Napping is a hot topic on our blog, and it's no wonder: most of us count napping as our favorite time of day ! Of course, naps are essential for the health and development of your baby, but don't deprive yourself of it, you also need a little rest during the day! And the nap is the perfect opportunity to allow you to take a little rest.
One of the most common questions we get here (besides "How can I get my baby to nap longer?") is "How many naps should my baby/toddler take each day?"
All babies are different and your baby will develop at a different rate than other babies of the same age. Even twins develop at a different rate sometimes! Just as some babies walk and talk first, the age at which your baby will nap less will also vary.
Newborn nap
For the first few months after your baby is born, it's best not to worry too much about the nap schedule. Your baby's brain is developing, the central nervous system is developing and sleep is getting organized. As we have already said:
At first, your newborn sleeps most of the time, and you usually don't have to worry too much about naps . Your newborn's sleep schedule and patterns are usually very unpredictable, so it's hard to tell if he'll take 5 or 8 naps a day. You just gave birth, so as long as he can tell the difference between day and night, you probably won't mind too much unless he doesn't "sleep like a baby".
Once your newborn becomes more social, you'll start to have more difficulty napping. It won't be easy for some babies, depending on their age, but you can start to focus on improving your baby's nap time and sticking to a schedule , especially if your baby doesn't nap at all. I wrote a more detailed article here on how to set up an effective sleep pattern for your baby.
Lack of naps or naps that are too short can lead to restlessness (for you and your baby!) and make it difficult for your baby to sleep at night.
How many naps should babies and toddlers take?
Here are some guidelines for how many naps your baby or toddler is likely to need:
- From 1 to 4 months, the number of naps your baby takes will vary, but he will hover around 4 to 5 naps a day, depending on how long his naps last and how long he can stand between naps. At the age of 3 or 4 months, he will only take 4 naps, instead of 5.
- From 5 to 8 months, most babies will take three naps a day. They will start to resist the fourth nap, even if they are very tired. A few babies will only take two naps at a very young age, but these naps are usually long.
- From 9 to 15 or 18 months, on average, your baby will take two naps a day. Although many people think most babies can nap at 12 months, the average age is actually 15 to 18 months.
- From 18 months to 4 years old, toddlers take a nap once a day. The age of transition to stopping all naps varies widely, from 2 to 5 years and up, but the average age is between 3 and 4 years.
Remember that these are tips and all babies are different. We saw a few 10 month olds take a single nap while others take another three. Your baby's sleep needs vary. You should also know that a nap must be at least an hour long to be considered restorative, except for the third or fourth nap of the day, which are almost always naps of around 30 to 45 minutes each.
I hope this article has enlightened you on the subject. Feel free to share your experiences with us in the comments.
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