Naps getting shorter

[Fleecy]

My DD is three months old and has never settled well for daytime naps. She used to have two 45 min naps between each feed but this has now shrunk to one or two 30 min naps and seems to be heading towards 20 mins...
She's really good at going down to sleep on her own when she's tired and she'll happily nap in her cot - she just won't stay asleep!
I've tried going to her as soon as she's awake and getting her back off to sleep without picking her up (this usually works at night and she'll drop off within 10 mins or so) but I usually give up after about half an hour of trying. Any ideas would be gratefully received - I know she's only little but I don't want her to get into the habit of only having teeny cat naps in the day.

Thanks!

Hi Fleecy, I don't know the answer but my DS (four months) is the same - very good at getting to sleep at night but only naps for 15 or 20 minutes at a time during the day and then gets more and more grumpy as the day goes on!

If your DD seems happy, maybe she doesn't need any more sleep?

My DS sleeps from 6pm - 7am and I've toyed with the idea of waking him up earlier so he might need a longer nap in the day, but am scared he still won't nap for long and will just be more upset because he's had less sleep!

Have you tried things like making the room really dark so its like night time and there are no distractions?

Fleecy, I have exactly the same problem with my 15 week old. No answers I'm affraid but thought I'd let you know you're not alone! When she wakes up she's still tired and screams the house down but won't go back to sleep, sometimes I've spent virtually all day trying to get her to sleep longer.

I was going a bit insane by it but I've decided I'm not going to spend hours trying to get her back to sleep I'll get her up after a few minutes (she still screams) give her a few minutes then maybe take her out in the buggy. Doesn't seem so stressful outside somehow.

Hi I posted on another thread about this today - and just wanted to give you a bit of hope my lo only used to power nap for 30 minutes at a time every couple of hours at this age, but it all changed when he was 6 months and weaned - his naps gradually got longer and now at almost a year old he has 2 hours+ at lunchtime. Apparently it has something to do with them building up their fat stores. hth

You could try not going in to her. I think they do go into a lighter sleep after 20 mins, and if you go into her, she'll just become more awake. She needs to learn to settle herself back to sleep on her own. As other have said, her naps will naturally extend as she gets older.

Thanks for your advice on this. I've spent a few weeks working on her naps, firstly getting her out the cot, keeping curtains closed and noise down, cuddling her until she's nearly asleep then popping her back in the cot. She's getting much better now - sometimes she stays down for a couple of hours, other times she wakes up and goes back to sleep if I give her the dummy. She still needs a bit more help going back to sleep sometimes but we're getting there - and I'm hoping as she gets old it'll get better too!