My Baby Catnaps, but I thought all a baby did was eat, sleep, and you know, poop!  Well, You’re right! That is what a newborn usually does. After the baby comes home from the hospital, she seems to seep around the clock, except for when she is nursing. A newborn, although, she will sleep for only 2 to 3 hours at a time, it is not considered a catnap during the first 0- 4 months.  She will usually awaken due to hunger.  A Newborn baby will sleep about 22 hours a day.  Sleep is essential for her physical growth and cognitive development.  As the baby gets older those short sleep times, which are not catnaps, start to become meshed into a longer sleep time. Now she will be sleeping three to four hours at a time and awake for longer periods of time.  The reason for the longer naps is that the baby is consolidating her naps.  Instead of many naps, she takes longer naps.

So, if an older baby should be taking  longer naps, why does my baby catnap during the day? Instead of taking two good long naps, one in the morning and one in the afternoon? Why does she just take a morning nap, and will only catnap for 45min, 30min, or even 15min. and is up, and moving all afternoon? Before and after the catnap, she is extremely active, vocal, and nothing seems to calm her down.  Therefore, there is no turning that 30-minute catnap into a 3 hours or 4 hours sleep time.  Now that she is between 5 months to 9 months or even 12 months old, why does my baby catnap?

You can change your  baby’s catnapping schedule?  At this young age, the baby can increase the catnaps, to a full nap for an hour or more. First you have to understand the reason why the baby catnaps. So, when a mom wants to know why her baby catnaps, and says, “My baby catnaps”, mom, you need to focus on some possible reasons why:

Baby Catnaps Because She Needs a Routine

“My baby catnaps.”  Why: Baby needs a routine. Babies need to be on a schedule. This way the baby knows what to expect. The day should follow a specific routine. With a schedule, she will be prepared for the next activity, such as sleep time, bath time, bottle time, cuddle time, play time, sing to me time, and talk to me time. Say, if a baby wakes up and takes her first bottle about 5:00 AM, she then should go back to sleep for about 1 or 2 hours. At this time, she might be ready to start her day with another bottle or to be nursed about 6:00 AM of 7:00 with a diaper change, breakfast, a bath and then dressed for the day. Now onto the morning activities.  After some music time, baby talk (not speaking like a baby, but talking to your baby), story time, and playtime, she should be ready to take a morning nap, which may last about 2 hours. When the baby awakens, lunch is serve. Then there could be some more play time, baby talk and story time. Then say about 12:00 PM or 12:30 PM the baby should show signs of being sleepy or fatigued.  This is when you want to put her down for a nap.  You have to put the baby down when she is sleepy.   If the baby gets too exhausted, she will have difficulty going to sleep or staying asleep. Having a routine is always good for the baby. Sleeping is needed for cognitive and physical growth.  It doesn’t have to be the schedule that is presented above, but there needs to be a daily schedule non-the-less. One thing to remember is not that you can’t do anything but be on baby’s schedule.  Of course, there will be times that you will go out, or do other things that interrupt the daily routine, that’s normal, that’s life.  But the more often you are on a schedule, the happier she will be, and so will you!

Baby Catnaps Because She is  Hungry

“My baby catnaps.”  Why: Baby may be hungry. While following the routine, there should be a “lunchtime”.  Before the baby takes an afternoon nap, be sure that the baby has had enough to eat. By the age of 5 months the baby should be drinking about 5 ounces to 7 ounces of formula. Some babies have already started eating a little rice cereal or other solid foods at this age.  A 5-month-old baby may be eating up to 8 ounces of solid food 2 – 3 meals a day. When her little tummy is full and satisfied, and there is no little hunger “pocket” in her tummy, she will tend to sleep longer.  Of course, all eating selections and amounts to feed are with the direction of your pediatrician.  So, as you move from lunch time to nap time there can be a story or low-key playtime just before the nap. Maybe a bottle too.  Ultimately, you want to make sure that she is fed, dry, and relaxed before the nap. Now baby should take a nice long nap.

 Baby Catnaps Because She is Overly Exhausted

“My baby catnaps.”  Why: Baby may be overly exhausted. When she shows signs of being tired and sleepy, it is time to put her down for a nap.  When she is so tired and does not get the opportunity to sleep, the baby comes over stimulated.  Although, she may be “fighting” sleep, her body is crying out for you to help her get to a restful, calming situation so that she can drift off to a peaceful sleep.  There are many ways to help the baby to calm down.  Use some of these tactics to soothe her: rocking, reading a book, talking to her softly, gently massaging her neck or back, stroking her head, singing softy, or playing a lullaby. Then, when she is drowsy put her down to sleep.  Maybe a few gentle pats will let her know that she is safe to fall asleep.  A soft touch and a soft voice makes her feel secure knowing that you are there.

Baby Catnaps Because She is Too Distracted 

“My baby catnaps.”  Why:  Baby needs to be distracted from the stimulating environment around her. With all the brightly colored toys, wall motifs, colored bedding, and objects in the room, she sometimes may be absorbed in her surroundings.  So, turn out the lights, shut the blinds, and close the drapes.  With the diming of the lights there is less to be distracted by. The dimly lit room also gives the baby the message that something different is about to happen, and it’s not playtime.  It is a quiet time.  Therefore, it is time to do quiet things.  Remember babies pick up many cues from mom and the environment. When mom is calm and shows a restful spirit, the baby will feed off of that calm attitude. When the environment is restful, it gives the baby a sense of restfulness.

Baby Will Stop the Catnaps if the  Distraction is Calming 

Another, way to distract her from the sounds of the house or world outside, is to play soft music.  Music such as lullabies, or soft classical music played at a low volume is restful. The music can include vocals or just be instrumental. This way, the baby is focusing on the music and not other household sounds or objects. Another way to calmly distract the baby is by using white noise.  White noise is many sounds that are heard with the same intensity.  White noise can be found in nature. Nature sounds, such as rain, wind, waterfalls or oceans, are often included on white noise players. There are so many different tones created by those forces of nature, that it turns into natural white noise.  That is why many adults like to take a good nap on a rainy day.  So, does the baby.  She will sleep well to the sound of the soft rain outside her window.  Just like my daughter did when she was 21 months old. Listening to the waves and feeling the gentle rocking of the ship while on a cruise, she “slept like a baby”.  White noise may be just what she needs.  You can find child friendly white noise or music, in the womb sounds or the human heart beat toys at your community toy store. The sound box may be inside of a stuffed animal or some type of baby radio or device.

Conclusion

I have mentioned four reasons why the baby may be taking catnaps.  The four areas that will promote restfulness are: keeping a regular routine, making sure she does not go to bed hungry, putting her down for a nap before she becomes exhausted, and keeping her distracted from the sights and sounds within her environment. By practicing these steps, you can change her behavior and produce an environment for restfulness. The four reasons (steps) will give her the rest that she needs to grow physically and cognitively. Baby will be happy, and mom will not have the need to say “My Baby Catnaps!”

As a new mom, you are more than likely to need some assistance with the new baby, not only just getting baby to take a nap, but for other needs too.  So, contact Divine Home Nursing for the help you need.  We are here to help new moms and babies up to 24 months old. You will also find a more detailed list of Women’s Health Care services on our website-  https://www.divinehomenursing.net.  So just contact us and we can help by providing quality service. No more Catnaps for baby.

For Quality in Home Nursing care servicing Georgia in Dawson County, Forsyth County, Gwinnett County and North Fulton County, go to www.DivineHomeNursing.Net or call us today at 678.696.7177.