The Ultimate Guide on Contact Napping | Benefits + Ways to Stop

As a new parent, you may find yourself struggling to get your baby to sleep through the night. Traditional sleep training methods often involve leaving your baby alone to self-soothe, which can be difficult and emotionally challenging for both you and your child.

However, there is another option: contact napping. This method has a variety of benefits for both you and your baby, from promoting emotional bonding to improving sleep quality.

In this blog post, we’ll explore the many benefits of contact napping and provide tips for incorporating this method into your daily routine, also ways to stop contact napping if you can’t provide contact napping to your little ones every time.

What is Contact Napping

Contact napping is a baby sleep practice where a baby falls asleep while being held or in close physical contact with their caregiver, such as being carried in a baby carrier or sleeping on a parent’s chest. This term is often used to describe situations where the baby is unable to fall or stay asleep without the physical touch or presence of their caregiver.

Contact napping can sometimes be problematic for parents as it can make it difficult for them to get things done or take a break, and it can also disrupt the baby’s sleep patterns and prevent them from learning to fall asleep independently.

Benefits of Contact Napping

Here are the benefits of Contact Napping:

Promotes bonding between parent and child

Keeping your baby close to your body while they sleep promotes a sense of closeness and intimacy that can strengthen the bond between parent and child.

Regulates the baby’s temperature, heart rate, and breathing:

Skin-to-skin contact helps regulate a baby’s physiological responses, which can improve their overall health and wellbeing.

Reduces crying and stress

Babies who have more skin-to-skin contact tend to cry less and experience less stress, leading to a more peaceful and contented baby.

Enhances cognitive development

Skin-to-skin contact can stimulate a baby’s brain development, leading to improved cognitive function and higher IQ scores.

Improves sleep quality and quantity

Contact napping can help babies fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer, leading to improved sleep quality for both the baby and parent.

Supports attachment and emotional regulation

Contact napping can help babies develop a secure attachment to their caregiver, which can promote emotional regulation and long-term mental health.

Provides a sense of security and comfort

When your baby sleeps on your body they feel secure. Babies who are held close while they sleep feel both secure and comforted, leading to a more relaxed and peaceful baby.

Is Contact Napping Bad For Your Baby?

Contact napping can be a wonderful way to bond with your baby and create a sense of security and comfort for them. However, some parents may wonder if contact napping is bad for their baby’s development or sleep habits.

While there is no definitive answer, it’s important to understand that contact napping is not necessarily “bad” for your baby, but it can have some potential drawbacks. For example, if your baby becomes too reliant on contact napping, they may struggle to sleep independently, which can be challenging for both the baby and the parents.

Additionally, contact napping can make it difficult for parents to get things done or take a break, as they may feel like they need to constantly hold or carry their baby to keep them asleep. This can be exhausting for parents and may impact their ability to perform daily tasks.

Despite these potential drawbacks, contact napping can be a healthy and beneficial practice for both babies and parents. Research has shown that physical touch and closeness between babies and parents can have positive effects on baby’s physical and emotional development, including reduced levels of stress and anxiety.

Ultimately, the decision to engage in contact napping should be based on what works best for your baby and your family. If you are comfortable with contact napping and it works well for you and your baby, then there is no reason to avoid it. However, if you feel that contact napping is becoming too challenging or causing disruptions to your baby’s sleep habits, then it may be worth exploring other sleep solutions.

How to Stop Baby Contact Napping

As a parent, I know firsthand how challenging it can be to break the habit of contact napping with a baby. If your baby only takes contact naps, it is an essential step in establishing healthy sleep habits and allowing both baby and parent to get the rest they need.

Here are some tips and strategies that I have found helpful to stop contact naps:

Start with short periods of time

Instead of going cold turkey, begin by gradually reducing the amount of nap time your baby spends contact napping. Start with shorter periods of time, such as five or ten minutes, and gradually increase the length of time your baby spends sleeping independently.

Use a transitional object

Introduce a transitional object, such as a lovey or blanket, that your baby can use to comfort themselves during sleep times. This can help to reduce the need for physical contact and allow your baby to feel secure and comforted on their own.

Establish a consistent sleep routine

Creating a consistent sleep routine can help your baby learn to associate certain cues with sleep time. This can include a bedtime story, a lullaby, or a certain type of lighting in the room. By doing this, your baby will start to associate these cues with sleep, making it easier for them to fall asleep independently.

Gradually move away from physical contact

As your baby becomes more comfortable sleeping independently, gradually move away from physical contact. This can involve moving from holding your baby to placing them in a bassinet or a sleep space like a crib next to you. Over time, you can move the crib or bassinet further away until your baby is sleeping independently in their own room.

Slowly move your little one to the crib

You should try to make your little one used to crib. He/she may refuse at first but eventually, he’ll be accustomed to it.

If I talk about my story, my LO was good with the crib for the first 3 months. After the 3 months, she refused to sleep in the crib. This continues to happen for 9 months. Then on a random day, she starts to feel comfortable with the crib again. Since then she is napping in the crib.

So, don’t worry if your LO is not sleeping in the crib. He/she will eventually be used to it. You just have to keep trying a few times a week.

Remember, consistency and patience are key when it comes to breaking the habit of contact napping. Not all babies sleep the same way. So, it may take some trial and error to find the right approach for your little one.

By trying different strategies and being patient, you can help your baby learn to sleep independently and establish healthy sleep habits that will benefit both you and your baby in the long run.

FAQ

Q: Is contact napping safe?
A: Contact napping is entirely safe if you follow safe contact sleep practices and the baby is in your supervision. However, you should have separated baby’s sleep space or room not to rely on contact napping all the time.

Q: How long should I let my baby contact nap?
A: The duration of contact napping will vary based on your baby’s age and sleep needs. As a general rule, babies under six months of age may need to nap more frequently and for shorter periods, while older babies may require longer naps.

Q: Is contact napping bad for my baby’s sleep habits?
A: Contact napping can create a dependency on physical contact for sleep, which can make it difficult for your baby to fall asleep independently. However, this is not always the case and may depend on your baby’s temperament and sleep needs.

Q: Can contact napping be used as a sleep training method?
A: Some parents use contact napping as a sleep training method to help their babies learn to fall asleep on their own. However, falling asleep by contact napping may not be effective for all babies and could potentially create a dependence on physical contact for sleep.

Q: Can contact napping help with colic or fussiness?
A: Some parents find that contact napping can be helpful for soothing a colicky or fussy baby, as the close physical contact can be calming and comforting.

Q: Can contact napping affect my baby’s development?
A: Contact napping has been shown to have positive effects on baby’s physical and emotional development, including reduced levels of stress and anxiety. However, as with any sleep method, it’s important to ensure that your baby is getting enough sleep and rest.

Q: Can contact napping be used as a long-term sleep solution?
A: While contact napping can be a helpful sleep solution in the short term, it may not be practical or sustainable as a long-term sleep solution. It’s important to work on establishing healthy sleep habits for your baby, such as sleeping in their own crib or bassinet, to ensure that they are getting adequate sleep and rest.

Conclusion

In conclusion, contact napping can be a wonderful way to bond with your baby and provide them with a sense of comfort and security. While it may have some potential drawbacks, such as creating a dependency on physical contact for sleep, contact napping can also have positive effects on your baby’s physical and emotional development.

Remember that every baby is unique and what works for one may not work for another. It’s important to be patient and consistent when trying to wean your baby off contact napping and to be open to trying different approaches depending on your baby’s age and temperament.

Overall, contact napping can be a healthy and beneficial practice for both babies and parents, as long as it is practiced safely and with consideration for your baby’s individual needs and preferences.