How Long Should Children Nap? A Guide By Age, From Newborn to Age 3

February 1, 2018

Children will generally nap from the day they’re born until they’re 2- or 3-years-old. Parents often ask me, How long should children nap? It’s a good question, because naps are important for multiple reasons. See, sleep is the time during which the brain rests and grows and learning can occur. We also know that sleep begets sleep so that children who nap well during the day will…

Deena Blanchard, MD, is a pediatrician and partner with Premier Pediatrics, in New York City. She also serves as a pediatric expert for Ella’s Kitchen. Dr. Blanchard completed her Masters of Public Health at Temple University with a focus on health education before attending Medical School at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and completing her residency at the Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital of Columbia Presbyterian. She was awarded Physician of the Year by Columbia Presbyterian and is also the recipient of Alpha Omega Alpha and The American Women’s Association Glascow Rubin Achievement Award. Dr. Blanchard enjoys sharing her expertise and experience as a pediatrician and a mom with the families she works with, as well as through her contributions to Momtastic, Big City Moms, and The Stir by Café Mom. She lives in New York City with her husband and three sons.