The Fourth Trimester: Napping Outside

This week is Baby Bea’s fifth week

According to The Wonder Weeks she is about to make a developmental leap

Right on cue Bea is showing all the signs of being about to grow

Crying, clingy and crankiness

Reading The Wonder Weeks book

I know that Bea is behaving this way

Because of changes to how she experiences the world around her

She wants to be close to me to feel safe

And most of the time she is

Most of the time she is in my arms

But I have Esther and William to think about too

So today as the sun was shining

And the air was warm

I put Bea in her Ooba Kimono

And pushed her round the garden

tilda tree

She quickly fell asleep

And stayed asleep

sleebea

Giving me some time to play with Esther and William

playtime1

Bea slept well outside

For two naps today

She was protected in the Ooba

We were always close by

She was getting the benefit of natural light

And fresh country air

barrow

I think we are going to try more outside napping

Especially if our September Summer continues

In some places it is common for babies to sleep outside

Whatever the weather

happy feet

I like the idea of Bea getting fresh air every day

I love the idea of having some dedicated outdoor playtime with Esther and William

balance

pedals

And today was a great excuse for photographing our gorgeous pram

In our lovely country garden

mm garden

What are your thoughts on Nordic Napping? Would you or do you let your little one sleep outside? What would be or are your weather limitations? I would love to know what people think.

12 thoughts on “The Fourth Trimester: Napping Outside

  1. Nordic Napping, is that what it’s called? As I said to you earlier on, we did it with Amy and she was sound asleep for a good two hours each afternoon – 12 months of the year, no matter if sun, rain or snow.

    I liked that she was getting the fresh air and I felt comfortable because I knew my mum did the same with me when I was a baby – even in temperatures below 0 in German winters. Ben’s family found it completely weird and were constantly questioning me x

  2. I found when my now almost 4 year old was sleeping outside, she’d be much more peaceful then indoors and would sleep much better. As long as their wrapped up nice and cosy, I think it’s good for them! Btw, Bea is gorgeous. I can see resemblances of William, Esther and Matilda Mae in her lovely face.

  3. In our parents and grandparents generation it’s just how babies slept, pop them outside and get on with housework! Of course we do things differently but I think sleeping in the fresh air safely and close to you is brilliant and increases immunity too x

  4. If either of mine fell asleep when out for a walk, I would leave the pram out in the garden (back of house, enclosed!) on our return, rather than risk disturbing them. My 2nd baby was often put out in the garden to nap so that he didn’t wake his 2 year old sister who had longer daytime naps than he did! He actually slept much better outside than in, wrapped up warm in the winter. He slept particularly well if it was raining – I think the pitter patter of the rain on the pram’s raincover was soothing to him.

    I’m very pro-outdoor-napping!

  5. My MIL had my husband and his twin sister in the mid-1960’s and readily popped them both in their pram, under a porch outside (only a roof) for all of their naps. They were born in early March. I can’t fathom it, having been raised in Wisconsin in the US where no one uses a pushchair in the winter because of the Arctic temps. Clearly a very American thing.
    Bea looks beautiful and very happy in her Ooba

  6. all of mine have all slept outside in their prams. I’ve always had to be somewhere at some point during naps and I think as long as you’re sensible about making sure they’re warm there’s no reason why colder weather means they have to be inside. I like most naps to be in a bed but sometimes you don’t always have that choice. Bea looks so snug in the Ooba! x x

  7. Keeping babies indoors for sleeping is relatively new. It was always the recognised thing that babies went outside in their prams to sleep, while mum dealt with the many other tasks that needed doing, especially spending time with other children. The babies slept well in the fresh air, and there didn’t seem to be any negatives to the practise. I don’t know when or by whom it was decided that babies should be kept indoors most of the time, but it has always seemed to me a strange decision. Hopefully the tide is turning the other way again and more babies will benefit from fresh air. And where did the term “Nordic napping” come from!!!

  8. Mine are grown, 22&28 and they slept in their pram on the back step in gales, snow, fog and heat waves. It was the norm to wrap them and put a hot water bottle in their pram in winter and park the pram under the tree in the garden for shade in the summer. It was also the norm for babies room to have an open window and always to be kept cool.

  9. Not heard of Nordic napping before, I think it’s a great idea-although not sure if I could do it when really cold or raining, think I’d feel a bit mean, but I guess it’s just what you feel comfortable with x

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