Catnaps

[Nix99]

Dd is going through the 4 month sleep regression/ coming out the other side. She can fall asleep on her own and self soothe to sleep. The problem is she is still only taking 30 - 40 minute naps. Occasionally we get a slightly longer one. I wouldnt mind but its making her overtired and cranky come the afternoon and evening. I've tried everything from going to her just before she tends to wake to push into the next sleep cycle to making sure the room is dark and quiet but nothing helps. The only thing that sometimes helps is if I get her out of the crib once she wakes after 30 minutes and let her sleep a bit more on me but I don't want to be getting her into bad habits and it's not really a long term solution. TIA

We're also following wake windows and watching sleep cues although sometimes I find she is tired way before her wake window ends which I'm assuming is because she's not getting enough sleep from her naps

Push chair walk once a day for a longer nap ?
My 15 week old will only do long naps being walked and walked in the buggy or sling but it doesn't always work and a lot are still short.
I find getting out good though

How many naps/hours of sleep is she getting during the day? Mine is 7.5 months and still catnaps now, at that age I think she was having about 5-6 naps a day, awake about 1.5hrs max between them. Now thats she's older, although she still catnaps she's awake longer between them and down to 3 naps a day.
I was getting paranoid by looking at guides that said she should be having fewer longer naps at that age but they're not robots that all follow the same instructions and that pattern was what suited her!

My ds only took 30 min naps until around 6m. I tried all the usual tricks too, but he just grew out of it eventually. I used to extend the nap by letting him sleep on me for one nap per day, and it didn't affect his self settling.

I'm currently going through the same thing with my 4 month old. She has always been a good sleeper and I've always been able to get her down for long naps but recently she's only been down for about 25 mins at a time.

Usually she goes to bed at 8 (bath, bottle, bed) but recently I have been putting her down at 7 which has seemed to help, she doesn't seem to be waking as much in the night so isn't as tired in the day. I think with regards to the naps there's not much you can actually do, if she doesn't want to sleep, she doesn't want to sleep! I've tried putting her in bed, taking her for a walk, driving in the car! It is just a stage so your LO should grow out of it soon!

Honestly, the only thing your LO needs is time - she’ll get there when she’s ready. It’s developmental, just like walking and talking. They’ll be some who will say you can help them learn to link cycles with things like movement, and obsessing about catching them at the right point before they wake up etc, but I really would save yourself the stress and just accept DD’s own growth ‘journey’. And I would go with the contact naps - your DD is still so tiny, so of course she’ll sleep longest when she feels safe and loved. I do contact naps for my 7-month, and love them. It’s not a bad habit - it’s what your baby wants (hence why she only sleeps those long stretches on you). Plenty may disagree, but I’m a firm believer in not trying to fight against what babies clearly want and need, and always find posts like this confusing - you want your baby to nap for longer stretches, but then think it is a bad habit to give your baby what she obviously wants and needs to get that longer nap?!

@Nix99

We're also following wake windows and watching sleep cues although sometimes I find she is tired way before her wake window ends which I'm assuming is because she's not getting enough sleep from her naps

What wake window time are you using? The short nap is not causing the overtiredness, it’ll be the length of your wake window. A 30 minute nap needs a 60 minute wake-window. Yes, that means 5 or maybe even 6 naps a day, which is a ballache. That’s why I say embrace the contact naps and enjoy the snuggles and the rest. Being a parent is hard, so don’t make your life even harder. My DD is currently nuzzling on the boob enjoying a 1.5 hour nap (and still going), while I’m catching up on mumsnet, and some tele… it’s a win win

Mine only took 28 minute naps for her entire napping career! She went to 2 x 28 minute naps at around 6 months, 1 x 28 minute at around 11 months and refused naps entirely from 20 months.

No issues linking sleep cycles at night, and able to self settle no issue.

Babies are rubbish at following what they ‘should’ be doing.

*Mine only took 28 minute naps for her entire napping career! She went to 2 x 28 minute naps at around 6 months, 1 x 28 minute at around 11 months and refused naps entirely from 20 months.

No issues linking sleep cycles at night, and able to self settle no issue.

Babies are rubbish at following what they ‘should’ be doing.*

Oh wow ! My first born did exactly this!
Never a issue at night and dropped them at the same time as yours give or take a month either way and for 30 mins

OP it will probably get better :)
Lots of babies do tend to learn to nap for longer

@jupitermars1345 Sadly my second is following in her footsteps too - seven weeks old and I managed to force four 28 minute naps today (she woke up the very second I stopped rocking the buggy).

OP, my children are defective - our nursery assure me that most others take longer naps when older!