How Long to Extend a Short Nap For
Short naps can be exhausting for both you and your little one. They may also be developmental where it just takes longer for longer naps to click into place (whenever all the other puzzle pieces are in place). It may not be comforting to hear that, but you can use that time to get in some extra snuggles!
When you’re struggling with short naps, we often recommend contact napping to extend at least one nap a day. If you have an older child, you can sometimes align these so there’s overlap or popping your baby in the carrier may be the easiest way to get in a longer nap.
However, I can’t always tell you how long to extend the nap for because every day may look a little bit different.
Here’s some general rules to consider:
Work backwards from 6pm (the earliest bedtime we recommend for short naps) and see how long you need to extend the nap for to get to that bedtime (or later)
Consider your little one’s total sleep needs
Make sure you’re still able to fit in the rest of the day’s naps
Anything over an hour is usually beneficial for the day
If you’re struggling and want to work on short naps, here’s some resources for you:
If the short nap puzzle piece needs to be worked on and you’re ready to sleep train, check out these 1:1 packages!
