Afternoon Nap Guide
by Sami Cone
Mar 08, 2019
Afternoon naps are a critical part of any child's day. Our afternoon nap guide will help you with whatever afternoon nap questions and struggles you may have.
Afternoon Naps
Why is it that when we're young we don't want to nap and when we're old, it's all we want to do?
Afternoon naps are key to the Babywise method. Even if your baby is sleeping through the night, the afternoon nap remains an important part of baby's sleep schedule.
Whether your baby won't go down for their afternoon nap or keeps waking up early, we're here to help!
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When to Drop an Afternoon Nap
One of the most frequent questions we get asked is, "When should baby drop an afternoon nap?". One of the biggest factors depends on baby's age.
There are other indicators too, such as:
- Baby waking up in the middle of the night after they've been sleeping through the night
- Your baby wakes up VERY early in the morning
- Baby routinely wakes early from their naps
For more insights, check out other ways to navigate this transition in this article.
Waking Early from Afternoon Naps
One of the common nap problems we mentioned above was waking early from the afternoon nap. Many reasons exist for why this could be happening, so it's important to isolate the cause.
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Thankfully, factoring in Baby’s age and primary food source (breastmilk, formula, and/or solid foods)can drastically reduce the number of possible causes. Parents will also want to consider the nature of the disturbance.
This article linked above provides more guidance.
Afternoon Naps Across the Ages
If you're looking for an overview of nap times across the ages, Jess Wartinger has you covered.
As the mom of six kids, this experienced mom has become an expert on nap transitions as babies grow into big kids. Read her advice
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Sample Baby Sleep Schedules
Want to know where your baby's schedule should fall based on their age and stage? Check out this list of sample baby sleep schedules to help you.
Share this article with a parent who could use help navigating afternoon naps with their baby.
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.
