🤗Contact napping🤗
I always get asked if contact napping is ok and whether it is a ‘bad habit’ and therefore wanted to create a post all about it.
Contact napping—when your baby naps while being held or resting on you—is not a bad habit. In fact, it’s developmentally normal and beneficial in many ways, especially for young babies. Here’s a balanced view so you can decide whether it’s for you or not:
⭐️Why it’s good (and normal):
* Promotes bonding: Skin-to-skin contact and cuddling help strengthen your connection with your baby.
* Regulates baby’s systems: Your warmth, heartbeat, and breathing help regulate your baby’s temperature, heart rate, and stress levels.
* Improves sleep quality: Many babies sleep longer and more soundly when held.
* Supports brain development: Close contact can support emotional and neurological development.
🤔When it might become a challenge:
* If you’re exhausted or need both hands free: Constant contact naps can make it hard for you to rest or get things done.
* If your baby struggles to nap in other settings: Some babies come to rely on contact napping and resist cot or pram naps, which can limit flexibility.
* Sleep safety: Contact naps are only safe when the adult is awake and alert. Falling asleep while holding a baby on a couch or bed increases the risk of SIDS.
🤗 What you can do (if you want to change)
* There’s no rush to change if it’s working for both of you.
* Gradual transitions to cot or bassinet naps are possible once your baby is older or more adaptable.
* Start with one nap a day in a different sleep space to build the habit slowly.
Again, if it’s working for you, there is no need to change anything at all! Also, if you do sleep train, it doesn’t mean that is the end of contact napping because any nap is a nap and sometimes they just need to nap!
If you would like help transitioning away from contact napping, or finding alternative ways to get your baby to sleep, feel free to get in touch and see how I can help you ❤️
