5 m/o, tips on extending 30-minute naps - HOW?

[Loops81]

Since about 6 weeks old, my DD has only napped for 30 minutes at a time, 3-4 times a day. I assumed this would pass but she is now 5 months old and it's STILL happening. I can get her to sleep at home in her Sleepyhead, or out in her buggy, but every single time her eyes pop open after half an hour and that's her, done. Needless to say she is knackered again after an hour or so awake. It's driving me nuts. Does anyone have any good ideas on how to break this habit? (Weirdly, she can self-settle at night and only wakes once for a feed around 4am).

My DD started taking longer naps when I started pulling the hood right down on the pram so it was totally dark and letting her nap in a different room to where I was. I think that was at about 6-7 months.
One idea I’ve read about is half waking her up after 20-25 minutes and then soothing her back to sleep so that she can move through the sleep cycle.
If my DD wakes after 45 minutes I try to get her back to sleep and will only give up after about 15-20 minutes.

Honestly...don't waste your energy, I'm sure you have read all the advice online eg wake to sleep, she's too tired, not tired enough etc....it's developmental. In her own time they will extend, and you will drive yourself insane in the mean time...I know from experience!

My dd was exactly like this, but in time, around 6 monthsish...she suddenly started going longer and longer...now she will do a good 1hr30 in her cot.

The less you fight it the happier you will be.

Dc3 is the same, after 3-4 months of tiny naps we are occasionally getting an hour.

Some babies can be rocked back to sleep after 30 mins, mine can’t. Pings awake happily, not seeming tired at all. Like you though an hour in & tiredness shows.

Pitch black room
White noise
Dummy
Sleepbag
Warm enough

I'm sure you've covered all this sorry....!

Sounds like nights are good! V lucky xx

I am in exactly the same boat...only we are now at 6.5 months. She does longer periods at night but nothing more than 30 minutes in the day

Mine has always been a catnapper even at a year. She has only ever slept longer than an hour for naps if she’s ill or after jabs.

This is helpful - www.google.co.uk/amp/s/sarahockwell-smith.com/2017/11/01/in-defence-of-cat-naps/amp/

@crazycatlady5...my God I wish I had read this when DD was a newborn... would have saved my sanity! Bookmarking for Ds imminent arrival!

www.babysleepscience.com/single-post/2017/03/20/Nap-101-Post-1-Does-my-baby-have-a-nap-problem

I found this helpful, read the further blog posts to get ideas for extending naps once they are developmentally ready

We had this for a maddening month or 6 weeks when DD was also about 5 months. Tried Elizabeth Pantley's "cycle blender" nap extension method and it seemed to work... She suddenly started going longer again. Having said that, I have a sneaking suspicion it was developmental and had sod all to do with what I was doing. Hey ho- we parents like to give ourselves the illusion of control, don't we? :-)

nocrysolution.com/books/the-no-cry-nap-solution/cat-naps-making-short-naps-longer/

Lots of babies reach this stage only around 6/7 months (and some don't) but my experience with all three of mine was -despite one being a great sleeper, one absolutely dreadful, and one started out ok and now not so great - all of them started taking long naps between 6 and 8 months regardless of how they slept at night and without intervention by me

Hi all, my daughter is 5 months and exactly the same (except for the nights- she manages 3-3 and a half hours then needs feeding and a dummy to go back down). One thing I have noticed is that if she falls asleep on a walk with the pram and I leave her in it asleep outside the backdoor, snuggled up with the hood covered so it's dark, she will sleep for 45 mins at a time. I set off as soon as she's slightly tired, otherwise we miss the window and it takes a lot longer with crying. I'm lucky in that I can leave her safely with the back door open while I potter in the kitchen. I take her out without a coat, just a hat and several layers of blankets. It only took a couple of goes and now she's very happy in there and settles faster than she does being rocked or nursed.

My daughter was like this, you could set your watch by her. I tried everrrryyything to get her to sleep longer. I now understand its developmental, they do it in their own time. One day she just started going for 40 mins, I couldn't believe it! Then 45 mins, then an hour, etc etc.

I know its frustrating but she will do it in her own time, try not to worry about it.

Try holding her for naps