Does it matter where babies sleep? In fact it does!
Motion sleep often prevents babies from getting into that deep restorative sleep they need to wake up fully rested. The result.. short naps, unless the “motion” keeps going.. When teaching a baby to sleep through the night and take longer restful naps during the day, it’s important to try and allow sleep to happen in their crib or play pen as much as possible. In a nice and dark sleep inducing environment.
The odd nap on the go or in the swing isn’t the end of the world. However allowing it multiple times in a day, or a few days in a row is definitely bound to be the cause of a cranky overtired little one, as he may not be getting enough deep restorative sleep.
Think about yourself for a min…if you fall asleep sitting on a plane…or sitting in the front passenger seat on a long road trip slouched over as your husband is driving…it’s daylight outside, you can still hear everything around you, and are aware of when the car slows down or stops right? Same for your baby. The big difference here is that adults don’t “need” a great daytime nap to function until bedtime. Babies and young toddlers do!
If your child seems to get fussier as the day progresses, or when the “witching hour” starts setting in around supper time, that’s a great cue that baby’s daytime sleep needs may not have been quite met that day. While a 45 min snooze in the car is enough to take the edge off, it most definitely does not equal a nice deep resful nap in the crib.
Got a cat napper on your hand? Does your baby just fully refuse to sleep during the day? I can help ? book your free 15 min call with me to find out how https://www.timetrade.com/book/WBVGH
