{"id":134427,"date":"2024-11-07T16:01:03","date_gmt":"2024-11-07T20:01:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?p=134427"},"modified":"2024-11-14T16:10:32","modified_gmt":"2024-11-14T20:10:32","slug":"infant-nap-schedule","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/infant-nap-schedule\/","title":{"rendered":"The Infant Nap Schedule That Every Parent Needs"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Why is a sleep schedule helpful for infants? Why do some babies struggle to take naps?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Babies who take good naps tend to sleep better at night as well. However, a lot of babies have trouble taking naps during the day, and they’ll require an infant sleep schedule to help them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We have an infant nap schedule that’ll get your baby’s naps back on track.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

How to Improve Your Baby\u2019s Naps<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Lots of babies struggle with naps for many reasons: Nap needs change as babies grow, naps aren\u2019t as fun as being awake, and nap schedules are delicate\u2014illness, teething, car naps, and skipped naps can all throw things off.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Shortform note: Although getting your baby to take good naps and keep a good nap schedule can be challenging, research shows that not getting enough nap sleep during the day can have consequences for your baby<\/a>: Skipping naps regularly can inhibit their growth and development. Napping supports learning by helping babies process and remember information they absorb while awake. Naptime is also when growth hormone is secreted most in babies, so interrupted or insufficient naps may interfere with their physical development<\/a>. Missing out on naps can also have long-term effects, such as causing behavioral issues or attention problems later in life, because sleep is instrumental in brain maturation and cognitive functions.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Refer to this infant nap schedule as a general guide for understanding your child\u2019s nap needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Infant to Toddler Nap Chart<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Age<\/strong><\/td># of Naps<\/strong><\/td>Duration of Naps<\/strong><\/td>Time Between Naps<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Birth-6 weeks<\/td>4-8<\/td>15 min-4 hours<\/td>45 min-1 hour<\/td><\/tr>
6 weeks-3 months<\/td>3-5<\/td>30 min-2 hours<\/td>1- 1.75 hours<\/td><\/tr>
3-6 months<\/td>3<\/td>1-2 hours<\/td>About 2 hours<\/td><\/tr>
6-9 months<\/td>3<\/td>1-2 hours<\/td>2-3 hours<\/td><\/tr>
9-12 months<\/td>2-3<\/td>1-2 hours<\/td>About 3 hours<\/td><\/tr>
12-18 months<\/td>1-2<\/td>1-2 hours<\/td>3 hours<\/td><\/tr>
18 months-3 years<\/td>1<\/td>1-2 hours<\/td>N\/A<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Alexis Dubief writes that to improve your baby\u2019s naps:<\/p>\n\n\n\n