Nap help

[Blankiefan]

We're very lucky that 17 wo DD has (touch wood) been a fairly good sleeper - at night. She sleeps 8pm-7am, with one night feed at some point between 3-6am. She generally self settles if she wakens apart from this.

Nap time is another issue. The first nap of the day is always easiest but she generally only goes 30 mins in her cot. As the day goes on, it gets harder for her to go down for a nap. I suspect this is because the 30 min naps don't refresh her enough and she gets more tired as the day goes on.

I try to make sure she gets a decent 2 hour nap in the middle of the day - either by taking her out in the pram, holding her (she'll sleep on me whilst I catch up with Netflix) or if I out her in her sling. Or, if we're out and its noisy (eg in a cafe, etc) or we're driving, she'll sleep for longer. We probably manage this half the time.

I'm terrified of "breaking" her night time sleep so don't use many of our bedtime associations (specific stories, white noise, grobag, dark room). her naptime routine is a shorter version - close lighter curtains over, quick cuddle, a bit of shush-patting and possibly some white noise. We use a blanket and scratch mitts instead of a grobag.

Can you give me some advice about how to improve her napping without risking night time sleep? (I'd rather have to work at her napping during the day than having to work harder at night time; especially as I go back to work in 2 months)

TIA

I really don't think you will break her nighttime sleep by using bedtime stuff at naptime. So try that first.

Another thing to try is pushing nap times slightly later. It may be she is actually not quite tired enough to go longer than 30 mins.

Another idea: try the pram. My DD also used to only nap for 30 minutes in the cot. However she would go for 2 hours plus in the pram (even if the pram was not moving but parked in the hallway). I have no idea why! Sometimes she would wake after 30 mins and I would have to rock her back to sleep in the pram, but that was a lot easier than if she was in the cot and woke after 30 mins. Once rocked back to sleep she'd stay asleep for at least an hour. might be worth a try?

I ditto everything Minipie just said! Try a later nap in the morning, and I use the buggy for all my 7MO's naps, she has 2 hours in it!! Always took her ages to settle in the cot so I gave up, much less stressful and you can rock them back to sleep if they do wake up after half an hour :o)