Importance of napping?

[WeeSooty]

DD has just turned 7 months. She doesn't really sleep a lot during the day and I'm worried about it.

She wakes between 5 and 6 am and we leave her to chat away or cuddle her till her bottle at 7am. Breakfast is at 8am and she might go for a snooze around 8.30/9ish. But only for about 1/2 an hour and only some days!

Lunch, food and bottle at 11.30 and then she sometimes has a nap at 1 for an hour.

Another bottle at 3 and then one at 7 and into her bed around 7.30pm.

She then sleeps almost through only waking a couple of times looking for her dummy.

I know she should nap during the day and I know sometimes she is tired but she refuses to sleep! If I walk outside with her she will sleep but in the house or at the shops she just refuses!

How important are daytime naps? Is there anyway I can get her to sleep?

I'm almost looking forward to her going to nursery in 2 months as I'm hoping they can help!

Why do you feel she "should" nap? Is she not meeting her milestones? Clumsy? Unbearably grumpy?

Maybe she's just not one of life's big sleepers! She sleeps well at night, has a consistent routine. Unless you have a specific relate worry, not sleeping isn't something to lose sleep over!

One of my boys didn't need much sleep, it drove me insane! He dropped lunchtime naps at 2 and a bit - his younger sibling still has 2 1/2hrs at least at this age. It was only a big issue for me because I struggled to get through the day without him having a longer nap.

Anything, I just feel like it seems all health visitors and other mums are going on about a routine with naps and DD isn't interested!

She is totally fine otherwise, bright, alert and giggling most of the time. Grumpy occasionally and fights sleep if there are distractions. But she is meeting milestones and doesn't seem unhappy. I am just worried I'm doing her developmental harm by not pushing her to nap. She's my first, can you tell?? :)

Natural it would also be good if she napped and I could attempt to get on top of some housework!

If she sleeps all night don't change anything
Dd1 took her naps v seriously and slept an hour morning and afternoon and was troublesome if they weren't adhered to. She didn't sleep through until she had solids. Dd2 is carted around in a sling all the time and despite what folk say about slings she hardly sleeps at all during the day but sleeps 12 hours a night sometimes waking for a feed (she's 5 months). She sleeps for about 20 minutes maybe twice a day and randomly a couple of hours about once a fortnight!

If someone asked you "Does she nap much during the day?" And you can honestly answer "No, she's not tired during the day, but she sleeps well at night." ... Then do that and don't worry.

They're all different, and the babies themselves don't read the books about why they should or shouldn't do. She may benefit from structured downtime ie story time under a blanket, god forbid some cbeebies (when she's a bit bigger). She may also be mired tired when she starts crawling and walking.

Rule of thumb - if she's happy and thriving, and you're happy with the situation, then everything's fine.

Thank you for the reassurance!

Actually today she pulled a blanket over herself like a little tent, she didn't sleep but we lay quietly for a bit and she seemed to need that little rest but not actual sleep.

You have all put my mind at ease. Thank you! :)