7mo waking after 30 mins for pretty much all naps

[spaceal]

My 7mo DD seems to wake like clockwork after 30 mins of napping regardless of how tired she is or what time of day it is. She used to manage 45 mins + much more regularly and will still occasionally do around an hour, but usually it's 30 mins on the dot.

She naps in her buggy so recently I've been trying to catch her at 30 mins and rock her through the transition. It's worked a few times, but not every time.

She usually has 3 x 30 min naps a day and doesn't seem to get grouchy tired. Her night times, after months of crap sleep, are not bad now, just a couple of brief wakings.

Is this just a phase and will her naps naturally lengthen, or should I try something else?

Anyone?

Thanks.

Hi Spaceal, my DS (9 months) is exactly the same as your DD- has 3 x half hour naps a day. Trouble is with him, he DOES get grumpy and by bedtime is hysterical with tiredness!

Today I am trying/starting other methods- put him down earlier at 8.30am when he started rubbing eyes again (wakes 6ish, if not before), and put him down at 12.30 this lunchtime. He woke just after 1pm after half hour sleep, but I reassured him, then left him to cry, and now he's gone back to sleep. I'm hoping he therefore now won't need his usual late afternoon nap!

The morning half hour nap is fine for DS, but i'm really going to try and work at getting a longer lunchtime one. This might mean staying in over lunch for a while until it is ingrained, but i'm hoping it will pay off in the long run! I'm currently pg with number 2, so hoping to get proper lunchtime nap established to give me time with new baby and to get things done.

I guess if your DD seems fine then it's not so much of a problem, unless you'd actually like some rest over lunch!

Doing a swingby, I totally had this problem with my DD, 30 minute naps, initially 3 x 30 mins a day then we went down to 2 x 30 minutes. Grumpy all the time, but good at night. She did crack it, at about 11 months, by sleeping for longer in the mornings at first. In my case I think I made it worse by always going straight to her when she woke up, as long as she is not screaming when she wakes leave her for a bit. Worked for us, it is a phase, in my case it took an age to get through, but now at 15 months she has one 2 hour nap a day, straight after lunch. Good luck!

Mine does this too. Although he is not too grumpy as a result. I am just happy that I am back at work and nursery ladies look after him for part of the week. Working is soooo much easier than looking after a baby!

Thanks, ladies. As she doesn't seem to get too grumpy, I guess I should be content, but I'd so like a bit of time in the day, more than half an hour, which is barely enough time to fill the dishwasher or the washing machine. Maybe I'll experiment with putting her down a but earlier and/or leaving her if she wakes and see what happens.

I think a bit more routine might help too - I seem to really struggle to manage naps, meals, feeds and getting out of the house. We do it all, but maybe not in the right order or at the right time!