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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

Long lunch time nap - how?

8 replies

Loolallama · 04/05/2009 21:52

My 8 month old son will only sleep for 40 minutes in his cot at lunch time but if I take him out in the pram he sleeps for 2 hours and is then happy all afternoon. Any ideas on how to get him to have a long sleep in his cot? (Tried controlled cry and does not work!)
Thanks

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beesonmummyshead · 05/05/2009 09:12

does it help if he is warmer? dd sleeps for ever at lunch if I put a duvet over her, or put her in my bed, but if i put a small blanket over her she becomes restless and wakes after about 45 minutes.

Also feeding her up just before her nap helps her sleep longer, otherwise she wakes up saying "eat"

She is 20 months old though, so her naps are better managed these days, but was very much like your ds at that age.

mummymimi · 05/05/2009 14:38

I am having this problem with my 6 month old son, he seems so grumpy all day as he isn't having a decent sleep. I have just put him in his sleeping bag and gave him a bottle and he is sleeping I will let you know how it goes.

likessleep · 05/05/2009 15:19

my ds used to be exactly the same, would always wake 40 minutes after falling asleep.

at around 12 months, he just started sleeping 2 hours at lunchtime (intermittently at first, but then every day and consistently). i don't know why, i wasn't doing anything differently, he just started having what his peers had been having for ages - a proper nap.

i probably am not helping with this, but just to say, my ds was exactly the same and things just fell into place for him.

oh and i forgot, sometimes he used to wake - i'd leave him for 10 minutes. sometimes he fell back asleep, other times he didn't.

jenster1976 · 05/05/2009 19:22

My little girl didn't start having 2hour naps until she was about 14 months, I think as she got more active she went from 2 shorter 45 - 1 hour naps a day to one long one 11 ish till 1 ish. She's trying to drop it now (22 months) but I'm trying to keep it going as about to give birth to no2 and it's already a v long day! I think they do have longer naps, but they take them when they need them, but def agree with leaving them to resettle if you think they're waking too early, I found that she would generally wake at 45 minute, chunter for 5 - 10 minutes and then by the time I thought, really ought to see what's she's doing she'd drifted back off again...

BiscuitStuffer · 05/05/2009 20:58

DS started 1.5 to 2 hour lunch time naps at 7 months.

His morning nap is about 30 to 40 mins and I make sure he's awake by 11am at the latest and either way, put him down again after he's been awake for 2.5 hours..... He used to only sleep for 40 and then need another nap later afternoon but then suddenly he changed by himself.

starkadder · 05/05/2009 22:13

Another one whose baby went on to longer naps when a bit older. When he was tiny, he would only nap in pram, for about 45 mins to an hour and a half. When about 9 months he started napping well in cot in the day time but still only for around 45 mins to hour and a half absolute max. Now he's 13 months and for the last 2 weeks has had great naps, 2-3 hrs in his cot, after lunch. I would never have believed it, to be honest, but tis true. He's gone from 2 naps to 1, which is part of it, and also is happy to settle down in his cot. He now sleeps less well in his pram - if we're out for the day, he'll only really sleep an hour and a half in the pram, which isn't enough now he's only on 1 nap a day.

Long and boring..sorry..! I think what I am trying to say is that daytime naps will keep on changing, if my experience is anything to go by...and therefore not too much point stressing or trying to make big changes. As long as night time sleep is all right then don't stress it

starkadder · 05/05/2009 22:14

PS pram = pushchair now, obviously. Am not still trundling him around flat on his back the entire time. Am just confused by all the nomenclature...buggy? stroller? travel system?

thatsnotmymonster · 05/05/2009 22:21

My first dc who is now 4 and still occasionally naps for 1-2 hours after lunch would not nap for more than 30-40 mins till he was almost a year old. His naps just started to get longer- especially after I dropped the morning one.

At some points they became shorter again and I wondered whether to drop it but I carried on and they increased again. I'm sure your ds's naps will get longer.

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