5.5 month old - learning to sleep in cot!

[greygiraffe1]

Hello,

My 5.5 month old for a long time has napped on me, in the carrier - a habit for both of us I think. Night time sleep is fine - baby sleeps in cot, normally for 10-11 hours with 1-2 wakes, so can't complain there at all luckily.

We tried a few times to establish naps in the cot to no success. Baby would simply get more and more distressed. However, we have recently tried again a few days ago and it is going much better and baby can now get off to sleep after a grumble and whinge. I wonder if they're perhaps just ready for this now at this age!

Only problem is they then only sleep for 30 mins at a time, regardless of time of day. Will this gradually lengthen? Do you have any experience with this?

I'd love to hear your experiences with transitioning to cot naps!

Thanks so much

No real help sorry! But just thought it might be helpful to say that short 30-45 min naps are pretty standard and they do lengthen over time when baby begins to learn to link their sleep cycles independently (without help).

Dc2 is 4mo and naps in cot mostly. When he does a nap in cot or pram it'll always be a max of 45mins before he wakes. Most days I allow him one nap on me and he can nap for 2 hours or more! I think it's because when he's on me (or carrier) he wakes after his usual 45min sleep cycle and then my touch soothes him back to sleep straight away. In the cot/pram he doesn't have that so wakes fully and cries out.

Generally, he sleeps very well in cot at night. Usually 7-7 with a dreamfeed. However, he's teething and entering 4mo slee regression atm so he's waking a bit more often in the early hours now which is rather annoying!

My 15 week old sleeps 10-12 hours over night with 1 wake up usually for her dummy but she can't nap for more than 30 mins in her Moses basket, bouncer chair etc.
The only time she does longer naps is in the carrier or the push chair if I keep moving and even then it's common for her to wake after 30 mins

My first never managed to lengthen her naps !
She was down to 1 times 30 min nap by 12 months old
It was 2 times 30 at six months old

The pressure to sleep for them is much less during the day so they do find it harder to nap for longer

@FinallySomeNormality thank you that's reassuring to hear I'm not alone. Yes I think that was what has happened when he's been in the sling - I've just rocked him back off when he's stirred! Fingers crossed for longer sleeps. I hope the 4 month regression isnt too bad for you

@jupitermars1345 thank you for sharing your experience! I think baby has been very used to motion too, hopefully we can crack it!