Baby Won’t Nap? These Tips & Tricks Will Save Your Sanity

Inside: When baby won’t nap, it can feel like your whole world is falling apart – literally. Get some insight into why baby won’t nap, and SO many tips and tricks to take back nap time.

Every parent – especially new parents – will agree that nap time is sacred. It’s your time to clean the house, get work done, shower, or just read a book for once.

So when baby won’t nap, it can push you over the edge. It’s exhausting and borderline enraging (or actually enraging – it’s ok to feel big emotions as long as you have healthy, safe outlets for them). Everything in the house can seem to spiral and get away from you, including your sanity.

I’ve been there many times, and I have multiple kids’ worth of tips and tricks for when your baby won’t nap.

Read on for sanity-saving solutions to help you survive the tough napping phases and possibly even extend nap times too!

You Might Also Like: 13 Ways to Get Stuff Done with a Baby (from a Working Mom of 5)

What Causes Babies to Not Nap Well (or At All)?

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Every baby is different, but there are some general things that can cause babies to not nap well, but it does vary from child to child.

1. Baby’s Age

Not all babies take right to napping well when they are born. Everything rapidly shifted from their nice dark, warm, home inside mama to a bright, cold, loud place. 

Learning how to stay asleep for any decent length of time can take some adjustment. But don’t worry, there are lots of tools that you can use to make this transition smoother for baby (that we’ll get into soon) so that they nap longer.

Also, babies do drop naps eventually. They go from four to three to two to one, depending on their age.

If they’re fighting nap number three, for example, it might be time to try dropping a third nap and switching to just a morning and afternoon nap.

This can be a good thing! Hopefully with fewer naps, you’ll get bigger stretches of time to get more done.

2. Growth Spurts

Babies grow rapidly the first year. There are expected growth spurts around 2-3 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months old.

Honestly, no matter how good your baby’s nighttime and nap time routines are, you can expect them to get messed up around these times.

You might be one of the lucky ones whose baby sleeps wonderfully during a growth spurt because of pure exhaustion. But a lot of babies go the other direction and are very restless or need extra comfort tools to stay asleep during this time.

3. Mental Leaps

Baby’s bodies growing isn’t the only thing that can mess with their naptime. In my experience, mental leaps of growth cause them to be even more restless than physical growth milestones.

When their bodies grow, they do get restless for a while but then tend to conk out at some point and literally wake up bigger. But mental growths don’t seem to work the same way.

It’s almost like those mental leaps keep their brains wired and sleeping becomes foreign. Then their naps and nighttime rest will all of the sudden calm down and get better, and you’ll notice they can suddenly do or understand new things.

Babies really are tiny little miracles. 7 pretty predictable “leaps” can be expected the first year and the Wonder Weeks can help you keep track of that.

4. Teething

All babies start teething at different times. Many around 6 months, but some way earlier and others way later. Teething hurts. Especially the first ones. 

For sensitive babies, teething will rock their worlds and their sleep patterns day and night, making them unable to stay asleep without pain.

Don’t worry, we’ll cover tips and tricks (as well as how to preserve your sanity) through this tough time that seems to go on and on the first year or two.

5. Being Overtired

You would think that someone who is exhausted would pass out and sleep deeply and for a long stretch. That’s not that’s not usually the case.

I mean, think of yourself. When you have passed that magical window of feeling groggy from your natural melatonin production and pushed past it because, well, life… what happens? You get a new burst of energy that you can’t seem to turn off.

Even if your body and brain are dragging, you can’t shut down. Babies are no different.

6. Personality

Some babies are good sleepers, they naturally shift to sleeping well by 4 or 6 months of age. Some babies respond amazingly to a regular and predictable sleep schedule, blackout shades, or car rides.

Other babies respond well to almost nothing it can feel like when it comes to sleep. Some babies are more sensitive, some more clingy, and some have reflux.

And (unfortunately) some babies drop naps earlier than others. All of my kids stopped napping at age two.

Whatever the cause for your little one, they just might not naturally be a good sleeper, and that’s when these tips and tricks are vital!

Tips and Tools to Use When Baby Won’t Nap

Now that we’ve gone over all the reasons babies won’t nap (that was not nearly an all-inclusive list), you might have a better idea of what is going on with your little one.

Knowing – or even having a rough idea – the cause can help direct you toward which tools and methods will be most effective in helping your little one to nap better.

1. Establish a good naptime routine.

Some parents are quite set on making sure they DO NOT have a nap routine so that their little one will sleep anywhere no matter what noise and light there is. You may have friends and family encouraging you to NOT create a napping space for your baby because your life will then be run by them and their nap routine.

That advice is all well and good for a lot of babies. Some babies that works great for! 

They will nap in the park in their stroller, on a car ride, while you vacuum, or while their older siblings run around during the day. But for many babies, THIS IS NOT REALITY.

You can’t just create a baby who can sleep anywhere when your child genuinely cannot for whatever reason. 

To establish a good nap routine, you need consistency. Find out what a normal wake window is for your baby’s age, and be sure to begin your baby’s nap routine within that window. Follow Dr. Harvey Karp’s (from the Happiest Baby) nap window schedule to establish your routine. 

This knowledge is sanity-saving!

Put down your little one in the same space within the same wake window each time. Follow the same steps before putting them down and make the space (usually the nursery) as comfortable as possible using some of the tools from this list to come.

Getting a great nap routine aligned and adjusting naps every time your baby has a growth spurt can be tricky. Try your best to get it going yourself, but if you are struggling, enlist the help of a pro.

Jilly from Baby Sleep Made Simple has THIS amazing nap program where she walks you step-by-step through how to set up the perfect nap routine for any age and how to adjust it as they grow!

2. Feed them before they nap.

Babies that don’t sleep deeply or for long will wake from being hungry. If you feed them just prior to their nap it will help extend their sleep time.

Eating makes babies tired, so they will usually fall asleep on the boob or the bottle. Some parents are ok with this as it is completely normal. But it will become a habit.

If you ARE NOT ok with them eating to sleep, feed them until they are very groggy and then bounce them or rock them for a bit before putting them down.

3. Change them before they nap.

You would think this goes without saying, but I can’t express how many exhausted blurry eyed times I was desperately trying to get my little one to sleep and once they FINALLY passed out, I realized I hadn’t changed the diaper.

Or sometimes the whole falling asleep process took so long that they wet themselves anyway. 

Make a diaper change part of your nap routine so that you remember to do it even when you’re exhausted.

Related: Baby Suddenly Hates Diaper Changes? Real Life Solutions from Parents

4. Make the temperature in the room comfortable.

Babies are extremely sensitive to being too hot or too cold. It will make them restless and cry. Try to keep the nursery at a comfortable temperature. If it’s a bit chilly or a bit warm, dress baby up or down accordingly.

Add on socks, long sleeves, or a sleep sack if it’s too cold. It’s ok to let baby sleep in just a diaper if it’s really hot.

5. Add in a white noise machine.

Babies startle because of something called the moro reflex for a while after being born. When they hear a noise, their arms and legs flail out in all directions, which, as you can imagine, can often cause them to wake up.

If they can’t hear sudden noises this reflex is reduced and they can sleep more soundly. Adding in a white noise machine (this one is our favorite!) can do wonders for baby’s sleep.

Things like a fan or an air purifier can be a substitute for a white noise machine, although the fan will likely run your electric bill up higher than you’d like.  

6. Invest in blackout curtains.

Like I mentioned before, some people make it a point to be sure their baby can sleep everywhere, but not all babies are built that way. Many babies need it completely blacked out to get any decent amount of sleep during the day.

Invest in good blackout curtains. 

Sometimes, that isn’t even enough if the window is directly in the sunlight. In that case, try this hack: spray down the window with some water or Windex and stick aluminum foil to it. Behind a blackout shade, this hack is GOLD.

7. Try swaddling or a sleep sack.

I’m sure you’ve probably tried it, and I’d guess that your baby is one of the ones who hates swaddling if you’ve found yourself at this post.

For some babies, swaddling or a weighted sleep sack is the secret answer, so learn some of the best swaddle techniques to be sure your baby isn’t into that or try a weighted sleep sack. 

Weighted sleep sacks usually have great return policies because they can be pricey. But it’s 100% worth trying.

8. Use a swing.

Technically, this tip is not AAP-recommended, but I can guarantee it is real-life-mom-with-a-baby-that-won’t-stay-asleep-at-all recommended. Can you see me raising my hand over here?

Letting your baby nap in their swing when they are overtired and you are nearby can be a huge help in actually keeping them asleep. If you are right there, you can easily see if their head slips into an awkward position and fix it.

When baby has gotten into a cycle of being overtired, then napping poorly, so they are more overtired, and nap more poorly, etc., this can be a big help! 

Some swings move front to back, some move side to side, and some move both ways! Different babies prefer different motions. (I’d guess based on their mother’s gait they got used to while in utero.)

THIS swing was an actual life saver with my fifth baby. I wouldn’t have gotten any work done without it.

9. Use an exercise/birthing ball.

Being bounced on an exercise ball more closely mimics the feeling of being bounced around in utero better than any swing ever could.

Hold baby tightly and support their head and gently bounce while sitting on the ball (we have THIS one). This is a lifesaver. The only downside is that you might get stuck there for the entire nap.

Practice transitioning the baby from bouncing to their crib or swing if possible. If not, at least they’re asleep.

10. Baby wear.

This is so helpful and I feel like the more kids you are chasing after the more helpful this tip is. Some babies are born contact nappers. 

That means you have the choice of waking them after they pass out on you when you transfer them to their crib, waking them as you slowly roll out of bed away from them, sitting trapped under them for an hour, or baby-wearing them and being productive while they sleep on you.

You would be amazed at the things that even a baby who won’t nap will sleep through when they’ve got contact with their mama through a baby carrier. It’s amazing.

For tiny babies, a wrap-style carrier like a Baby K’Tan works best. But as they get older? Well, my babies/kids practically lived in the Ergo Baby until they were about four – not even exaggerating.

How to Save Your Sanity When After Trying Everything, Baby STILL Won’t Nap

When your baby doesn’t nap, there’s a great chance they aren’t sleeping too well at night either. 

Everyone says “nap when baby naps” and while that IS great advice let’s be real… how often do us moms listen to that? Yeah, not often.

It’s tough when there is laundry, dishes, unmade beds, dust, debris, pets to care for, meals to make, doctors to call, work to do, intrusive thoughts of all the things that can go wrong with your baby, and a seemingly endless list of things to do. 

But even if you are making your best attempt to get some rest while baby naps, if they won’t stay asleep, that’s impossible.

So what do you do?

1. Sleep with baby.

If you can’t sleep while they sleep if you are comfortable with cosleeping (learn the safe sleep 7 if you don’t know them), lay down in bed WITH your baby.

Snuggle or nurse them to sleep and take a doze yourself.

2. Ask for help.

Ask your partner for help with chores you can’t seem to manage anymore (even if they are typically your share), hand them the baby, accept the offers from friends and family for a break or a meal or help around the house.

You know: use the village, if you have one.

For a lot of us, this is easier said than done but when you are sleep deprived and behind on everything from your baby not sleeping, everything feels dark and depressing and overwhelming. Take the help or ask for it!

3. Breastfeed on demand.

Babies breastfeed for so many more reasons than simply hunger. They will breastfeed to comfort themselves, to connect with mom, and to regulate their nervous systems. All of these directly affect their ability to calm down and sleep.

So don’t ever feel like they breastfeed too much or shouldn’t be hungry. Go ahead and breastfeed that baby and they just might drift off to dreamland more easily and more often! 

4. Baby wear round the clock.

Babywearing connects your child to you and provides comfort. It can be tough on your back, but it offers you two free hands!

I know I mentioned it already, but using this really changed my life so it begs mentioning again.

You can get more accomplished, your baby will be calmer and more content, and you will feel more at ease. And psttt… you aren’t spoiling them when you babywear them a lot either.

5. If all else fails, get expert help.

I love saving a buck or two and doing things I can myself, but when your health and sanity are on the line (sleep 100% affects your health) sometimes expert help is the smartest investment you can make.

Baby Sleep Made Simple’s– Naps: Getting Downtime in the Daytime– was my favorite way to get all the tips and tricks in one place.

It’s hard to sift through all the hacks and ideas you’ve read online and remember what you’re doing right when you feel so overwhelmed, a step-by-step guide was a lifesaver.

6. Give yourself grace.

You are doing good mama! It’s ok if some days the house is a mess, you are so exhausted you left the keys in the fridge (again), you haven’t left the house for days, and you have no idea what’s going on with your hair.

Guess what, we’ve all been there! It will pass, you are doing the best you can at this stage, and soon this stressful phase will seem like only a memory.

Use the tips and tricks in this post as often as you can when teething, leaps, and growth spurts occur, and you will make it through!

Read Next: Keep Baby from Climbing Out of the Crib with These Proven Tips