Reply To: Day time naps

[Emma H]

Hi Rebekah,

It’s so great to hear that your little one is doing so well at night in the bassinet and already enjoying a long midday nap—such a win!

What you’ve described can be very normal for this age. Babies under 3 months often have a lot of naps—anywhere from 4-6 a day—and the lengths can be all over the place. For example, one nap might be just 20 minutes, the next 40 minutes, then a lovely long 1.5-2 hour nap, followed by a couple of shorter 30-minute naps. It can feel pretty random!

Although it is random, there are things you can start doing now to encourage longer naps (and fewer of them over time). Before I dive into suggestions, I’d love to get a better idea of what your days look like with your little one.

So, when you get a chance (no rush, I know how busy life can be with an 11-week-old!), could you answer a few quick questions for me?

1. Do you have a consistent wake-up time? If so, what time is it?
2. Are you following the wake, feed, play, sleep routine during the day?
3. You mentioned he likes being held to fall asleep. Can you describe what his current nap routine looks like and how you help him fall asleep? For example, are you rocking or feeding him to sleep?
4. How long is he staying awake between naps?
5. You said he naps in the pram bassinet. Could you describe where that’s set up? Is the room dark and quiet, or is it bright and maybe a bit noisier? Are you pushing the pram while he sleeps, or is it still? What is the temperature of the room?
6. Does he use a pacifier?
7. Is he swaddled when he sleeps? If so what type of swaddle are you using?
8. Are you able to describe what his bedtime routine looks like at night?
9. Is he waking up overnight for feeds?
10. Have you had a chance to try the settling pyramid with him?

Hopefully, these questions don’t feel too overwhelming. Take your time—there’s no rush at all. I just want to make sure my suggestions are as helpful as possible for you and your little one.

Emma