For the day you’re actually having
Nap guides
Practical baby nap planning for short naps, late afternoons and days out.
Choose the situation you are facing below. Each guide includes a reusable planning note or checklist, sources and links to the next relevant question.
When a nap ends early
Baby took a short nap: what now?
Start with how your baby is doing, then make room for the next nap and the rest of the day.
When the evening shifts
A late nap and bedtime: how to think about the evening
Think through the evening without a fixed nap cut-off or a rule to keep your baby awake.
When you have somewhere to be
Planning a day out around baby naps
Choose what needs to happen, leave some breathing room, and plan a safe place for sleep away from home.
When you need more support
When should you consider a baby sleep consultant?
Work out what kind of help you need, explore local support options, and know what to ask before paying for a consultation.
When everyone is tired
Broken nights with a baby: how to share the load
Decide who handles what tonight, make handovers simpler, and ask for the kind of help that actually gives you a break.
About these guides
Written by NapMath editorial, from the publisher of the NapMath app. These guides offer general information, with links to NHS, Whānau Āwhina Plunket and American Academy of Pediatrics guidance. They are not clinically reviewed.
Examples describe fictional days, not prescribed schedules. Each guide shows when its content and sources were last checked. Advice from your baby’s health professional comes first.