Waking Up Happy from a Nap: 3 Basic Rules for Baby
by Sami Cone
Apr 25, 2019
Waking up happy from a nap is possible for your baby. In fact, we have three simple rules for how baby wakes up happy from a nap with one method and some help from mom and dad.
Waking Up Happy from Naps: 3 Basic Rules
If you remember these 3 basic rules, your baby will start waking up happy from naps consistently:
Rule One: Mom, not baby, decides when the nap starts.
Rule Two: Mom, not baby, decides when the nap ends.
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Rule Three: If your baby wakes up crying or cranky, it's most often because he or she has not had sufficient sleep.
Rules one and two for having baby wake up happy from naptime should not surprise you. But let's take some time to explore rule number three a little more.
The Final Rule of Waking Up Happy
The final rule of waking up happy from a nap directly correlates to when baby wakes up crying during naps. If baby wakes up crying from a nap, any of the following issues could be present:
- dirty diaper
- noisy neighbor
- beginning of sickness
- an arm or leg stuck between the crib slats
This is just a brief list of nap disruptors. You may also want to review some other articles on nap disruptors.
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If you leave baby in the crib, even though baby may fuss or cry, he/she will probably go right back to sleep (within then minutes or so) for another rest period that extends thirty to forty minutes.
How to Know When Baby's Nap is Long Enough
When your baby gets enough sleep, you will notice a happy disposition. Baby will make cooing sounds, letting you know it's time to get them up.
As always, balance is important.
There will be times when your child may need five minutes of comfort in mom or dad's arms as he adjusts from naptime to waketime, but this happens more during the pre-toddler/toddler stage. And honestly, these moments can be some of the most precious of all your parenting.
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A Final Word on Waking Up Happy from Naps
A parent's beliefs about sleep highly influences a baby's wake-up disposition. Your baby's disposition upon waking can be happy and content when you follow these basic rules.
Sami Cone
Best-Selling Author & Speaker
Sami Cone is the best-selling author of "Raising Uncommon Kids", is known as the "Frugal Mom" on Nashville's top-rated talk show "Talk of the Town" and educates over a million listeners every day on her nationally syndicated "Family Money Minute". She is proud to call Nashville home with her husband, Rick, and their two teenage children.
