It’s no secret — there’s more than one way to time Baby’s naps. If there were one right way that worked for everyone, we’d all be doing it, but since there’s so much confusion around naptime, that’s clearly not the case!
In my 2.5 years of sleep consulting thus far, I’ve tried four different ways of timing naps — sometimes on my own kids, sometimes with clients. Let’s take a look at the four things I’ve tried.
Waketimes / Wake Windows
Waketimes are a set amount of time between naps; for instance, 2 hours between each nap. It’s also completely normal for waketimes to increase as the day goes on (so 3 hours between wakeup and nap 1; 3.25 hours between naps 1 & 2; and 3.5 hours between nap 2 and bedtime, for instance).
Circadian Rhythm
Circadian Rhythms are basically internal clocks that tell people when to sleep and when to be awake. According to Marc Weissbluth (pediatrician, sleep disorders specialist, and author of Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child), a child’s circadian rhythm dictates that naps should occur around 9am and 1pm.
Shifted Circadian Rhythm
This method plays off the original circadian rhythm, but varies slightly. Since we’re not all exactly the same, it makes sense that we don’t all need exactly the same amount of sleep at exactly the same times of day. I’ve found that some kids are early birds, and some kids are night owls, so if their day starts or ends later, their naps need to be shifted, too. (A 9-month-old who wakes at 8am will certainly not be ready for a nap at 9am.)
Expanded Circadian Rhythm
Again, this method plays off the idea of following the body’s circadian rhythm, but the timing is slightly different. Rather than 9am and 1pm, this method would say 9am and 1:30pm, or 9:30am and 2pm (or any number of combinations, but the naps stay spaced out in this manner). With this method, you typically drop naps sooner, as the expanded waketime pushes out a nap sooner.
So which one(s) do I use now?
I actually still use all of these methods, but I judge it on a case-by-case basis.
For babies under 6 months, I always use waketimes. Young babies are still developing in many ways, and their sleep processes and circadian rhythms are two things that are still developing for the first few months. Using waketimes helps ensure that Baby doesn’t get overtired, and also allows for adjustments throughout the day based on how the naps are going.
While it’s certainly an option to stay with waketimes forever, I switch over to circadian timing around 6-7 months. I select the timing based on the child — early or late risers will need a shifted schedule, and children who seem to be on the lower end for sleep needs will need an expanded schedule.
Why do I switch from waketimes to by-the-clock naps?
Quite simply, because it usually works, and it’s easier to maintain. There are so many things I like better about a by-the-clock (BTC) schedule!
You can schedule your life! If you know that Baby always has a nap at 9am and typically wakes by 10:30am, you can confidently plan on going to that mommy-and-me dance class that is scheduled for 11am.
You don’t have to do daily math to calculate when the next nap is going to be (like you would have to do with waketimes). Sure it’s not tough math, but it’s still brain power that could be better used somewhere else!
You don’t need to know when Baby woke up or how long her nap was. Sometimes babies wake quietly and play contentedly for a long time, so by the time you realize they’re awake, you have no idea when they actually woke up! With BTC naps, that’s no problem!
Naptime doesn’t change all the time. With waketimes, you’re constantly upping the length as Baby gets older, but with BTC naps, you get to stick with 9 and 1 for . . . ever, basically. Even once Baby drops to one nap, she drops the 9am nap and keeps the 1pm nap.
If you have multiple kiddos close in age, BTC naps are truly wonderful, because they allow you at least one time of day where the babies are napping at the same time, thus giving mama a much deserved break!
Why do by-the-clock naps work?
Research and science were never my strong suits, so I’m not going to direct you to various articles that prove why these naps (which typically use shorter wake periods than a pure waketime method) work. Instead, I’ll offer my simple theories based on my experiences with numerous clients and my own kids.
Bodies like rhythms.
Adult or child, it doesn’t matter. Our bodies like getting into rhythms for eating at the same times, sleeping at the same times, and even going to the bathroom at the same times - ha! When a child naps at the same time every day, her body becomes accustomed to napping at that same time, and even craving sleep at that time!
There are optimal windows between naps.
Whether you use the traditional 9am and 1pm or the shifted options, that spacing tends to work well for the naps! Though keep in mind that as you approach various nap transitions, you may need to wake your baby from naps early in order to fit enough awake time into the day.
If this all sounds a little complicated and overwhelming, that’s because it kinda is!
Like I said in the beginning, there isn’t really a one-size-fits-all approach to scheduling your child’s sleep — sometimes you have to play around with it to find the perfect timing.
If you need help with this process, don’t hesitate to book a free discovery call with me to find out how I can help you really nail down the perfect schedule for your little one!