What to do when my baby wakes up early from a nap

We’ve all been there. You got baby down for a nap and just as you settled down on the couch with some lunch, you hear them stirring. Why do babies take 45 minute naps? It is infuriating as a parent to be honest. These short naps are very frustrating but also very common and our team of baby sleep consultants have worked with thousands of families to help work through the 45 minute intruder, overtiredness, and many other causes of short naps in babies and toddlers.

When your baby takes a short nap, because they will, here are a few tips to help get them back to sleep:

Remember that naptime is not over just because they woke up.

Your baby’s body needs sleep, they just might not know how to get there yet. Connecting Sleep Cycles is an important sleep skill and we have to teach our baby how to do it! Soothe baby in their crib or let them have some independent time to figure it out and get themself back to sleep! Don’t throw in the towel just yet.

Soothe your baby in their crib or bassinet

We really want baby to learn to connect their sleep cycles in the place where they are sleeping. If you are always picking baby up to soothe, the will struggle to get back to sleep on their own, flat on their back. Work on soothing baby by shhing them, rubbing their head, or putting your hand on their chest in order to help them get comfortable in their sleeping space.

Don’t stress - babies mirror your emotions

Did you know your baby’s brain is created to mirror what you do? They are! The mirror neurons in their brain are a key component of our child’s learning abilities. They also mean that baby mirrors your emotions, good or bad. If you are stressed about their short nap, they will be too which makes it harder for them to fall back asleep.

Adjust the next naptime if baby is less than 6 months old

We are constantly working on managing baby’s overtiredness and making sure they aren’t too tired to sleep well! If your baby is under 6 months old and they woke early, you are going to want to make sure to push their next naptime forward so they can get to sleep without being overtired. Try to get a great, long nap on the next round so they can get back on track with their schedule.

It may take 20-30 minutes for baby to fall back asleep

After a 45 minute nap, your baby may need some time to fall back asleep and we often are calling it way too early. 20-30 minutes is normal for this process so don’t give up! Let their bodies work through their normal sleep patterns and see if giving baby more time helps them nap better.

Looking for more nap help? Our team is here for you! Our incredible sleep consultants would love to help you with baby sleep training, toddler sleep coaching, and more. Visit our packages page to learn more about our custom sleep consultations or email us to get connected!