Daytime napping started again

[MimiArm]

Good morning

My baby is 21 weeks old and had stopped daytime napping probably about 2 months ago. He will still nap in the car if I'm out during the daytime. He always sleeps from 11 pm through to around 8 am.

He has been teething for the past two months. His back molars are slightly poking out but no sign of front teeth yet. Needless to say, he's been drooling, crying, flushed cheeks, gnawing at his hands and anything else he can throughout this time. He spends much of the day thrashing around.

We all had a cold for the past week and still have a slight cold, him included.

He napped yesterday for hours during the day, and yesterday evening to the point I was sure that he wouldn't sleep last night. He slept through as normal.

Same again this morning. After his feed, he cooed and smiled and is now still napping in what looks like a deep sleep.

What's going on?! Is this normal? I actually poked him a few times yesterday evening as it's so unlike him and I was worried!

Maybe he's suddenly not in pain from his teeth and/or tired from his cold. For the first few months he was such an easy baby, then two months ago he wasn't so easy - I think because of those pesky molars. Maybe he's just back to his old self 🤷‍♀️

I know I'm probably way over worrying but it's just such a sudden change for him to go from thrashing around all day to calm and sleepy!

Do you mean 21 months?

No, 21 weeks.

21 weeks is very very early to have dropped day time naps, and 9 hours sleep is less than recommended for that age. Maybe the no naps was actually the anomoly?

Your baby should be taking naps during the day at this age, I would have been more concerned that they dropped them at 3 months and were not getting enough rest tbh.

He took naps but they were very short (15-30 mins max) and no routine to them. When in car, he will nap for an hour or more depending on the journey length.

Yesterday evening and this morning, they are an hour plus so a proper nap.

As I said, he's been teething his back molar teeth and I understand it's not that common for them to come in first and not usually until 12 months plus so I think they've been bothering him that much and maybe now he's finally getting some relief allowing him to nap properly as he should?

For the teething I've tried teething granules, the gel that's suitable for his age, cool teething toys (which he obviously can't hold himself yet), calpol. He goes through about 20 bibs a day with the drooling.

I'd say he is settling into a normal routine of sleep and wake now, anything happening earlier he was so tiny that wasn't the norm! He will sleep for decent naps probably until age 2

Mine would have 2-3 naps per day at that age, so I'd agree with others that the no-napping is more unusual! Seems he is now getting into a normal routine now he's feeling better