Baby Won’t Nap: Simple Fixes for 4–8 Month Babies
If your baby won’t nap, you are not alone. This is one of the most common “I’m losing it” moments for moms.
Short naps and nap fights happen a lot between 4–8 months. It doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong. It usually means your baby needs a small shift in routine.
I’m Jenna, a Pretoria photographer, and I see how tired moms are in this stage. Let’s make naps feel easier.
Why Baby Won’t Nap at this age
Common reasons include:
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wake windows are too long (baby gets overtired)
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wake windows are too short (baby isn’t tired yet)
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the room is too bright or busy
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baby relies on one sleep association (like feeding to sleep)
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baby sleeps short cycles and struggles to link them (catnapping baby)
The first thing to check: timing
This is the gentle “magic” many moms miss.
If your baby rubs eyes, yawns, gets clingy, or starts crying for no reason, you might already be late.
Try pulling the nap earlier by 10–15 minutes for a few days and see what happens.
A simple nap routine (keep it the same every time)
Your nap routine can be 2–4 minutes:
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close curtains
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white noise (optional)
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sleep sack
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cuddle
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same words every time: “Nap time now.”
Consistency builds safety.
What to do when your baby only naps 30 minutes
If you have a catnapping baby, try:
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keep baby in the sleep space for 10–15 minutes after waking
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offer a calm resettle (pat, shush, cuddle)
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focus on one nap a day to improve first (usually the first nap)
Short naps are common. But with time (and the right timing), they can stretch.
Gentle nap training (what it can look like)
Nap training does not have to be harsh.
It can mean:
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putting baby down drowsy (not fully asleep) for one nap
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supporting baby through the moment they wake early
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building a steady rhythm for the day
If naps are breaking you, baby sleep help is a kind choice, not a failure.
When to get extra support
You may want a sleep training consultant if:
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naps are a daily struggle for weeks
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baby wakes every hour at night too
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you feel anxious all day about sleep
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you want a plan you can follow
If you want help, here are sleep consultants in Pretoria you can contact: (link back to your directory post)
For more tips and booking info, explore my Cake Smash Photography page:
another helpfull post here 4 Month Sleep Regression: What’s Normal + When to Get Help
