Hi from Team Bababing! 👋
The short answer is that if your baby fancies a snooze, they will take a daytime nap pretty much anywhere as long as they are comfy. End of the blog; thanks for stopping by. But wait... that's not to say that you should allow them to sleep anywhere that they are comfy. We have to consider the safety aspects. There's best practice advice for new parents, which we will cover in our nifty blog post from Bababing.
Why Does It Matter Where My Baby Sleeps During the Day?
The golden rule is that whether your baby sleeps in a crib, a Moses basket or a carrycot - they should be sleeping in the same room as you to avoid and minimise the risk of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome).
If My Baby Falls Asleep in the Car Seat, Should I Move Them?
Ah... bliss.
Following a good hour of screaming all of the car journey back from Asda - my bundle of joy has finally dropped off for a cheeky little nap in the car seat, five minutes from home.
It can be very tempting to bring baby inside and let them sleep in the car seat but it's not advisable. Car seats are not designed for an extended period of sleep and baby may not be supported correctly.
As soon as the journey is finished, transfer your little one into a crib or a Moses basket - particularly important if you baby is under 6 months old.
Baby Sleep Patterns: How Often Will My Baby Sleep During the Day?
It takes a newborn baby a little time to develop their routine, but as a rule we'd say in the first month, your baby is going to be taking three or four naps a day for up to four hours each time which is why it is essential to have the right baby sleep gear! Even once your little one is 6-12 months old they are still going to be taking a couple of naps per day so it's worth investing in good quality products.
3 Top Baby Sleep Tips: Setting a Baby Sleep Routine
I won't go into the ins and outs of baby sleep routine as that's a whole blog post of it's own but here are a couple of quick Bababing top tips for you:
Try to set baby down for their daytime naps at the same time each day
A late afternoon nap is not the best. If baby struggles to fall asleep at night, it's best to make nap time earlier or wake them from their nap in good time.
Invest in a crib and use the crib for night-time sleeps and also naps during the day, which subconsciously helps baby to associate the crib with sleep and get into a positive sleep routine.
Where Do Babies Sleep During the Day?
The Carrycot
Babies will often drop off to sleep in their carrycot. In the first few months they are tiny little specimens and may prefer the cosy carrycot to the crib during those first few weeks. Look out for a carrycot with a canopy and ideally a 3 position incline/recline feature to help with reflux as they get a little older and more robust.
The Crib
The most popular option remains the crib - and rightly so. It's useful for babies to sleep in the same place during the day as they would at night.
It's always useful to have a light and portable crib if you want to move around the house or take the crib with you if you travel to see friends.
Old-style cribs from a few years ago were heavy and clunky (and not great on the style front!) But things have moved on considerably.
Why not take a look at The RedDot award-winning Bababing Crib which doubles as a compact, portable travel crib and bedside crib. It's also worth checking out the product bundles.
The Moses Basket
The Moses basket is a great place for baby to sleep during the day as it is very portable, and you can move it from room to room, but it is not recommended to use the Moses basket as an overnight sleep solution.
If you are going to use a Moses basket during the day, make sure it is always on a flat surface and do not carry the basket with your baby inside it.
Of course, keep the basket away from fire, radiators, open windows and water.
Baby Sleep Must-Haves: The Glorious Rise of the Travel System!
A few years ago, someone had a great idea to create a "travel system" and make the lives of millions of sleep-deprived parents lives easier all across the globe! Thank you - great work! We salute you.
A travel system is a pushchair with a detachable car seat and many also include a carry cot. There are bazillions of travel systems available on the market and it is a great investment when considering where your baby will sleep during the day.
(Understandably, we are going to be a little bit biased, but...)
Here at Bababing HQ we are immensely proud of our Raffi Travel System, which has just been shortlisted for the Made For Mums Awards 2023, The Mother and Baby Awards 2023 on top of its cabinet of trophies from 2022 including a prestigious Red Dot Design Award. Check it out: Raffi Travel System. It's pretty much loving life!😀
