Naps on the go, this may be a pram nap, car nap, carrier nap whatever it is you need to do to get that nap in whilst out and about.
Sometimes we have naps NAILED at home, but it can be frustrating when you feel stuck as they then won’t sleep out and about. We love naps on the go (nap 1 and 3 are best for this!) and really encourage families to get out into the fresh air. It can help to do this from a young age so your baby can adapt and nap away from their sleep space at home. As your baby gets a little older, some FOMO can kick in and you can start to feel like it is impossible to get your baby to nap anywhere but in their cot!
Try the tips below to help –
Offer the nap right on nap time! Sometimes when we are nervous about whether sleep will in fact happen, we can try too early and cause lots of upset which leads to abandoning the nap. Instead, we would recommend trying to settle your baby a little after their ‘normal’ awake window when out in the pram/car/carrier. This will help increase that sleep pressure and the motion will help them doze off without the huge battle!
Stick with it! Learning to sleep in a different environment, particularly for an older baby can take some time. Be patient and just do the one thing for at least 20mins. Even if your baby is showing some discontent, you are there, and they are tired and frustrated. Keep rocking the pram/walking or driving the car and chances are your baby will go to sleep! When we panic and stop after a few minutes to change how we are trying to induce that sleep, it will often just cause more chaos and frustration.
If your baby is 11/12mths+ and are finding it took a little longer to get that nap in we would recommend gently waking them after 15-20mins to ensure your second nap isn’t too late. At this age, 15-20mins is more than enough to get them through to their nice lunch nap.
