14 week old DD is really struggling with naps at the moment, waking after 30 mins crying and wanting to go back to sleep, needing to be rocked off again etc. The past week or so its become obvious that she is exhausted by the end of the day, poor thing, and I think what she needs is at least one long, continuous sleep during the day. Nights are fine and she can self-settle day or night, its just getting past this magic half hour during the day that's the problem.
I understand the theory of the BW nap extension (transition from light to deep sleep) but I don't think I really get how it works in practice?
So, today DD fell asleep on me just before 3. She started stirring at 3.30 so I held her tight, pinning her arms and legs down. She didn't exactly wake up and didn't start really crying properly but her eyes were half-open and she certainly wasn't fast asleep. This 'half-sleep' state lasted for over half an hour before she finally dropped off to a deep enough sleep that I was able to leave her on the bed and leave the room. She's woken up now, after just a half hour nap.
Was this right? Is this how it works, rather than her keeping her eyes closed? It feels to me as though she will still only have two half hour naps and hasn't really transitioned from light to deep sleep.
And then does the time it takes baby to transition start to take less time each day?