Understanding Catnapping And How To Help Baby Sleep Longer

By Jasmin Kostov, Baby and Toddler Sleep Consultant, Registered Midwife, Nurse and Mum. Founder of Let’s Sleep.

Ahh, the dreaded catnap! If you’re a parent, you’ve probably encountered this at some point. Catnapping can cause a lot of frustration, and it’s one of the leading reasons why parents reach out to me for sleep support.

So today, let’s talk all about catnapping: what it is, when it might be an issue, and how you can help your little one sleep for longer.

First, a Bit of Background on Sleep Cycles

Understanding catnapping starts with knowing about sleep cycles.

A baby’s day sleep cycle lasts around 35–50 minutes, while nighttime sleep cycles extend to about two hours. As your child grows, their sleep cycles will gradually lengthen until they reach the 90-minute cycles typical of teens and adults.

Why Doesn’t My Newborn Wake Between Sleep Cycles?

In the newborn phase, your little one might easily link their sleep cycles and drift from one to the next without fully waking. You might notice slight movements—a shift in their hand or head—as they transition into lighter sleep, but they may not wake fully wake between sleep cycles until closer to 3-5 months of age.

The 4-Month Sleep Progression: What Changes?

You’ve probably heard of the “4-month sleep regression,” but I like to think of it as a progression. Around 3-5 months of age, your baby’s sleep matures, and they start to wake fully between sleep cycles. This is a normal physiological development as their sleep patterns become more evident. Babies wake after a sleep cycle as a protective mechanism—they’re checking their surroundings to make sure they’re safe. If they feel secure, they’ll likely go back to sleep.

So, What Exactly Is Catnapping?

Catnapping is when your baby sleeps for just one sleep cycle or even less. The issue arises when your baby, used to falling asleep with external aids—like in your arms, while feeding, or with a dummy—wakes up at the end of a sleep cycle and finds that those sleep aids are no longer present. When they wake, they do their protective check, realize something’s different, and call out for help to recreate those conditions.

At night, this can happen every 2-4 hours. During the day, it may occur every 30-50 minutes.

Is Catnapping an Issue?

Not always.

In fact, short naps can be useful at certain points. For example, a late-day catnap is helpful until your baby is 6-8 months old. A shorter morning nap is often helpful too as it supports the middle nap of the day to be longer - providing more balanced sleep across the day for your little one.

However, catnapping becomes an issue when your baby needs a longer nap but wakes after just one cycle and can’t get back to sleep. Over time, this can lead to overtiredness, which then affects night sleep.

That said, if catnapping is working for your family, it’s perfectly fine! But if it’s leading to frustration or exhaustion, or if your baby is overtired by evening, it may be time to make a change.

How Can I Stop the Catnapping Cycle?

This is where settling methods come in. The goal is to help your baby feel safe and secure as they fall asleep in their cot, rather than relying on external aids like feeding or rocking (if this is something you want to change). This way, when they wake between sleep cycles, they’ll feel comfortable with their surroundings and won’t need your help to go back to sleep.

To start, work toward a consistent settling method that encourages your baby to go from fully awake to asleep in their cot with minimal hands-on help. This familiarity will help your little one remember how they fell asleep, increasing the likelihood that they’ll settle themselves between sleep cycles.

Additionally, it’s important to ensure that your baby’s day routine offers sleep at the ideal times. Timing is everything—offering sleep too early or too late can lead to overtiredness or undertiredness, which often makes it harder for babies to link sleep cycles. You can find more guidance on this in the Let's Sleep routine guides.

Feeling Frustrated by Catnapping?

If your baby is catnapping and you’re feeling frustrated or exhausted, you’re not alone. I’m here to help!

Book a FREE 15-minute chat with me to discuss your little one’s sleep and explore which sleep support package might suit your family best. Let's work together to find a solution that ensures restful sleep for both your baby and you.

Want to hear from a family that I have personally helped with catnapping? Listen to Sarah and Matt’s episode of The Let’s Sleep Podcast.