How can I encourage 5 month DS to nap longer?

[bluesmile10]

My 5 month old DS is a real cat napper, only sleeping for about 35 minutes each nap. Therefore as the day goes on he gets more and more grumpy. Its becoming a real struggle to get him to accept any solids at tea time because he is tired. Are there any tips to get him to sleep slightly longer during the daytime?

What?? Why does he need any solids?

We had the same thing with our dd. We tried the Baby Whisperer pick-up, put-down to get her to nap in her cot in the first place, then to extend the nap. It worked to an extent, I think, but I also wonder if she just naturally began to get into a better rhythm as she matured. By 8 months she was regularly taking 1.5 hour naps. It's very frustrating, though, I know - particularly when you can see they're still really tired. You have my sympathy!

Their sleep cycles are shorter than ours anyway so babies often wake up after about 45 minutes. Have you tried putting him down in a dark room? If my ds wakes up I often leave him for 10 minutes to see if he settles back down again. He sleeps from 9-10 and from 12-2 and has done from about 5 months.

Ignore above comment. I weaned my ds at 5 months and he is fine. You know your child. What time are you feeding him and what time is bed time in the evening, if you dont mind me asking.

dd2 had 40 min naps around this age too. It wasn't great but there wasn't much i could do about it and around 7-8 months she started to sleep better at night and during the day too....so maybe just hang in there! As long as she had enough naps she was generally ok. And she used to need to go to bed very early-6.30 at the latest.

when ds used to do this, providing he wasn't waking crying I would ignore the fact he was clearly awake and he would generally doze off again 5-10 mins later... he now (10 m) naps for 1.5 hrs at a time generally and has done for a few months

Thanks for your replies - its always so reassuring to read them and know that it'll improve. Am weaning as very hungry baby and after discussion with health visitor who suggested it!! Dont mind at all, ClaireyFairy8, he feeds around 8am, 12 then 4pm (bottle and something pureed) and then is in bed by 6.30 at the latest - if his eyes havent given in by this time already!!!!

If he's having all his milk, don't worry too much about the food in the evening. Remember any food he's getting at this stage is a bonus on top of his milk. My ds loves the Ella's Kitchen range of foods and although he eats what I make him, I know he will wolf down those pouches like it's going out of fashion.

My ds and he has been on the same routine since 5 months: -

7am wake + 7oz bottle
9am - 10 am nap
10 am 7oz bottle + breakfast e.g. puree or soft rusk
12-2 nap
2:30 7oz bottle and puree
5:30 7oz bottle and puree
6:00 Bath
7:00 Bed time

We work on a 12 hour day and (some people may shoot me for this) have been following Gina Ford since birth. For his naps he goes doen in a sleeping bag, in his cot in a dark room. He knows sleeping bag means sleepy time and this has become a really good indicator to him that it's time to settle to sleep. I always put him down awake so he has learnt to send himself to sleep.

I hope this is helpful in some way. I don't think you should worry too much about the food, but getting him to settle himself back to sleep is an important life skill.