It’s important to note the difference between nap time and sleep time. When we refer to ourselves or our baby’s as taking a nap, the implication is that it will be an hour or two at most that sleep will take place.
Most newborns sleep for two to four hours at a time whether it be day or night. At this stage, you shouldn’t expect any sort of napping pattern to evolve – just let your baby sleep as much as he or she needs to at any given point in time.
By the time baby is 6 to 8 weeks old, he or she is likely to sleep less often but for longer stretches of time and will by now probably need two to four naps a day, perhaps even more. At this point, babies generally start to become fussier in their sleep routine. And this is where the Hugseez Baby Wrap Carrier proves to be so useful. The Wrap will make your baby feel more secure and he or she will fall asleep wrapped up securely and close to your heart. Once nicely asleep, you can easily then put them in their crib.
At around 3 or 4 months of age, baby should begin to follow a more predictable pattern of daytime sleep and this is a good time to start developing a nap schedule.
Letting baby nap at the same times each day is the easiest and best way to develop a solid routine for baby. Keep in mind that his or her temperament and natural rythms will also determine how and when he or she naps. So some babies will nap for long stretches every day easily settling into a routine whilst others do just fine taking shorter naps or napping at less regular times.
It’s encouraging to note that by 6 months baby will probably be taking two or three naps a day generally in the morning, early afternoon and perhaps later in the afternoon. And by 9 to 12 months, should be down to two naps a day, usually morning and afternoon.
At around 18 months, many children give up their morning nap altogether but continue to require an afternoon snooze time. They should continue with this pattern until around 3 or 4 years of age although some only start tapering off by around 5 years of age.
These napping / sleeping patterns that we’ve referred to above are in general typical patterns. Not all babies will follow them and we know that some baby’s will have their very own unique sleep habits.
No matter which sleep/nap pattern applies to your baby, be sure to have a Hugseez Baby Wrap Carrier with you at all times to aid in creating a warm, safe and comfortable space for baby to sleep, even if it’s just to help through the fretful times.
For more information on a Hugseez Baby Wrap Carrier, visit our website: www.babylegends.co.za on how to order your Hugseez today.
