What do you do if your baby only takes very short naps when out?

[Madallie]

Dd (7months old) naps well at home in the day, I know this because i have made a concerted effort to stay in for nap times this last week (9.15 for an hour and a quarter and 1.15 for 1.5-2hrs).

However when we are out she will really only sleep for 20-40 mins a if times (40 mins being v rare).

I have a toddler and so generally cannot be in like this everyday and up until this last week I haven't, but I stayed in on purpose to see what would happen.

Dd is a very happy baby and is still contented with little catnaps if we re out and about but I just feel bad that she is only having very limited sleep if I'm not in.

Do you think it matters? Do any others have this same experience and if so what do you do about it?

I have exactly the same thing with my 7 month old, e has similar naps to yours at home but yes much shorter in the pram. I found it helps if there's a blanket/muslin over the pram and if you continue to rock the pram if you stop, mine always wakes when I stop. Sometimes this still doesn't work and I find myself putting him to to bed a tiny bit earlier if he's rubbing his eyes, but doesn't seem to have any lasting damage.

Thanks Lisa. I out a snooze shade over the pram and push her too. Sometimes this work sometimes not.

Think I'll plan to have some quieter days in for longer naps and then I'm sure she'll cope on the days were out. Earlier bedtime will probably be good on those day ps too.

It doesn't matter. They catch up when they need to. Don't curtail what you do....their sleep pattern changes like the wind anyway.

Thanks mrs. Prob good advise.

I have the same problem. My 5 month old DS has had about 4 naps today, all in the car-seat because we've been in and out taking/picking-up 3 year old DD from nursery, then going to shops etc. Feel bad for him, but hope it'll mean he'll grow up being more adaptable than DD who always had her naps at home, and consequently became unable to nap in a pushchair or her car-seat.

DD is 12 months now and still only naps for 30-40 mins in the pushchair (think the max she's ever managed was an hour except when she was tiny). I guess I would just get her to sleep a little later so the nap she does have falls in the middle of the time she would be asleep at home, then you split the difference IYSWIM? Then you hopefully won't have a too tired baby either before the nap or later on.