Who doesn't love a good nap? It's normal for babies to sleep a lot, especially when they are very young. Did you know that newborns typically take between 4 and 8 naps a day? In today's post, we explain in detail how many naps a baby should take according to their age.
As they grow, they tend to sleep less. It's a natural process that most babies go through. If you've noticed that your little one hasn't been sleeping as much as before or wakes up more easily from naps lately, it's likely that they are growing and need fewer hours of sleep.
At Petite Marmotte, we care about the sleep of the little ones in the house, which is why we support you in the growth of your children. Changing the number of naps your little ones take is normal. They realize it themselves, and it's a natural process. Many times, we wonder how many naps our baby should take; today, we bring you the answer.
What is a nap for?
Naps, or sleep in general, are a necessary process for our bodies and a basic requirement for functionality and good health. For little ones, it helps their mood, reinforces their learning, and influences their emotional development. It's been shown that babies who don't get enough rest during the day tend to be more anxious and restless.
Ultimately, with all the emotional and physical changes that babies and young children experience during their growth stage, it's normal for them to need more rest and to recharge to continue growing.
How many naps should my baby take?
There isn't a precise gauge that tells us how many naps a baby should take during the day, and also, every baby is unique and has their own needs, but there are a series of patterns that tend to repeat and that we tell you about below:
When they are newborns (or up to approximately 3 months), they are practically asleep all the time, both day and night. The first months of life are very important for babies. They will practically only wake up to eat, so they can sleep between 14 and 18 hours a day. They usually stay awake for 1 to 1.5 hours before tiredness sets in.
How many naps should a 4 to 7/8 month old baby take?
How many naps does a 7-month-old baby take? Well, from 4 months onwards, they usually take about 3 naps a day (early morning, after lunch, and late afternoon) and then transition to 2 around 6-8 months. If you notice that they are struggling with the last nap of the afternoon, it's time to reduce it to 2. During the transition phase (each baby will have their own process), it's completely normal for some days they feel more tired and some days they take 2 naps, others 3...
Naps for babies from 8 to 14/15 months
As they grow, the number of naps will decrease. They won't need as many hours of sleep to get through the day, so two naps will be sufficient. It's a natural process, and as long as their naps don't go past 5 PM, there will be no problem with them being tired enough to go to bed at bedtime.
From 14/15 months, one nap
When they reach approximately 15 months, a new change begins in their sleep routine. It's normal for this nap to shift to the afternoon and last between 1 and 3 hours. Something not to forget is to avoid napping too close to bedtime, as they might not be sleepy enough to go to bed later. Ideally, they should eat around 12 or 12:30 PM and then take a nap.
For 3-4 year olds, no naps!
Although it's normal for children of this age to no longer need as much sleep or as many naps, it's very common and useful for them to have a moment during the day when they can relax and set aside their main tasks. They also need their relaxation time! This is when the child gets to do whatever they feel like: play, paint... whatever!
This, then, is the number of naps that the little ones in the house will need as they grow. As we have already said, no one knows for sure how their baby will respond, as each one is unique and will need different care. At Petite Marmotte, we want to help you in the growth of your little marmots, which is why we believe that knowing the sleep hours each baby needs as they get older is something that parents will like to know.
In addition to the approximate number of naps they should take during the day, it's also important to know the sleep windows, or in other words, the time they stay awake between naps.
What did you think of this post about how many naps a baby should take? We hope it has helped guide you and better understand the needs of your little marmots!
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