Newborns have a great habit of pretty much being capable of falling asleep anywhere, in almost any environment. Bright lights of the Supermarket, noisy restaurant or a busy park? They have got it covered.
So it can come as a surprise that at around 5 months old, they suddenly find it alot more difficult to fall asleep out and about and even at home depending on the environment.
SO WHAT'S GOING ON?
By the time your baby is around five months old, they are alot more alert and aware of what is going on around them. They are nosey little creatures and excitedly taking in everything that they see. Their eye sight is now clearer and with better vision they are noticing more things in the exciting new world. So while you may think they have seen all of these things before, they could very well be properly noticing them for the first time and trying to make sense of their environment and process it all.
This can mean that where they could have previously taken less notice of what is going on around them and fallen asleep almost anywhere, it is now alot tricker as they are distracted. Even if they are very tired, the stimulation of processing all this stimulation can keep them awake and stop them from falling asleep.
IS THIS THE END OF NAPS ON THE GO?
The good news is, that it doesn't mean you have to put naps on the go to one side, there are some great ways you can embrace pram naps or naps in the car etc by reducing this outside distraction and stimulation.
Firstly, recreating a dark environment is very helpful for napping. So I would recommend investing in a Snoozeshade. Snoozeshades not only prevent distractions from external environments, they block out 99% of UV and are safety tested and approved. You can get versions for the car as well as for almost every pram and pushchair.
It is also helpful to reduce the noise from their external environment, so investing in a small white noise device, such as a Rockit Wooshh can both remove distractions and provide white noise and they are also safety tested to be used in a pram or car seat environment.
Wind down time is also very helpful, don't expect them to fall asleep instantly, it may take a while for them to drift off once the stimulation is reduced, so don't give up if they're not quiet straight away.
Movement is also very helpful, so pushing them pram to help them initially drift off and for the next ten minutes that they're asleep is great! Rocking the pram works just as well if you're not able to walk with the pram. Alternatively, a Rockit device which gently moves the pram for you can save you the hassle too!
WHAT ABOUT AT HOME?
Just as when they're out and about, they will be more sensitive to what's going on around them and needing to wind down before nap times. I recommend recreating their bed time environment for naps, by keeping the room dark, cool, and quiet except for white noise and even getting them into their sleeping bag or bed clothes. I also highly advise having a pre nap wind down routine at home to help them switch off before they try to nap.
LINKS
Snoozeshade (Use code GOODNIGHTSLEEP for 10% discount)
NEED HELP?
Working out your baby or child's sleep needs can be daunting and it can also cause worry that you may disrupt them or make their sleep more unbalanced that it currently is.
This is where working with a professional can help you look at your little one's current schedule, the issues you're facing and where they are in their development and whats going on in their home life and help you to build a schedule that works for your individual.
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