Will Contact Naps Ruin Sleep Training?

The question that often pops up about sleep training is, "Can you contact nap with a sleep trained baby?"

Let's get things straight, in short, "Yes you can!" Occasionally, your baby can still nap on the go in the baby carrier, car or stroller. But should this be a frequent occurrence? Not a great idea if you want baby to have genuinely restorative sleep.

The thing is, not all naps provide the same quality sleep. Naps taken place in a dark, calm room in a fixed crib is always the gold standard for good sleep. This is when babies get the best rejuvenating, deep sleep. Babies under the age of 2 benefit the most from this, as sleep is a critical component to healthy brain growth, physical development and emotional regulation.

This doesn't mean you're jailed at home from this point onwards for all naps. This is where we talk about my 80/20 rule.

What is the 80/20 Rule for Sleep?

Have it be your goal to have 80% of naps taken place in the crib, and allowing 20% of naps reserved for outtings. Those naps out and about are great for the times spent at grandma's, at your toddler's gymnastics class or your are out just running errands. Just be cautious not make motion naps an everyday habit. Studies show that naps held in a non-stationary setting like strollers or cars can result in less restful, light sleep. As a matter of fact, some research reveal that vibrations/consistent motion can negatively impact a baby's system especially babies under 6 monghts of age.

So, will sleep training mean my baby can't contact nap? No, your baby can still nap in a baby carrier, stroller or car from time to time. But to have good, consistent naps, most of your baby's sleep should regularly take place in a stationary sleep space.

How do Naps Affect Cortisol?

Some recent talk floating around parent groups resolves around matching nap times with baby's natural dip in cortisol levels. There are no scientific evidence to suppor this. What makes a bigger impact is your consistency in providing a predictable nap schedule that is based on age appropriate awake times for your baby's age and with nap totals that aligne to your baby's age. This encourages higher quality sleep in comparison to lining up your schedule to fluctuate with your baby's hormone fluctuations.

Checklist for Good Naps

✔️ Cap naps by 4:00 PM (for babies 6 months and up)

✔️ Calm, dark, room

✔️ Stationary crib

✔️ Consistency

✔️ Follow your baby’s sleepy cues and awake times for their age

The goal for sleep training isn't to have perfect crib naps every nap of the day, but it's about giving your baby the skills to fall asleep and nap well most of the time. Go ahead, plan a lunch date or mall date, just try to keep those motion naps within your 20%.

Need help from a baby sleep consultant? I'll assess your baby's sleep situation and create customized strategies to help your baby to sleep well, both and night. For more personalized help, have a FREE chat with me to hear how I work 1-1 with families to get better slee