4 month old and naps-help!!!

[Kelroc]

My 4 1/2 old DD is a really good nighttime sleeper, and generally very happy abs settled. We are, however struggling with day time naps. She won’t go for more the 30 mins at a time and gets hysterical if I try to put her down in cot or on bed. Tried white noise (which we use at night), dark room etc. She’ll nap in the car or pram if we are out but not at home. Is this normal at this age and generally get better? Looking for stories/advice!

I used to drive mine around for an hour to get them to have a nap

Don't stress about it because there's so many reasons she might not be good at napping
If she is hard work when tired just take her out in the buggy or for a drive
Mine stopped napping at 2 but I know toddlers that stopped before their first birthday
As long as she's sleeping well at night I wouldn't worry
Don't drive yourself crazy trying to get her to sleep in her cot it's only u that will get frustrated

Sorry, should have said 4 months! Not years!!!

Oh my gosh! I could have written this when my DD was 4 months, exactly the same! But she would only sleep in my arms - it was so stressful! I actually bought a sleepyhead & started putting her in that next to me on the couch, holding her hand & then without my hand & then the cot. She is 9 months now & will only sleep in her cot or the car but naps brilliantly! I used to put her in the cot, one hand on her bottom & the other on her chest & wait until she'd fallen asleep until I left the room!
I promise things get better! There are so many lovely things about that time, but the sleeping is so difficult! Good luck!!

My DS was exactly the same. Would only nap for 30 minutes at a time, sometimes 40, sometimes 20! By the time I’d waited to make sure he was properly asleep I could hardly get anything done or make myself something to eat, it was quite frustrating.
At around 5.5 months he magically started taking longer naps. Only in his cot (in a Sleepyhead) and most of the time only for his morning nap, but he now has nearly 2 hours in the morning and I can actually get a bit of time to myself to do some housework etc! I didn’t do anything differently, it just happened. As PP has said though try not to worry too much about it if the night sleep is good!

Thank you! Hoping it does just fall into place!

What sort of wake time does she have?

Wakes at 5.30 for a feed then back down till about 8.30

@Kelroc sorry, I meant, how long is she awake for before you put her down for a nap? My baby is the same age and does decent naps around the 2 hr mark, though first one might only be 30 mins, next one is usually longer.x

Oh sorry! She wants to sleep every two hours ish but just fights it a bit. Longest naps we get are 45mins or less

DS1 would never nap unless driven out in the car which I resorted to often. He slept well all night though. By twelve months he stopped napping in the daytime altogether! I never solved his daytime napping issue.
DS2 I put in his cot regularly during the daytime, and left him with comforters and until he was three would nap solidly for hours.

My little boy is 5 months tomorrow and just this last week has suddenly started taking 2 x 1.5 hour sleeps (2 hours after waking and then mid afternoon). It seems that a little switch has gone off that has made him want to sleep in the day - now I hope another switch makes him sleep at night!

She naps in the car but is just not doing it at home. Does this schedule sound okay (it’s quite flexible as we have quite a few clubs/classes in the week)
6.30 am -Wake up / feed
7ish back to sleep
8.30 awake time
9.30 feed
10 am Sometimes naps or we go out
12 ish feed
2pm wants to sleep but if we’re at home she just won’t!
3.30 feed
Again time when she’s tired but just won’t sleep
6pm bath
6.30pm feed
7pm dozing in bouncer
8pm Bed (usually goes down no problem)

The huckleberry sleep app is fab! You put in you baby's sleep & it recommends what time they should nap! It was a lifesaver for me in those early days!

Thanks for the tip. Does the “schedule “ look alright?