Reply To: Help with daytime naps

[Emma H]

Hi Xu Shan,

I’m so glad to hear that the videos and course have been helpful on your baby’s sleep journey!

It sounds like you’re doing a fantastic job with the wake, feed, and play schedule, and you’ve already established a strong nap routine with swaddling, rocking, and white noise. These are all great foundations.

At this age, short naps (anywhere from 20 to 50 minutes) are completely normal, though understandably frustrating. It’s also common for nap lengths to vary throughout the day. As babies grow, naps typically become more predictable, but catnaps (lasting 30-45 minutes) often persist from around 3 to 6 months. Somewhere between 5 and 6 months, many babies begin to consolidate their naps, linking sleep cycles and sleeping for longer stretches.

That being said, here are a few suggestions that may help extend your baby’s naps and support more independent sleep:

1. Adjust Awake Time:
If it’s consistently taking 15-20 minutes for him to fall asleep after being awake for 65 minutes, this might indicate that his wake window needs adjusting. You could try increasing his wake time by 10-15 minutes, so start the nap routine around 75 minutes of awake time and see if it helps him settle faster. If he falls asleep with less effort, it’s a sign that a longer wake window is more suited to his current needs.

2. Pacifier Use:
Using a pacifier at this age is perfectly fine and even encouraged, as it’s linked with a reduced risk of SIDS. When are you currently offering him the pacifier? If you’re comfortable using it, try giving it to him before swaddling, as this can help soothe him and signal that it’s time to sleep. Once he’s swaddled, ensure the pacifier is still in place when you lay him down in the crib, and then proceed with the settling pyramid. Does he currently use a pacifier at night as well?

3. Extending Naps by Linking Sleep Cycles:
If you want to extend the length of his naps, you can try assisting him in linking sleep cycles. Start by noting how long his naps usually last—there may be a consistent length, like 30-40 minutes. If so, enter the room a few minutes before he typically wakes and gently pat him or reinsert the pacifier to help him transition into the next sleep cycle. This method works well for some babies, though not all, as some may wake up ready for the next activity regardless.

4. Settling Pyramid:
It’s great that you’ve started using the settling pyramid to help him fall asleep. When he cries after being laid down, are you moving up the pyramid (e.g., offering more soothing in the crib) before picking him up? If not, this could be something to try before resorting to picking him up right away. Also, are you able to let me know how are you currently putting him to sleep at bedtime?

5. Swaddle Consideration:
It’s great that you’re swaddling him! Could you let me know which type of swaddle you’re using? Specifically, are his arms positioned up near his face, or down by his sides? If his arms are up, you might want to try a swaddle that keeps his arms down by his sides, as this could help him settle faster during naps. Additionally, having his arms swaddled down will make it harder for him to accidentally knock the pacifier out of his mouth, which might help him stay calm and fall asleep.

I hope this helps!

Emma