Short naps....are they really a problem?

Svenny1011

We are lucky in that we have a good sleeper - he sttn 10-11 hrs straight and has since 8 or 9 weeks. Up until 11 weeks he was a good napper too. He'd nap over an hour every time, sometimes so long that I'd have to wake him (I never let him nap more than 2.5 hrs) whether it was in the crib or swing. But, since 11 weeks (he's just over 13 weeks now), he won't nap longer than 40min in his crib. It is like clockwork. In the swing he can still go for hours, but I want to break that need. When he wakes from these short naps he usually is not fussy - smiling, talking, etc. If he is fussy, I try to get him back to sleep - he will doze off in my arms but the minute he is put down, he is awake. I will leave him to try and get to sleep, but it doesn't work - he is smiling and playing. So my question is, if a baby is sleeping well at night and is happy during the day, are short naps really a problem? He's starting daycare next week and I'm just not sure if I should be working on this problem or if this is just the way he is. To me it seems like he can't transition to the next sleep cycle.

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Svenny1011

Oh hai there! Ok cool. I figure if he's happy, then why mess with it, but I'm definitely no expert.

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Svenny1011

I don't know if I buy it, because he was sleeping that long even when he was napping well. I did read somewhere about naps transitioning / regulating around 3 to 4 months, so maybe that is it. He's sleeping in his swing now to make up for his stupid 25 min nap this morning. I hate doing that, but I feel like he needs it.

NatesCupcake47

DD naps this way.  Her pediatrician says since she's sleeping 12 hours at night (she still gets up once or twice for about 20 min at a time), that the short naps are probably as good as it's going to get.  

LoriLee14

around 45 mins is when you would normally swap to another REM cycle and that is when you are getting the good rest. It is really easy for adults to just roll over and go back to sleep where children don't. I wouldn't worry about it as long as he is happy when he is awake. If he is fussy then I would work on trying to get him to go back to sleep

Svenny1011

Thanks ladies! I'm just going to go with it. He starts daycare next week, so we will see how things go.

Mom38673

Don't worry.  My first wasn't a napper at all.  She may have taken one one hr nap a day.  She's 9, and makes all A's in school.  Very bright.  Even at daycare, she rarely took naps.  

filmbeauty480

My DD has been the same way for about a month now.  She'll take 20-30 minute naps at the babysitter's house and at home she'll nap for 30-45 minutes.  The drawback is that she wants to go to bed around 6pm!!  It was a little discouraging but she's very active and happy so I'm not worried.  And with her early bedtime, DH and I get some adult time which is always a plus!