How to time nap duration?

[LillianFullStop]

When is a baby technically down for a nap for the purpose of timing how long it is?

I'll put my 5 month old down for her nap and she will lie still, eyes closed but will sporadically wiggle or shake her head for about 10 minutes before she is completely still with her arms relaxed. Is the wiggling an early sleep phase and count towards her nap or is this still just her settling herself to sleep?

I read the awake time depends on the length of the preceding nap so I'd like to know how to time it properly.

If she is down with eyes closed then surely she's napping. she would let you know otherwise. Even if she is one of the few that will lie awake just chilling without you then that is surely going to count as recharging her batteries iyswim.

You don't really need to time to that degree of accuracy. All you need to gauge is was the last nap long, average length, short or very short. That's as much detail as is needed.

I'd call a long nap as anything over an hour and a short nap means I've not had time to make and drink a cup of tea. Certainly you don't need to worry about when to start the clock, it's just a general-feel thing.

Makes sense thanks! In that case DD's nap is always short unless she's in the carrier even if I could the period she has her eyes closed with the occasional wiggle!