I'd give my hind teeth for a well deserved nap, but one of the hazards of being a parent is that comfortable sleep of any kind will definitely elude you in your child's younger days. When children nap this results in a welcome respite in any mother’s busy schedule, they give her a breather to catch up on the turmoil of the day and replenish herself so that she is all energized for the next few hours of toddler fun. As the saying goes there’s never a good baby as a sleeping baby and I truly enjoyed the naps my children used to take for it allowed me to catch up on some chores or even take a nap myself.

As newborns they would nap all the time, waking up occasionally for a feed, from around six months to a year they would have two serious naps, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Until when they were two or three, then it would solely be the afternoon nap. But the napping years are slowly passing us by; for my eight year old loudly proclaims that she is too OLD for naps and my six year old only on occasion might indulge in one. But I must admit that they are few and far between. The trick is to get the art of napping right in the most important early years for not only are they essential for the development of a baby but they are also a parental delight to be enjoyed.

Here are some tried and tested methods of ensuring napping success in the years to come.

Set the Mood 

It is very important as in any occasion to set the mood for the upcoming nap. Make sure baby is fed, washed and in a quiet location without any distractions. I know it is human nature to wait till your baby shows signs of needing a nap, but the trick is not too wait too long otherwise you will be left with a baby who is overtired and cranky to want to have a nap. You have a narrow window of opportunity to act, for example rubbing of eyes, yawning, a bit of grumpiness are all indicators that a nap is needed. You know your baby best so watch out for any tell tell signs.

Location, Location, Location 

Make sure you find a quiet, traffic and noise free location for your baby to nap. I recommend putting them down in their cots, do not have special places for naps. Let them learn that once they are in their cots it's sleeping time. Make sure the room is cool and comfortable and curtains and blinds are drawn creating a comfortable napping environment. You can use aids such as soothing music or reading a book to help.

The Don’ts of Napping 

Do not develop specific behaviour that no one else can duplicate when putting baby to bed. However easy it might seem refrain from rocking your child to sleep, this causes a patterned behaviour and one you will have to indulge in at every nap time. Help your baby fall asleep on their own, either provide them with a cuddling toy or blanket. Though these useful habit's might take time and require loads of patience eventually you will have a baby that will sleep longer and it will become an easy routine to follow for anybody.

Essential for Growth 

It does give all mothers a break when their babies naps, but these daytime naps are also essential for the successful growth of the baby’s brain and body, so make it a point to teach your child how to nap.

Sweet dreams!

By Mayuri Jayasinghe