When did your baby stop catnapping? (If ever?)

[Moonshine160]

DS2 is nearly 6 months old. Only takes 30 min catnaps and wakes two hourly or more overnight. He will nap for longer if held but if I put him in his crib with curtains shut and white noise on he will only sleep 30 mins on the dot. Over the last few days he has started to fall asleep on his own in his crib with his dummy which is great because I’d previously have to rock or bounce him to sleep for every nap but despite being able to “self settle” now he still only sleeps for one sleep cycle. Will he grow out of it? When did your baby stop catnapping? He wakes up grouchy and tired and I feel like he needs longer but won’t have it.

I had this! DD Was a cat napped, usually 20-30 minutes, waking every 2 hours at night.

I broke from lack of sleep and lack of me time at 8 months and, after saying I could never do it, I sleep trained her. I did gentle sleep training. Worked a treat. Naps went on for 2 hours and she slept through the night. So for us it was clearly that she was used to us responding every time she stirred in her sleep and actually, taking that away made her learn self soothing techniques. I don't regret it. She went from being really over tired and grizzly all day to being a much happier baby.

But obviously, so what's best for you :) I'm sure at some point they do just sleep longer!

*cat napper. Sorry, auto correct

@925justtostayalive sounds just like us. I feel broken from exhaustion and a 3 year old to look after too. Can I ask what method of sleep training you used? I used to be against it too but I’m starting to change my mind. His sleep isn’t improving and he’s a grumpy baby and I’m a grumpy mum

We had this too, although we were lucky that my DS wasn’t too bad overnight. I would say he didn’t start reliably napping for longer than 30-40 mins until he was about 10.5 months old. We didn’t do anything different - we put him down awake in his cot with a blackout blind and white noise for naps from about 6 months, think it was just a case of waiting for his naps to naturally lengthen. Hang in there!

Irritatingly when I went back to work when she was a year old. My mum looked after her a couple of days and she started pulling out two hour long naps after months and months of cat naps.

Following as my 5 month old is the same! Am also thinking gentle sleep training if things don't improve in a couple of months.

About 2.5 (sorry).

We sleep trained and she slept well overnight from about 9 months, but has always done short naps. She dropped each nap later than most of her peers to compensate - she only went down to 2 naps a day at about 18 months for instance.

There’s slight karma though, as she still naps (for about an hour) most days at 3.5, when most of her friends have dropped it ages ago. It’s a lovely break!

We tried everything, and with hindsight the stress of trying to get her to sleep longer was worse than the stress of short naps.

Seriously ? By 6 weeks but I Gina Forded him which isn't allowed anymore.

Around 7-8 months? At 9 months he started doing naps in his bed when I'd done a couple weeks consistently of longer naps in the carrier or snuggling on the sofa and he wasn't waking when we got in from the walk (carrier) or if other stuff was happening around us (sofa) so I figured he's worked out how to stay asleep for a longer nap. Cat naps are completely normal at 6 months still!

I did the same as above. Gentle sleep training. I had a two year old to take care of too so it needed to be done. He's now 10 months, naps from anywhere to an hour to 2 and a half hours twice a day and sleeps through the night. I didn't let him cry for longer than a few minutes a time. Took two days.

@Yahyahs22 what method of sleep training did you use please?

So I got him sleepy enough, when I knew he was ready for a nap (eye rubbing etc) made sure he was clean and fed. Put him in his cot rubbed his face for a little bit then left. I went in two minutes after and laid him back down. Then another two minutes, same thing. Then 5. After that he fell asleep.
It took a few naps for him to get it and it's been bliss ever since. He sleeps so well for naps and sleeps 7-7 with no wake ups. My best possible advice is stick to it, consistency is KEY. And don't let them get to walking age where it becomes much harder.
This method is hard but in my opion, two very happy, healthy and clever children down, so so worth it, for all of us.

@Yahyahs22 Hey I’ve just started sleep training for naps. Can I ask how long it took for your LO to get it and start taking long naps? My LO is falling asleep but only catnapping and is miserable for it!

A week to be absolutely perfected. But it was a few days and we saw a significant difference! Just be constant, do not go back once you start that's the best advice I have! How old is your little one?

@Yahyahs22 Great thanks! He’s 9 months old but only just. Today we had a 1 hour afternoon nap so am hoping it’s improving 🤞🏻 I feel like they might be a bit unpredictable though but will see! Did you find the naps were consistently long or the odd random long one and some catnaps?

They're now consistent long but it took a couple of weeks for that