Naps on the go are the only way I can get out and hike as often as I do with my kids. When I had had my first kid, I knew I wanted to get out and be an active mom, but I also wanted my baby to get good sleep throughout the day (and hopefully at night). I found a good balance and was able to get outside with my baby while he napped in the stroller or carrier. I believe these 5 tips to help baby nap on the go helped a lot.
Of course, all babies are different and what works for my babies might not work for yours. If you are trying to get your baby to sleep outside their crib, hopefully these tips used consistently will help!
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1. Get Your Baby Used to the Carrier
Before I started hiking regularly with my baby, we would go for a walk pretty much every day around nap time. I would feed him and then put him in my soft carrier and head off on our walk. I would go for a pretty long walk and we’d be gone for at least an hour. He would fall asleep after about 10 minutes of walking and usually stay asleep most of our walk. If he woke up, I would sing to him and the bouncing sometimes would lull him back to sleep.
Having my baby sleep in the carrier I used for hiking really helped our transition to the trail. It really wasn’t any different to him. On the trail, he liked to face outward to see all of his surroundings. When he would fall asleep facing out I turned him around to face me so he’d be more comfortable and stay asleep longer.
As he got to be a little older (6 or 7 months) he would usually be awake the whole hike up. Then at our turn around spot or halfway point, I would feed him and face him towards me. He’d usually fuss for a bit since he couldn’t see as much, but would always fall asleep pretty quickly.
Whether it’s a soft carrier or a framed one, I definitely recommend taking your baby out in it close to home first. This gives them time to get used to it. I did this with my Osprey Poco Plus and made sure it was fitted correctly at home as well. If you want to read up on my top baby carriers for hiking, check out this post.
2. WOrk on the Timing
An under tired baby and and over tired baby are both going to have a harder time falling asleep than a baby that has had the right amount of time awake before their nap.
I prefer hiking in the morning so I like to get up, eat breakfast, and get out the door. This way my baby is just starting to get tired once we reach the trail.
If it takes you hours to drive to your trails, then your baby may sleep on the car ride to the trail and won’t be ready to nap while you are hiking. If this is the case, you may want to wait until after your baby’s first nap to drive to your hike. That way they will be ready to sleep once you start your hike.
Finding the right sleeping schedule depends on the age of your baby and how long they should be awake. @takingcarababies gives great advice on following wake windows. Essentially, instead of having your baby nap at specific times during the day, focus on how long they are awake between sleep sessions. When they’ve been awake for the right amount of time, they should be ready for a nap. It allows more flexibility and a less rigid schedule.
3. Bring a Comfort Item
I always bring something that my baby is used to sleeping at home with on the trail with us. For us it’s his pacifier. But it could also be a lovey, book, toy, or even a white noise sound machine. Doing things to help recreate their normal sleep environment is one of my best tips to help your baby nap on the trail.
Don’t stress about this too much. My baby usually sleeps in a very dark room, but I obviously can’t make it dark when hiking and he still sleeps great!
My second baby didn’t ever take a pacifier and never had a lovey so she never needed these on the trail. When she was a newborn, I was nervous that she would be a fussier baby without something to comfort her while she was in the carrier (besides me of course) but it was never an issue.
If your baby doesn’t take a pacifier, or doesn’t have a comfort item, don’t worry about it!
4. Dress Your Baby Comfortably
When your baby is being carried on hikes, there is no reason to put rugged hiking clothes on them. I like to dress my baby in jammies or soft onesies when it’s warm. This helps them stay comfortable in the carrier without any stiff seams or buttons poking into them.
I mean, how much better do you sleep in comfy clothes?
Some of my favorite clothing items for babies are the Iksplor merino wool base layers or Carters fleece jammies and onesies.
If you’re hiking in the winter time, check out my post where I share The Best Winter Hiking Layers for Babies and Toddler.
5. Don’t Stress About Their Sleep Schedule
I know this is easier said than done. Your baby probably won’t sleep at the exact same time as they do at home and may not sleep as long. But that’s okay! If your little one is taking multiple naps, just do your best to have them take one of those naps in their crib (or wherever they normally nap).
To me, it’s worth the “messed up” sleep schedule to be outside enjoying the mountains. And more often than not, my babies sleep better after a day spent outside, even if they didn’t get their perfect naps. Sunshine is known to help set their circadian rhythm and often times, leads to better sleep at night.
If you found these 5 Tips to Help Your Baby Nap on the Go helpful, make sure to check out these posts:
- What To Pack When Hiking with a Baby
- Which Child Carrier is Best for Hiking with Kids?
- Gift Ideas for Adventurous Toddlers
