Why Is My Baby Taking Such Short Naps? (And What You Can Do About It)

Let’s talk short naps — those dreaded 20–45 minute catnaps that leave your baby just as cranky as before and you wondering if you’ll ever finish a cup of coffee while it’s still hot.

If your baby is napping for what feels like two blinks and waking up fussy, you're not alone. Short naps are one of the most common sleep struggles I hear about from parents (especially between 3–6 months of age), and while they can be frustrating, they’re totally normal — and fixable.

What Even Is a Short Nap?

A short nap is usually anything under 45 minutes. Ideally, we want naps to last at least one full sleep cycle — which for babies is around 45 minutes to an hour. When they’re consistently waking before that, they’re not getting the restorative sleep they need. And let’s be real, neither are you.

Why Do Short Naps Happen?

There are a few big culprits behind short naps:

1. They’re still learning how to connect sleep cycles. Babies, especially under 6 months, often wake after one cycle and don’t know how to fall back asleep on their own yet. So they pop awake mid-nap.

2. They’re overtired or under-tired. If your baby is up too long before the nap (hello, overtired), or not long enough (under-tired), their body resists settling into deeper, longer sleep. It’s a delicate dance.

3. Sleep props/crutches. If baby always falls asleep while feeding, being rocked, or held, they may rely on that same condition to stay asleep. Once the prop is gone — so is the nap.

4. Environment isn’t optimized. A room that’s too bright, noisy, or inconsistent (think car seat transfers) can also make it harder for babies to get into and stay in deep sleep.

   
   

So What Can You Do About It?

Let’s get to the good part — how to help your baby nap longer.

✅ Make sure wake windows are on point. Find that sweet spot. Use age-appropriate wake times (I give these out in my nap schedule guides!) and watch for sleepy cues — rubbing eyes, staring off, getting cranky.

✅ Create a consistent nap routine. Keep it short and sweet: 3–5 minutes of the same wind-down cues before every nap (like a mini version of your bedtime routine). Babies thrive on predictability.

✅ Work on independent sleep skills. If your baby always falls asleep in your arms, they’ll expect to stay that way. Practice drowsy-but-awake laydowns, or use a gradual method to help them fall asleep solo.

✅ Darken the room + add white noise. Light tells the brain it’s time to be awake. A pitch-black room and white noise help extend naps by mimicking nighttime sleep conditions.

✅ Be patient — and consistent. It takes time for babies to master longer naps. Stick to your plan and stay consistent for at least a week before changing things up.

Still struggling?

If your baby’s short naps are leaving everyone exhausted, it might be time for a little extra support. Inside my 1:1 program, I walk you through exactly how to get longer naps, better nights, and finally get some breathing room in your day.

Because you deserve more than 27 minutes to yourself.

Your Sleep BFF,

Melanie