Tips on getting 5.5month old to nap for longer plse.

[Newfamily2014]

Hello, my daughter will be 6 months in 10 days. She naps three times a day but only naps for 59mins max if we are at home (waking up after 30mins and having dummy back in a shushed to sleep) until about 40-50mins. She'll nap for longer if in the car or push chair. Any advice please on how I can get her to nap for longer at home? Am I correct in thinking she should ideally nap for 1-2 hours twice a day and cat nap in eve? Thanks

My 9mo DD has never napped longer than 40 mins so watching with interest!

Every baby has their own nap schedule and needs different amounts of sleep. Does she appear well rested after her naps? If she is then just leave her as is.

My dd has just turned 6 months and can nap from 40mins to 2hrs though mostly 40 mins. Some days she needs more sleep than others.

My 5 month old has 3 naps only lasting half hour. But she'll sleep longer if we are out in car or pram. She seems fine on that.

There is some weird thing you can do - my friend tried it for her DD who was a short napper - Called the 45 minute nap intruder. You go in a few minutes before they usually wake up and place you hand on their chest. Apparently it stops them coming out of a sleep cycle and waking up. Here's a link that mentions it.

blogginaboutbabies.wordpress.com/2009/05/08/nap-trouble-the-45-minute-intruder/

Have you tried dropping a nap? I would say the late afternoon one would usually go around this age and consolidate to 2 longer naps with longer awake periods.

It's true that two long naps would be ideal - that's just the problem though, right? My second (now 9months) was/is the world's greatest short napper after my first being a super sleeper. My observations are that they need the sleep but can't move between the sleep cycles in daytime sleep and wake themselves up; the longer naps in the car seat/pram are due to the movement assisting the transition between sleep cycles. I wouldn't change the number of naps as you will just throw overtireness into the mix. If you still need 3 to get through the day, do it. There are only two strategies IMO - assistance and persistence. Assistance meaning when you can use movement to help her sleep use it. Persistence means don't stop the cot naps completely because this is how you give her the opportunity to learn to lengthen her naps by getting to the next sleep cycle. It might take awhile but it should happen. Good luck.

My 5.5 month old has been a 40 minute catnapper since birth. Just recently he's been turning over and sleeping on his tummy and that position seems to help him transition through sleep cycles and we're getting some 1.5 hour naps.

Thanks everyone. I let her nap in her pram today both times and she would have slept for as long as I could walk (which ended up an hour each time) but I had to get home and she woke as I had to lift the pram to get it in the house. As suggested in the replies, perhaps she likes the movement. Do you think she'll grow out of it? I worry a bit as she'll have to nap at nursery.

I think she will grow out of it. I had the same problem with ds1, who now sleeps 2-3 hours after lunch at 2.8.

I'm having the same problem with dc2, sleeps 30 minutes 3 times a day, and wakes crying so I don't think he's having enough sleep. He's only 4 months though. I'm going to try nap intruder at 25 minutes and see what happens!

I think I'll have another go at nap intruder too. As she must likes the movement of the pram do you think a swing might help? Or is it too late? Is he too old?

I've not used a swing, but I think it would be worth a try. Maybe borrow one and see if she likes it? I'm not sure when they outgrow the swing.

DC2 has all naps in the buggy so think I'll try rocking or walking from 25 minutes in and see what happens. However sounds like I should be trying to make him have some cot naps from akuabadoll's post.

How's it going OP? Any progress?

Hi postmanPatPat all of your posts have really helped. The nap intruder helped a bit but 'something' has happened (not srebwhat) and for the last three days she has taken really good naps in her own cot- over an hour in the morning and over 2 hours in the afternoon.. Hope I haven't jinxed it by writing this! I think solids have helped as she goes to bed with a full tum and I've also extended the time she is awake as someone mentioned that they thought she might be under tired. So fingers, toes and everything else crossed that it continues.
What I want to do now is get rid of her night feed as she still has one and then gets a windy tummy later on in the night which will wake her up too.,I've posted this on her and had some good advice so fingers crossed...