Catnapping Solutions for Newborns

If your baby wakes up grizzling or crying after 20 or 45 minutes, it is likely she is crying from tiredness rather than hunger. So we recommend that you try to resettle her for another sleep cycle and then feed her when she next wakes.

However if she wakes happy and can easily last until her next sleep time, then your baby may be happy with shorter sleeps....even if you would prefer she slept longer!!! You may just need to have an extra short sleep later in the day if your baby starts to get over-tired later in the afternoon. See our info on Worrying about Catnapping.

Over time many babies do learn the resettling skills that means he can put himself back to sleep after one sleep cycle and learn to have longer day sleeps without your help. Plus as babies get older they usually burn more energy and this in turn leads to longer day sleeps.

However it is well worth trying our tips below to see if you can increase the length of day sleeps - you will benefit from the longer opportunity for a rest and you will help your baby develop habits of longer day sleeps.

Firm wrapping or swaddling is by far the most most effective ways to increase the length of day sleeps for newborn babies. Newborn babies have such a strong startle reflex that unwrapped, they are very likely to startle them self awake after one sleep cycle.

By firmly wrapping your baby and keeping their arms inside the wrap, your baby is more likely to remain relaxed and resettle.

Also if you do need to use some other techniques to help your baby into another sleep cycle (such as patting), this will be far more effective is baby is still wrapped.

We recommend the Miracle Blanket as the best wrap for newborns. Other good options include Dream Swaddle, SwaddleMe, ergoCocoon and the Halo Sleepsack Swaddle.

Arms down swaddling is often the most effective for helping babies sleep for longer. So if you are currently wrapping with arms up or on the chest, give our arms down technique a try.

If you aren't usually swaddling or prefer the arms up position, we really recommend trying one of the Love to Swaddle UP range. These are great for babies for allowing babies to sleep in the arms up position but provides some startle control.

Stretchy Wraps are more effective than muslins - at least 1m x 1m for newborns & 1.2 x 1.2m once baby is over 3 months. This one pictured is a Sleep Store Organic Wrap.

Alternatively use a Miracle Blanket or Dream Swaddle for the firmest wrap.

Other effective fitted wraps are here.

Choose Love to Swaddle UP or Sleepy Wings if your baby sleeps better with their arms up.

We have had many customers tell us that their baby doesn't like being wrapped, so they don't do it. However these babies have all slept far longer when their parents started effective swaddling during the day. We believe that babies don't know what they like, they are just babies!!! They are used to being firmly packaged in the womb, warm and snug, with little room to move. So swaddling is as close to that environment!

Along with swaddling, we believe that white noise is one of the most effective ways to help newborns sleep longer and resettle during the day.

White noise is similar to the swooshing, heartbeat and gurgling noises your baby heard inside your womb for 9 months - it's louder than a vacuum inside the womb!!!. It makes sense that babies find it hard to settle and resettle in a quiet room when they are used to 80-90 decibels, 24/7 for 9 months.

White noise is also a very effective way of creating a consistent ssssshing sound, a sound which babies respond so well to. Ssssshing can be very exhausting to do, so why not let a CD do it for you?

Play your white noise at the start of the sleep and on repeat through the sleep. You can use radio static, vacuum cleaner, dehumidifier or buy a white noise CD. We recommend Baby's First White Noise CD, if you haven't tried any other white noise. This sounds like sssshing and we get amazing feedback about how effective it is.

There are also white noise machines available, both battery and mains power operated. Our most recommended white noise machines are those made by Marpac, the world's leading white noise machine manufacturers! If you choose a machine that uses batteries, such as a Lulla Doll or Baby Shusher, just be aware that your battery use will be quite high if you are not using rechargeables.

If you aren't currently using white noise, definitely add this to your catnapping plan of attack immediately. Even try the vacuum cleaner running under the bassinet if you need something to try right this minute!!!

Movement is another thing your baby was used to in the womb, and it is another very effective tool for helping your baby sleep for longer during the day.

You can either walk your baby for the whole sleep or use a walk to resettle baby for a 2nd sleep cycle. It works well to settle baby in their bed, swaddled and with white noise (see below). Then if your baby wakes after 20 or 45 minutes and won't resettle in the bassinet, you can then take them for a walk to get them back to sleep. Keep baby firmly swaddled, as she will be much more likely to go back to sleep if she is still snug and unable to startle.

You may also want to use some portable white noise, such as a Lulla Doll, Baby Shusher, Soothe & Vibe or portable Marpac. Another option is a small radio on static (a $10 cheapie from the warehouse or similar is ideal for this use).
Look for a bumpy place to walk, rather than smooth concrete. It seems the bumpier the walk, the better babies sleep!

Adding a SnoozeShade over your pushchair will also help with resettling and longer buggy sleeps.

We love baby swings, as they can help newborns have great day sleeps. They are perfect for 2nd or subsequent babies, as mum or Dad have so much else to do already without having to constantly be jiggling and patting and rocking. Swings use a battery powered motor to rock baby back and forth, creating a motion that helps baby settle quickly, resettle when in a light sleep and stay asleep longer.

As with other settling techniques, a swing works far more effectively when your newborn is swaddled. Either leave the swaddling loose around the legs so you can pull the harness up between the legs, or use atravel swaddle such as SwaddleMe (which has a slot in the back for pushchair or swing harness). Use your swing on the fastest setting to get your baby to sleep. Then once baby is sound asleep, you may want to turn it down to a slower setting.

It's a good idea to alternate day sleeps in a swing with sleeping in bed, so your baby also learns to sleep and resettle without the swing. However for the majority of babies, the effectiveness of the swing for day sleeps starts to wear off at about 4-5 months anyway, so you don't need to worry about baby needing to be weaned off the swing. If your swing has toys on it, we recommend that you take these off when your baby is in the swing for sleeping.

With babies over the age of 3 months, we recommend that you try to avoid letting your baby fall asleep in the car, as this can reinforce cat napping habits.

For example, your baby may fall asleep 10 minutes before you get home, and think he has had his sleep. That means he then won't settle for another sleep in his cot, your routine will get completely out of whack and you will have a baby that will be really over-tired later in the day.

We find it works best to either go out after your baby's morning sleep or to go out early and put baby into his pushchair for his morning sleep when you get to your destination (wrapped or in sleeping bag, whatever you do at home).

As your baby reaches 3 months old and beyond, it's a good time to look at building great sleep habits for the future. A lot of the things that help with overnight sleep can also help with catnapping.

Read our article on Building Great Sleep Habits here (it's from our 3-6 month info).

For more information on helping newborns sleep longer, we recommend ordering a copy of The Happiest Baby DVD and Secrets of the Baby Whisperer.
To order other tools to help woth cartnapping, please click the links below.