Contact Naps - Good or Bad?

One of my most precious memories of my postpartum journey was snuggling a snoozy newborn baby. Smelling their distinct baby smell and just basking in their goodness. They’re only scrunchy and little for such a short period of time, and I loved contact napping with my newborns. I also remember there coming a time where I really needed to get something done, but I was completely nap trapped. It felt frustrating, but also lovely. My feelings were a little all-over-the-place, but I remember finally choosing to do crib naps for good around 3 months old.

Contact naps are a crucial part of the 4th trimester. The 4th trimester (while isn’t an actual trimester), is characterized by the first 12 week period of time for your baby outside of the womb. This period of time is a great connection period for you and your baby as your baby transitions to the outside world, and you transition into your new role as a parent. Contact naps work the best during this period because your baby was used to falling asleep to the sound of your heartbeat in the womb, therefore making falling asleep on your chest just as comforting.

Sometimes as a baby gets older, their sleep preferences remain the same. They still want to take every nap on your chest and they’d even prefer to sleep on your at nighttime too. With all of the recent learning we’ve done about safe sleep environments, we know that the safest place for a baby to sleep is on their back on a firm, flat mattress (playpen, bassinet, or crib). This doesn’t mean that it’s unsafe for your baby to contact nap on you, but it is unsafe for them to sleep on you if you’re also asleep…which can be hard to prevent from happening in the middle of the night when you’re so exhausted and waking up for (what feels like) the millioneth-time.

Teaching independent sleep to your baby can be a transforming experience. They go from needing assistance to fall asleep every time, to finally being able to fall asleep completely on their own. Your entire family feels much more rested than before, but there’s still a nagging feeling… did I do the right thing? Am I ever going to get to contact nap with my baby again?

Of course you can!

Once you’ve implemented a sleep training program (whether you completed a course, you worked with someone 1-on-1, or you DIY’d it yourself) you’ll want to stick to 2-3 weeks of consistency, then you can start implementing an 80/20 sleep schedule. This means that you can absolutely cuddle your baby to sleep for a nap here and there. I have found that usually the last nap of the day is the best contact-nap.

My children are now 6, 3, and 2, and my youngest is the only napper in the house. She is so good at napping independently that there is no way she would fall asleep on me in her room. She hardly falls asleep in the carseat if we’ve been driving all day long. But, I have enjoyed some snoozy cuddles from her in the middle of her night…before I go to bed, I’ll occasionally go into her room, and pick her little sleeping body up. I’ll carry her to the rocking chair and just sit there with her sleeping on me for a few minutes before transferring her back to the crib. There is something so special about a sleeping baby, and something even more special about a sleeping toddler - one who is so busy and wild during the day, but absolutely still and calm while asleep. I’ll cherish those little cuddles forever.

Contact sleep isn’t bad at all - but I only recommend doing something that works for you. If contact naps aren’t working for you anymore, then I can help you make that change. If they are still working for you, then keep doing them. Our babies are only little for so long.