How To Master Naps On The Go
Naps can be hard to master.
Here is a short guide to help you with naps on the go.
Achieving day sleep for your child is potentially one of the biggest sleep challenges that parent’s experience. The best place for your child to sleep beyond 4/5 months of age is in their cot, in a suitable sleep environment.
This also helps your child have good quality sleep and this has a positive implication for consolidated restoring sleep.
However, this is not always possible and although we recommend that sleep should happen at home, it is worth having a few ideas to help your baby sleep whilst out and about.
The ability to sleep well “on the go” can be temperament based and lots of children do not, and will not, get a good quality of sleep in the car or the pram, but it is certainly better than no sleep at all. Don’t be disappointed if your child just cannot sleep anywhere other that his or her cot. Many children are too distracted by their surroundings, light and noise and this may prevent them from sleeping altogether, resulting in an overtired child. From 4-6 months your child’s sleep will resemble an adults sleep mostly, therefore, all of the elements that can affect your sleep will also affect your child’s sleep when on the go.
Most parents would like their child to be adaptable, as in, able to sleep at their grandparent’s, on a walk, in the car and at home. In order to try to establish this then your child will invariably need to be a good independent sleeper in the first place. This typically means that s/he should be able to put him/herself to sleep and back to sleep during a sleep period. Then you can help your child to become a good napper in different circumstances:
Tips for Naps on the go
Know when your child should be sleeping. That way you can plan your car journey, shopping trip, lunch at your friends to coincide with the time that she will be requiring to go to sleep. Lots of children will sleep well in the car or the pram due to the motion and if you are driving or walking during a typical nap time that can really help. Avoid missing the natural sleep time as that can result in your child resisting sleep and missing a biologically necessary restoring sleep.
Darken up the space or block out distractions. If your child is inquisitive and alert, and most are, then try to use a blanket or cover for your pram/car seat that will create a darker environment and block out activity. This can help them switch off and succumb to sleep out and about.
Have a sleep time routine that you can do before sleep wherever you are. A repertoire of songs, certain key phrases that you say, almost like a bedtime routine on the go. This can help signal to your baby that it actually is time to sleep and help that transition to sleep.
Bring familiar items for sleep with you. Their lovey, the stuffed animal that they sleep with for example. Also, if you are planning to have your child sleep in someone else’s house, then even consider bringing with you the sleeping bag, the sheet from their own cot in order to replicate their familiar scents and smells for sleep.
Want some extra help?
If you are worried about your little one’s still struggling with their sleep, you can book in a free 15min consult. During our chat we can discuss how we can achieve healthy sleep habits for your little one with a tailored sleep package just for them.