12wk old daytime naps are a shambles!

[fizzypigs]

hi my 12wk baby has never really slept well during the day and i am hoping you may be able to offer some wise words and encouragement!!

he was pretty unsettled for the first wee while due to reflux but this seems to have settled down. his sleep at night is pretty good (bath, massage, milk and bed for 7.30 at the latest. he wakes for feeds 2 times and is awake at 7-8ish)

however naps during the day are all over the place. the longest he sleeps for is 45min and has a max of 3 of these naps during the day. he seems knackered 1hr 30min after he wakes so try to put him down for a nap - sometimes he drifts off fro 45mins other times it is a battle and he may fall asleep for 15 or 20mins then wakes crying.

i'm confused that he can go for longer stretches at night but finds it impossible during the day. i'm not sure what i am doing wrong? a 2hr nap in the middle of the day seems elusive.

any tips or advice would be most welcome!!

thanks!!

Is he happy and alert when he's awake? If he is I wouldn't force him into a two-hour nap - there's no law on how much babies should nap.

Lots of babies will only sleep through one sleep cycle (45 minutes) in the day - my ds did this til he was 7 months, the suddenly started sleeping for 2 hours at a time!

Three 45 minute naps a day is probably fine. Try putting him in the sling or buggy and going for a long walk at least once a day. I would also go to bed with ds or just feed him to sleep and hold him in my arms as he slept longer that way than if I tried to put him down. Also, you can try going in to the baby just before they are likely to wake (say 35/40 minutes) and rocking/patting/feeding them as soon as they stir. I would do this twice to give ds a 1-2 hour nap in the afternoon.

DS is exactly the same as this, two 45 minute naps in the morning and one of about 20/30 minutes in the afternoon. He is 17 weeks now and has been like this since about 10 weeks.

fizzy I would count your lucky stars my dear! Like yours, my 12 wk old DD is rubbish at daytime naps (3 x 45 mins on a good day) but I'd be quite happy with that if she went to sleep by 7.30. We've just finished the Battle of Bed (at half 11). We started at 7!!! I'm at my wits end!

My 13 week old only naps longer in a sling. That's a good way to get a longer nap. Napa don't get longer til they are 6 months or so (generally speaking) so you don't need to worry,

If I want a decent break from my baby then I let her nap in the sling!

He sounds a lot like mine who still needs a nap every 1.5hrs approx at 18 weeks!! I dont worry about the length of the nap too much. Sometimes they are short 15-20 mins and I try to get him to go back to sleep, If he doesnt after around 10 mins of rocking etc I leave it and he is usually fine and not overtired (sometimes I think he just needs a short catnap). Other naps might be 2 to 3 hours but usually they are around 45 mins to 1 1/4 hrs.

Dont stress it sounds like you are doing the right thing. Mine sleeps everywhere at the moment and I have only just started putting him in his cot for daytime naps (he refused this when he was a little baby so I didnt bother persevering with it). He also sleeps in his swing, rocker, buggy, sling, car seat and in my arms!

Thanks for all your replies!! I know I am lucky he is sleeping at night!! I was just really worried as I am going back to work in feb and baby will be at nursery. I was (still am a little) anxious how he'll get on there especially if naps are a bit chaotic. I'm happy for him to sleep on me or in the sling when we're out and about but don't think he'll be able to do that at nursery. Thanks for the reassurance - will try to enjoy my time with him just now and think about routines later xx