What if Your Baby Won't Nap?

Parents pay a lot of attention to their babies' ability to sleep through the night, but sometimes they don't focus enough on napping. Since babies typically won't sleep for longer stretches at night until they’re about 6 months old (and sometimes not even then), regular naps are the only way babies can get the required hours of sleep a day they need.

As babies age, they require less shut-eye, but still need daytime naps to supplement nighttime snoozing and ensure that their development is on track. If your little bundle fights naps, or doesn’t usually sleep enough during his naps, these tips can help him clock in the daytime sleep he needs.

Why won't my baby nap?

There are plenty of reasons your baby may refuse to nap. Here are some ways to explain why your baby won't nap:

• Your baby isn't tired enough. If your baby got more sleep than necessary overnight or did something ultra-stimulating right before you tried putting him down, he may not be tired enough to nap. Try winding him down gradually before naptime and making sure he's not sleeping too much at night.
• Your baby is too tired. Overtired babies are often hyper babies who can't settle down enough to take a nap or sleep at night. Make sure your baby is getting enough sleep with tactics like putting him down at around the same time for naps and bed and following a soothing bedtime routine.
• Baby's room is too bright, noisy or busy. Make sure you pull the shades and dim the lights for naptime so that it's not too light when your baby is trying to sleep, and cut out any extra noise and activity.
• Baby isn't taking the right number of naps for his age. If your baby is napping too much or too little, that will affect whether he's able to actually fall asleep at naptime. Babies 2 and 3 months old need three to five naps, 4- to 5-month-olds need two to three naps and babies 7 to 12 months old need two naps. Make sure your little one is getting the right number of naps for his age.
• He's hungry, teething or otherwise uncomfortable. If your baby is hungry, suffering from teething pain or uncomfortable for some other reason, that will likely hinder his ability to fall asleep at naptime. Make sure your baby is well-fed, soothe any teething pain and change him into a dry, clean diaper before putting him down.
• He's gotten used to a specific sleep routine. If your baby is used to napping in the swing, baby seat or stroller, or has gotten accustomed to being rocked or fed to sleep, he may not be able to nap any other way. Try gradually weaning him off those habits and putting him down for naps in his crib drowsy but awake.

Tips for a baby who won't nap

Don’t give up if your baby won’t nap. While all babies are different, here are some suggestions that may help your little one sleep more soundly and for longer during the day:

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• Create a nap routine. Although your baby’s daytime sleeping habits may seem random, they’re not. Establish a daytime routine for play and meal times, then incorporate naptimes around that schedule. Use an abbreviated version of the bedtime routine you've established to signal to your baby that it's time to sleep at night, including a book, a feed, a lullaby and a cuddle.
• Approach naptime gradually. You finally have a nap schedule established. Good for you! But that doesn’t mean you should interrupt something important — a meal or playtime — to put baby down just because "it’s time." Giving your baby a little lead time to switch gears and wind down gradually will up the odds that he’ll go to sleep without protest.
• Watch for sleepy cues. If your baby starts yawning, fussing or rubbing his eyes, put him down for his nap right away. What’s the rush? The risk of ignoring those signs is that you’ll miss the sleep-readiness window. And another chance to get a well-earned nap.
• Keep him comfy and cozy. Babies are like adults in that they need to feel warm, dry, fed and comfortable in order to fall and stay asleep. So check to make sure his basic needs are met before naptime.
• Nap in the crib. While it may be tempting to let your tired little one doze off in his stroller or car seat while you’re running errands, he’ll do better at naps if you give him a consistent place to lay his head. Pay attention to how long your baby is awake between naps, then plan to be home so you can put him into his crib or bassinet. As baby gets older, the amount of time between naps gets longer.
• Stay active between naps. You know you sleep better after a busy day with plenty of exercise, right? So does baby. Lots of tummy time and playtime during the day will tire your little one out and get him prepped for a solid nap.
• Don’t worry about sleep deficits. Your baby won’t sleep less at night because he took a nap. In fact, many moms say a healthy nap or two during the day leads to sounder and longer sleep at night.     

Should you try sleep training for a baby who won't nap?

Many babies aren’t born knowing how to take proper naps, and helping them get the daytime sleep they need is part of your job. Sleep training can start when your baby is 4 to 6 months old, when his sleep needs start to regulate and he's old enough to self-soothe. 

Choose a method that works for your baby (you'll probably want to use the same tactic you use if you're sleep training at bedtime) and give it some time. Most families find that trying sleep training for nighttime first makes sleep training for naps a little easier.

Teaching your baby to self-soothe and fall asleep or back to sleep without help or intervention from you sets him up for good sleeping habits in general, and sleep training for naps is just as important as it is at bedtime so that he gets the amount of sleep he needs day and night.