Key takeaways: Contact naps are safe when an awake adult is watching. Car seats, swings, and bouncers aren’t safe for sleep outside of travel; move your baby to a flat surface. Transition gradually: practice one crib nap a day, warm the sheet, and try putting your baby down after deep sleep starts.
Many babies sleep best on a parent’s chest, in a moving car, or in a swing. These naps can be lifesavers, but some aren’t safe, and many parents want to know how to move naps to the crib.
Contact Naps
Holding a sleeping baby is a normal, lovely part of the newborn period. Contact naps are safe when:
- An awake, alert adult is holding the baby.
- The baby’s face is visible and the airway is clear, with the chin off the chest.
- You’re not on a couch or armchair where you might fall asleep.
If you feel drowsy, move your baby to their crib or bassinet, or hand them to another awake adult. Falling asleep with a baby on a couch or armchair is one of the most dangerous situations for sleep-related death.
Car Seat, Swing, and Bouncer Naps
Car seats are designed for travel and are safe in the car when used correctly. Outside the car, or in swings, bouncers, and rockers, babies’ heads can slump forward, narrowing the airway (positional asphyxia). Babies have died in sitting devices.
- If your baby falls asleep in the car, it’s fine during the drive. When you arrive, move your baby to a flat sleep surface.
- If your baby falls asleep in a swing or bouncer, move them to their crib or bassinet as soon as you can.
- Never leave a sleeping baby unsupervised in a car seat, swing, or bouncer.
From the author
From First Breath to First Birthday is my month-by-month guide to your baby’s first year, written as a NICU and postpartum nurse. My book covers sleep month by month, alongside feeding, growth and the warning signs that mean it’s time to call the doctor.
Stroller and Carrier Naps
- Strollers: bassinet-style strollers that lie flat and meet safety standards can be OK for supervised naps. Keep the area clear of blankets and toys, and don’t drape covers that block airflow.
- Carriers and wraps: keep your baby upright, face visible, chin off the chest, and snug against you.
Transitioning to Crib Naps
Start small. Aim for one crib nap a day, often the first nap of the morning, when sleep pressure is high and babies settle more easily.
Wait for deep sleep. Babies enter light sleep first. Wait 10 to 20 minutes, until your baby’s limbs are limp and breathing is slow and regular, before transferring.
Make the transfer smooth.
- Warm the crib sheet with your hand or a heating pad, removing the pad before laying your baby down (never leave a heating pad in the crib).
- Lower your baby feet first, then the bottom, then the head.
- Keep a hand on their chest for a minute before slowly removing it.
Create sleep cues. Use the same short routine before naps: a dark room, white noise, sleep sack, and a song.
Practice drowsy but awake. Try putting your baby down sleepy but not fully asleep for some naps. It won’t always work, and that’s OK.
Be patient. Babies who are used to contact naps may need several days to weeks to adjust.
When Contact Naps Are Okay to Keep
In the early weeks, it’s fine to enjoy contact naps when an awake adult is present. Many parents use a mix: contact naps when they want to rest and watch, crib naps when they need to do other things.
Call your baby’s doctor if: your baby has trouble breathing, seems excessively sleepy or hard to wake, or if you notice snoring with pauses during sleep.
The Bottom Line
Contact naps with an awake adult are safe and sweet. Sitting devices aren’t safe for sleep outside the car. Transition to crib naps gradually, one nap at a time.
Want more support for your baby’s first year? My book, From First Breath to First Birthday, is available on Amazon.
Related Articles
- Short Naps: Why They Happen and What Helps
- Nap Transitions in the First Year
- Safe Sleep 101: The ABCs That Protect Your Baby Every Night
- Safe Sleep at Childcare and With Other Caregivers
Sources
- Moon RY, Carlin RF, Hand I; Task Force on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome; Committee on Fetus and Newborn. Sleep-related infant deaths: updated 2022 recommendations for reducing infant deaths in the sleep environment. Pediatrics. 2022;150(1):e2022057990.
- Liaw P, Moon RY, Han A, Colvin JD. Infant deaths in sitting devices. Pediatrics. 2019;144(1):e20182576.
- Batra EK, Midgett JD, Moon RY. Hazards associated with sitting and carrying devices for children two years and younger. J Pediatr. 2015;167(1):183-187.
- Esposito G, Yoshida S, Ohnishi R, et al. Infant calming responses during maternal carrying in humans and mice. Curr Biol. 2013;23(9):739-745.
- US Consumer Product Safety Commission. Infant slings and carriers safety. https://www.cpsc.gov
This article is for general education and is not a substitute for individualized medical advice. Always talk with your baby’s health care provider or your own provider about your specific situation. If you think your baby or you may have a medical emergency, call 911.
