napping question for 6 months + (pkaren)

pkaren · February 2014

DD is a good night sleeper, but a terrible napper. I'm pretty sure her sleep environment is pretty optimal, I always lay her down awake, we have a short routine, she gets in her magic sleep suit, sound machine on, black out curtains and always naps in her crib. I'm lucky if I get an hour nap, it's usually around 45 minutes only. I've tried leaving her for a bit after she wakes up but she never resettles. She takes 4, sometimes 5 naps a day because they're so short and is only awake for about 2 hrs between naps.

My question is if you had a baby who was a bad napper, do they continue to be 45 min napper or did they eventually start taking better naps at some magical age? I've tried everything to get her to nap Longer and it's just not going to happen unless she decides it will!

hungryhippo · February 2014

Ooh, I want to know too! I just started reading the No Cry Sleep Solution book that i purchased during the 4 month sleep regression. According to the author, my DS at almost 5 months should be napping 2-3 times per day for a total of about 4 hours. In reality, he naps 4 times per day, with 45 minutes being his maximum nap time. His last one is after he gets home from daycare and I'd love for him to skip that one and just go to bed a bit earlier. Of course that assumes he would lengthen his other naps so he gets adequate day time sleep.

chloebeth930 · February 2014

Have you tried keeping her awake for longer periods in between naps? I know that will be difficult with her being so young, but maybe it might help?

pkaren · February 2014

@hungryhippo I used the sleep easy solution with DD when she was almost 5 months old. We were both exhausted and honestly it has been the best thing ever. I was hoping her naps would get better too, but no dice!

@chloebeth930 sometimes I feel like 2 hrs is stretching it! She'll go longer between naps if we're out and still will only nap 30-45 min.

@Michbot12 I've been thinking about getting an aquarium or something for her crib actually! She goes to bed at night fine, but will sometimes fight napping, especially the last one of the day. I wonder if something soothing for her to watch would help.

melly918 · February 2014

We always used a music toy similar to the aquarium for our kids. It helped them make the connection that they needed to sleep. DD used to have two naps a day, one in the mid morning and one in mid afternoon but we noticed she wasn't falling asleep anymore for the afternoon nap so now she goes down for her one and only nap somewhere between 11 and 1. It just depends in how late she woke up that morning (DH is a SAHD who loves to sleep in, the jerk). She will nap btwn 1.5-2 hours and go to bed btwn 6-7pm.

babystoli · February 2014

Ummm... sending him to daycare?? He would take 2, 2 hr. naps with me on the weekends (falling asleep nursing, on our bed). With DH... rarely more than 45 minutes, most naps only 30 minutes, and never in the crib. Daycare this week... 2, 2 hr naps every day. It's a miracle!

Sorry I don't have any real advice!

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napping question for 6 months + (pkaren)

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