baby consistency helps them feel calm. Being on a routine is peaceful and relaxing for your little one. Instead of wondering how to get your baby to nap better, take a look at yourself. What kind of routine have you created? Or have you even thought about a nap schedule?

Don’t wait for your baby to get tired in hopes of them falling asleep on their own. This is a great way to create an over-tired, angry tyrant who will fight sleep harder than the heavyweight champ defending his title. And that’s not fun for anyone…

Take cues from your babe on when they start to show signs of being sleepy. Look for yawning, eye-rubbing, and lack of alertness.

*Pro Tip* Keep a sleepy-sign time log. Because let’s face it – you’re tired and you’ll probably forget when you noticed the signs. Keep a log over a few days and look for trends in the times when your babe gets sleepy. Use those trends to create a nap schedule.

Then, most importantly, keep the nap schedule consistent.

It’s time to say bye-bye to the unsure days of letting your babe nap willy-nilly. And say hello to planned, consistent nap times. Your baby – and sanity – will thank you.

Build a Baby Sleep Environment

Dreaming of an ultra-bright, loud, hard place to drift off to sleep? No. And neither is your babe. You can’t expect to help your baby nap longer without giving them the best napping environment.

Use these baby nap tips to set the stage for better sleep.

Darkness promotes sleep

Help your baby begin to recognize that we sleep when it’s dark^[1]. Try blackout curtains in the nursery or partially cover the stroller if you’re on the go. Let your baby associate darkness with sleep to sleep longer and deeper. Plus, you’ll create strong sleep habits for when your little one gets older.

Bring on the noise

Yup, you read that right. Babies don’t need, or want, silence when they’re trying to fall asleep. Your baby’s used to being in the womb – and that place is far from silent.

Give your babe a sense of normalcy with some carefully planned noise.

No, this doesn’t mean cranking up the music. Don’t encourage your older kids to see who can scream the loudest. But don’t try to force complete silence, either. Help your baby sleep longer with some relaxing sounds like:

• White noise
• Soft, calming music
• A fan
• Ocean waves
• Gentle lullabies

Sweet sounds will help your little one fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer.

A little light never hurt anyone

Yes, it’s true that babies sleep better when you put them down in the dark – at least in partial darkness. But your slumbering little infant will quickly grow into a toddler. Toddlers face different emotions and fears than newbies. And what’s one of the most common fears? Darkness.

Keep your little one asleep by keeping them calm and relaxed. A gently-glowing nightlight is just enough to keep the monsters at bay.

Take a chill pill

Temperature is something else to consider to help your baby sleep longer.

Sweaty and sticky? Time to wake up.

Cold and shivering? Up in a heartbeat.

Adjust the room temperature to be slightly cooler than normal. Rooms that are *just a little* chilly promote better, deeper sleep.

Follow a Pre-Nap Routine

It’s best to follow the signs from your babe and lay them down when they’re tired. But learning the signs isn’t always enough. A pre-nap routine can help even those heavy hitters sack out.

When it’s time to put your baby down for a nap, help them wind down. Prepare their body and brain for sleep.

Try some of these relaxing activities:

• Read a book
• Sing or listen to lullabies
• Give a massage
• Prep the nap area together
• Close cuddles

Enjoy some bonding time while helping your little one relax. Learn what helps your babe get sleepy. Use calming activities to help your baby sleep better.

Naptime Helpers

You’ve tried all the baby nap tips and tricks. You follow a consistent schedule based on when your babe’s tired. Your pre-nap routine is on point. The room’s dark and the prime temp.

But getting your baby to nap is still a struggle. It’s time to bring out the big guns.

Gentle lullabies to soothe your babe off to sleep. Automatic shutoff so you don’t have to worry about coming back and disturbing the slumber. A soft glow to keep away the baddies. Compact and portable to make naptime a breeze no matter where you are. Your little one needs Stär. 

When your tot gets bored at naptime, it’s time to introduce Hibü. Color-changing glow to keep your babe distracted. Keep the glow until they hit the sack then let the timer turn it off for you. The durable and portable design makes sleeping on the go a dream.

When you’re struggling with getting your baby down for a nap, remember the four tips. Consistency, sleep environment, pre-nap routine, and nap helpers. Use these baby nap tips and tricks to help your baby sleep better and sleep longer. And give yourself a little breather.

Looking for more advice on baby sleep?

Check out this helpful blog post from baby expert, Marie Fortier: https://bbluv.ca/blogs/infos/how-can-i-help-my-baby-s-sleep-comment-aider-le-sommeil-de-mon-bebe

1-https://www.healthywomen.org/content/article/how-give-your-little-one-perfect-nap-environment