Help my baby won't nap longer than 20-40mins and only naps 2-3hours total a day.

[december2020]

DS is 5 months (4 months adjusted) and used to be an ok napper - sleeping 1-3 hours at a time. Now he will sleep 20-40 mins max. and it's a miracle if he makes it to 45-50mins.

He can sleep 3-11 hours in a stretch at night (usually 4-6 hours) so he is able to self settle/link his sleep cycles but for some reason can't do it during the day for nap times.

We've tried mini nap routines, having him sleep downstairs, sleep upstairs in his next2me with the blinds closed to give him a dark comfortable sleep, contact naps, pram naps, comfy sleepsuits, sleeping bags, made sure he has a fully tummy etc.
We've done more tummy time and play to exhaust him, we've done less to try not over stimulate him, but not matter what, he fights his naps so hard and when he is finally down it's the same old story of 20-40 minutes.

He wakes up tired, rubbing his eyes and yawning and probably naps 2.5-3hours total a day (we of course try to get him to go down again, or try give him more naps but it's proving unsuccessful) and I am running out of ideas.

Would anyone have any advice or tips at all to help him nap a bit longer and not be so tired during the day?

Sorry for the typos - wriggly baby next to me

Sleep changes in babies at around 4 months old, it sounds like that's what's happening with your baby. The change is perminant, it's baby maturing out of newborn sleep.

In the "Forth Trimester" (the first 3 or 4 months of baby's life), sleep is like it was in the womb. It is passive. So in this stage, as long as all baby's needs are met then the passive state for baby to be is asleep. So baby will wake when a need isn't met (hunger, uncomfortable) and as soon as that need is met will be back to the passive state of asleep.

Out of the Fouth Trimester, at around 4 months, sleep becomes an active endeavour. So baby (and you) have to work really hard to get to sleep and also has to work really hard yo stay asleep. It's no longer passive.

Sleep develops into cycles (cycles were not part of newborn sleep). And that marks what is commonly called "the 4 month sleep regression" (It's not a regression, it's progression). That's where you are. So no point looking backwards to what sleep used to be, it will never go back to that.

As to what to do, accept your baby will now need a lot more help to get to sleep. And a lot more help to stay asleep. And a lot if help to go from one sleep cycle to another. The 4 Month Sleep regression is all about finding ways to help your baby to sleep.

Some very well established ways to help your baby sleep better:

● Sucking - dummy or breastfeed to sleep
● Movement - rocking to sleep. Naps in a bouncer Or pushchair
● Feeling safe/secure - Swaddle. Sleeping in your arms. Cosleep. Stay close to baby.

Some other key factors that matter in the long term:

● Go to sleep where staying asleep. So sleeping in the bouncer and staying there is better than rocked to sleep then putting in cot already asleep. Or go to sleep in your arms and stay there.
● Be consistent. Don't chop and change methods. 3 weeks of consistency needed before deciding anything doesn't work.
● Be persistent. You need to keep going with whatever method you use.

@FATEdestiny thank you so much for all the information, so useful!
I think my mistake was thinking there would be some sort of consistency with naps and night sleep as he's night sleep (at the moment) is ok and he's able to link the sleep cycles, we're just really struggling with day time sleep where he wakes up after 20-30mins and doesn't want to sleep any more.

I'll keep trying to be persistent during his naps and hope he could manage even 1 hour eventually.