A contact nap is a daytime sleep a baby takes while held by a parent or carer — in arms, a sling, or on the chest — rather than in a separate sleep space.
A contact nap is a nap a baby takes while in physical contact with a caregiver, such as being held in arms or resting against the chest, instead of being laid down in a cot or Moses basket. Contact napping is very common in the early months.
Why are contact naps so common?
Newborns are wired to seek closeness, and many settle more readily and sleep for longer when held, where they can feel a caregiver's warmth, movement and heartbeat. Contact naps often become more occasional as a baby grows and their daytime sleep consolidates into the cot.
What does safer-sleep guidance say?
The Lullaby Trust advises that, for at least the first six months, a baby should sleep in the same room as a caregiver for both daytime and night-time sleep, in their own clear, flat, separate sleep space. It also advises that a caregiver should never fall asleep with a baby on a sofa or armchair, as this significantly increases the risk of SIDS — so a contact nap is safest when the caregiver stays awake.
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