How do I get DD to nap for longer?

[NeuroMum]

First nap of the day is usually 45 mins, but second and third are often only 30 mins long. From reading the sleep books it seems only 45 mins or more are of any use, and this is confirmed by DD being tired after only an hour when her nap is short.

I have been trying the NCSS idea of getting her back to sleep as soon as she stirs from a nap, but after four days of this, I'm not seeing any results. And I'm wondering how I would see any results, as I jump on her as soon as her eyes open... but perhaps she would go back to sleep herself if I left her??

Am desperate to sort this out, as her nighttime sleep is so much better when she's napped well.

Oh, and DD is nearly 5 months old.

Does anyone have any ideas or wisdom to impart??

[IAteDavinaForDinner]

[hollow laugh]

Time is your only hope, IME, sorry

If it's any consolation, at6 months DS suddenyl started napping for 90 minutes occasionally, and now at a year old has 2 naps of over an hour each time on good days. We didn't do anything (with success, anyway) apart from waiting it out.

[MoChan]

She might be easier to settle once she's walking...

Sorry, not v. helpful, but my daughter has steadfastly refused to nap consistently or for long since she was born thirteen months ago. She's only started to sleep properly since she started cruising and walking.

I would try leaving her to see if she settles herself back, however, as that has sometimes worked for me.

How long is she sleeping overnight?

[NeuroMum]

I was afraid that was the answer IADFD! Thanks anyway!

MoChan, if she's had decent naps she sleeps from about 8pm to about 6.30am usually with one feed at approx 2.30am (although last night it was a marvellous 4am ). But we have had some bad nights recently when she would wake 2 or 3 times.. and I put that down to her being absolutely knackered...

[tryingtoleave]

Try a jolly jumper (though I think they may be called something different in uk). I found it tired ds out and extended his nap sometimes.

[MegBusset]

IAteDavina speaks the truth. It takes time for some babies' naps to lengthen beyond 30 mins, DS wasn't reliably napping longer til about 7 or 8 months. In the meantime maybe squeeze in a 4th nap if she needs it.

[Onlyaphase]

IADFD is right, I'm afraid. Time will cure this, nothing else.

My DD is nearly 2, and has one nap now for up to 2.5 hours, so there is hope for you, just not yet. Has taken months and months to get to this though, nothing I did helped at all.

[MoChan]

So she's basically sleeping around twelve hours a day total? This is the most my daughter has ever done. Yours, like mine, might just not need that much sleep. I have given up worrying about it now, in any case. We're now at the stage where she'll generally sleep from 8pm until around 5am (although it's often 4am, sadly) and then takes about an hour to ninety minutes nap during the day. After months of numerous night feeds and nap-refusal this seems like a miracle!

You might just have to hold out and wait for her to get nice and active. A bouncer or similar might help, but I found that ours simply enlivened baby.