There are aspects of our children’s life that we can influence and aspects that we cannot.
Sleep is one of the areas of parenting where we have some influence, similar to eating, through things like following routines and what we choose to serve at the table, but ultimately our kids decide whether or not they will sleep.
Are you worried that my baby wont nap for more than 30 minutes?
A short nap may cause frustration, especially if your baby takes a long time to get to sleep in the first place.
But what if your baby won’t nap for more than 30 minutes? The average time a baby sleeps depends on the parent.
Some parents believe it is anything less than an hour, while others believe it is only 30 minutes.
A majority of babies can sleep for about 30 minutes and wake up feeling refreshed.
While other babies wake from a 30-minute rest, they may be cranky, fussy, or otherwise unpleasant.
My baby Wont Nap For More Than 30 Minutes
Taking frequent, short naps may be fine for young babies.
However, after turning six months old, a baby can often turn into a crab cake if they are only napped for 20 or 30 minutes at a time.
If your baby is six months and older, you’ve probably heard they require naps that last longer than 40 minutes to restore energy and stabilize moods.
There’s some truth to that because the average Baby’s sleep cycle lasts about 50 minutes.
Having not yet finished a sleep cycle, your baby may feel dizzy and grumpy if he wakes up early from a nap.
However, it’s not always hard to train the baby to take long, restful naps every day with a bit of “nap training.”
It is common and even developmentally appropriate for babies under six months to take short naps.
However, your baby will likely grow out of only napping for 30 minutes if you follow independent sleep habits and other recommended sleep practices.
To encourage your baby to nap longer, you may have to make some changes to their sleep environment and schedule.
If you believe your Baby needs longer naps, you can adjust their schedule accordingly.
But, unfortunately, it’s not much you can do to encourage them to sleep longer if they wake up after they have had the rest they need, no matter what time they wake up!
1. Potential Reasons Why The Baby Always Wakes Up After 30 Minutes
Baby sleep cycles last between 20 and 50 minutes, so short naps occur in young babies.
Your baby may struggle to transition into the next sleep cycle after waking from one sleep cycle.
The 45-minute intruder is referred to in several baby sleep books, including Babywise.
A baby can sometimes transition seamlessly between sleep cycles before six months.
However, some babies wake up between the 30- and 45-minute mark and cannot get back to sleep.
2. Ensure Your Baby Gets A Good Night’s Sleep
Whenever you are trying to help babies sleep better, you should start by focusing on night sleep.
This is because solving problems with night sleep usually is more straightforward than solving problems with naps.
In addition, your baby is more likely to comply with changes to his sleep schedule at night because his desire to sleep is strongest at night.
In the daytime, it’s the opposite, and at night, it’s monotonous.
The difficulty of nap training will be exacerbated if your baby is too tired and cranky from being up all night.
Taking a nap while well-rested is usually better than one taken when sleep deprived. It is much easier to get your baby to nap for a more extended period when he sleeps well at night and is well-rested and happy.
Despite what you might think, this is true!
3. How Long Is Enough Time To Nap?
It’s common for newborns to sleep only sporadically and naps to last up to two hours.
Under 12 weeks, your baby will need a 30-minute nap.
You may find that a 30-minute catnap will keep your baby going through the day to bedtime, as well, depending on what time your baby wakes up.
If your baby consistently naps for less than 30 minutes, it’s probably not enough sleep.
Sleep begets sleep when you have a baby, so you don’t want them to be overtired.
Despite implementing all of these suggestions, your baby could still take short naps due to developmental reasons.
When you continue to practice good sleep habits and remain consistent, your baby will eventually connect the sleep cycles.
Also read: How To Get a Toddler To Nap
Summary
Still, thinking about why my baby wont nap more than 30 minutes?
When feeling stressed about your Baby’s short naps, it is helpful to look at the bigger picture.
Keep a sleep diary for one week of your child’s daytime and nighttime sleep patterns.
What is their average daily sleep time?
When naps are on the short side, but your baby sleeps 14-15 hours a day (and is happy and healthy), it may be that your baby prefers long stretches of sleep at night.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Why do some babies take short naps?
When babies’ brains are stimulated by too many activities, toys, or engagements (think meeting new relatives and friends), it can overwhelm them.
In addition, having overworked brains can make it difficult for babies to fall asleep, resulting in short naps or babies having a hard time calming down before nap time.
How does short napping affect babies?
As a child of this age, if the naps are short and irregular.
Your Baby’s circadian system is immature, sleep cycles are short and undifferentiated, so when she’s tired, she falls asleep.
When she wakes up, it’s due to another competing need (food, warmth, dryness, comfort).
Is teething associated with short naps?
Child naps for 30 minutes when they used to sleep for at least 45 minutes. If your child previously settled quickly at bedtime, they are now having difficulty.
Iesha is a loving mother of 2 beautiful children. She’s an active parent who enjoys indoor and outdoor adventures with her family. Her mission is to share practical and realistic parenting advice to help the parenting community becoming stronger.
