very short daytime naps - any advice?

[littlesthobo]

Hi - I'm a first-timer with a 12-week old who naps for 30 minutes at a time at regular intervals throughout the day. Is there anything I can do to help him sleep for longer? He's ticking over OK and is a jolly baby most of the time, but sometimes is still sleepy when he wakes, which makes me think he really needs more. All advice gratefully received.

I think thier sleep cycle is 30-45 mins which means they come into a light sleep after this time. Does he settle himself off to sleep? If he doesn't in the first place then he won't be able to settle himself when he wakes into this light sleep. Where does he sleep? Perhaps if he's in a dark room it might help.

mine didnt start having longer naps til about 7 - 8 months. be grateful he sleeps at all is my advice!
i dont think there is anything you can 'do' unless you want to go down the cc route where you leave them to cry until they settle themselves back to sleep. But 12 weeks is too young for this imo.

The pattern he is currently in sounds very much the norm to me

My DD was exactly the same. I knew she needed longer naps than the 30 mins she had as she woke up grizzling most of the time. Nothing I did would settle her back to sleep once she woke up, although she was generally fine to settle herself to sleep at the beginning of a nap.

Like Krispie, only when she got to 6 months+ did she start to have longer naps. I don't think there is anything you can do, other than try not to snap at friends whose babies nap for 2 hours twice a day, and who don't understand why you can't get anything done or catch up on your sleep during the day!

My DS also naps just 30-45 minutes in a go most of the time, although he has started occasionally going longer (did 90 mins at lunchtime yesterday - bliss!). At least now he can stay awake up to two hours (he's 20 weeks) so he only needs 3/4 naps a day - was previously 5!

I personally have found the 'settling themselves' idea to be a bit of a red herring, doesn't seem to make any difference to how long DS naps. I think some babies are just like this and most of them nap longer eventually.

My 20 weeks old dd2 is the same and I haven't found an answer either! I've tried re-settling her but it doesn't usually work, it's not a huge problem, she's happy enough just a pita when it feels like you spend all day putting the baby down for naps.

My dd was exactly the same - has never slept and still only sleeps for 30 - 45 mins each nap (she's 6 1/2) months. My only advice is not to worry about it and go with the flow.... I have tried everything - and I mean everything and nothing has worked to try and make her sleep longer. As soon as I realised that it was what she wanted to do life has been a lot easier.

my DS2 does this (he's 6 months). It's a PITA but nothing has worked to alter it. It's often the way if they are very alert and active.