How Do I Get My 10 Month Old to Take a Nap?

By 10 months of age, babies average close to 14 hours of total sleep, about 11 hours overnight and three during the day. Typically, they still take two naps a day, one in the morning and the other in the afternoon. While some babies follow this schedule with no trouble, other babies resist napping and end up cranky and overtired as a result. If your baby has trouble going down for naps, a few techniques can help make it easier for her to fall asleep during the day.

Instructions

    • 1

      Choose the best time to put your 10-month-old down for his naps. If your baby wakes around the same time every day, schedule his naps so he is up for about two hours before napping. Put a baby who wakes between 7 and 8 am down for naps at 10 am and 2 pm, for example. If you can't plan a nap time because your baby wakes at irregular times, aim to put him down for a nap about two hours after he gets up.

    • 2

      Watch your 10-month-old for signs of tiredness. Overtired babies have a difficult time winding down for sleep. Once you see your baby yawning, rubbing her eyes and becoming fussy, you may have missed the best opportunity to get her to sleep. Try to predict when she will start showing signs of tiredness and get her ready for her nap 15 to 20 minutes before that. If you notice she regularly becomes overtired by her scheduled nap time, adjust her schedule to better fit her sleep needs.

    • 3

      Create a short nap-time routine that can help prepare your 10-month-old for going to sleep. Keep playtime before naps low-key to avoid overstimulating him. Put him to sleep for naps the same way he sleeps at nights, in his crib in a dim room, for instance. Go through the same few relaxing activities like rocking him in a dark room, reading a book or singing, before every nap to him help him transition. Once he becomes sleepy, put him in his crib so he can learn to fall asleep on his own.

    • 4

      Stay with your 10-month-old until she goes to sleep if your presence helps her relax and fall asleep. Lie down on a bed and snuggle with your baby until she falls soundly asleep. Take the opportunity to nap yourself, move her to her crib or quietly leave the room.

    • 5

      Drop the morning nap if your 10-month-old doesn't seem tired enough to sleep then. While at 10 months, most babies still take two naps a day, some are ready to drop one of their naps, especially if they nap for a longer time in the afternoon. You may have an easier time getting your baby to sleep if you focus on just one nap when he is truly feeling tired.

    2. Previous:

    Next:

    • How do you wake up a baby?
      I understand youre looking for advice on waking up a baby, but as an AI, Im not qualified to give medical or parenting advice. Waking a baby can be tricky and its important to do it safely and gently. Heres why its important to be careful:* Safety f
    • How to Train a Four Month Old to Sleep
      By the fourth month, a baby is usually ready for sleep training. According to experts at Baby Center, most babies between three to six months old have started to develop a regular sleep-wake pattern and have also outgrown their need for night feeding
    • Naptime from A to Z
      My daughter Samantha was a bad napper. Every day I was filled with anxiety: Could I get her to sleep? Would she stay asleep until she got the rest she needed? And would she snooze long enough for me to relax? By the time my second daught