Naps on the go without losing the routine
Cafés, cars, grandparents' houses. The routine can travel if the three cues travel: dark, sound, and the same words.
The short answer: a nap routine is portable if its three cues are portable: darkness, steady sound and the same short phrase. Pack those and the location stops mattering.
Why naps fall apart away from home
At home the room is dark, quiet and familiar. Out, it is bright, loud and new. The child is the same. The cues are gone. Bring the cues.
Cue one: darkness
For a pram or portacot, the Rest Nest sleep pod pops up over the top and makes a dark, quiet, breathable space in seconds. For a spare room at grandparents', a portable blackout curtain fits the window with suction cups.
Cue two: sound
A small white noise machine masks the café and the cousins. Suzy clips to the pram and plays a heartbeat; Dex the Dog runs on batteries and has a timer.
Cue three: the same words
Whatever you say at home before a nap, say exactly that. "Sleepy time, love you, see you soon." The words are the signal.
The pram nap
Motion helps most babies drift off. If you would like your coffee while it happens, Robby the Rocker clips to the pram and rocks it gently so the nap does not depend on your foot.
Timing
Aim to start the nap within fifteen minutes of the usual time. A nap that starts an hour late tends to be short and to push bedtime out.
This guide is general information from the Zazu Australia team, not medical advice. If you are worried about your child's sleep, breathing or development, talk to your GP or maternal and child health nurse.
