Benefits of Contact Napping
When it comes to babies, sleep is a topic that is always at the forefront of any new parent's mind. How can you ensure that your baby sleeps well and develops properly? One answer that has been growing in popularity is contact napping.
This practice involves a parent and baby napping together, maintaining physical contact throughout the nap. In this blog, I will dive into the benefits of contact napping and how it can positively affect both the baby and the parent.
With Liam, I exclusively contact napped for the first 8 months of his entire life, however, he was independent at bedtime since 5 months of age! Contact napping (because he was a short napper) ensured he was well rested and slept well over night.
What is Contact Napping?
Contact napping involves the baby sleeping in close proximity to the parent, often lying on the parent's chest or in their arms while the parent is awake and aware. You can also do this while baby wearing!
Benefits of Contact Napping
There are lots of benefits of contact napping:
may result in less crying or difficulty falling asleep/staying asleep
all the benefits from skin to skin (ie regulating temperature, aiding weight gain, breastfeeding success)
if you’ve got a short napper, even one longer contact nap a day can help keep them rested/prevent overtiredness which positively benefits their night time sleep.
it could also benefit your baby if they have trouble being transferred and staying in their sleep space
and listen, if we stop viewing nap time as time that HAS to be productive, then you might even enjoy getting to slow down and reset/rest with baby too 🥰
Skin-to-skin contact napping is also good for parents including dads! In fact, a 2022 report in the Journal of Clinical Nursing found that kangaroo care/contact napping enhances the bonding and attachment between fathers and infants. Plus, more research has shown that kangaroo care can help…
Lower blood pressure
Lower heart rate
Reduce cortisol levels
Reduce feelings of depression and anxiety
Increase oxytocin levels
Increase relaxation
Preparation is key. Before it’s naptime, make sure your immediate needs are met. Get a snack, a drink of water, and use the bathroom. Make sure you have a charger for your phone.
Take this as a time to relax and snuggle your little one. Set up for the nap somewhere comfortable for you. Make sure you have something to read, listen to, or watch.
(And yeah, it can seem like a privilege of only first time parents but you can include your toddler in this OR overlap naps so everyone is getting downtime!)
Contact naps are healthy and normal. If they work and you enjoy them, they are a great tool. You can do all naps as contact naps or just some of them. You can work on changing where your child naps, but keep in mind your child’s age and temperament for realistic expectations of the process.
Tips for Safe Contact Napping
Create a Safe Environment: Ensure that the surface where you nap is firm and free from loose bedding or pillows that could pose a suffocation risk. I always baby wore because I would be wide awake and hold him right on my chest either sitting up or walking around the house doing some household chores.
Stay Awake: If you feel overly tired, it is best to place the baby in their crib, as being asleep might make you unaware of their movements.
In conclusion, contact napping is more than a trend; it’s a practice that can foster a deep connection between parent and child, promoting emotional, physiological, and cognitive benefits. While it may not be suitable for everyone, those who practice it often swear by its power to calm and connect. With that being said, although I strictly contact napped with Liam until 8 months, Aiden had some contact naps and some crib naps! Every parent should do what works for them.
