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5 month old won't nap longer than 40 minutes

6 replies

Katie24842 · 03/01/2024 10:58

My LO is 5 months old, she sleeps pretty well at night, goes down between 7-8pm but still wakes every few hours for a feed (usually twice a night) then wakes about 6.30-7am but her naps and wake windows are both very short.

She is very reliant on her dummy to sleep and occasionally wakes every couple of hours and I need to replace the dummy through the night.

For her daytime naps I tend to rock her to sleep with her dummy then if she sleeps on me she can nap for 1-1.5 hours but when I put her down in her crib she wakes up after 30-40 mins and is usually cranky and ready for another nap within an hour at the most!

I am trying to sleep train her without her dummy and putting her down drowsy but awake but she is just so grouchy because she is so tired 😫

Really need some tips on getting rid of the dummy, teaching her to self settle and extend her naps and wake windows please

OP posts:
DuploTrain · 03/01/2024 11:00

I would put up with it for another month and then do Ferber and take the dummy away at 6 months. It worked like a dream for us - once DS could self settle he could stay asleep for longer.

I tried drowsy but awake at 5 months too but he just couldn’t do it and it stressed me out trying and failing.

jobwantednotneeded · 03/01/2024 11:05

DuploTrain · 03/01/2024 11:00

I would put up with it for another month and then do Ferber and take the dummy away at 6 months. It worked like a dream for us - once DS could self settle he could stay asleep for longer.

I tried drowsy but awake at 5 months too but he just couldn’t do it and it stressed me out trying and failing.

I'd do the exact same thing, and I did - twice!

Brightandbreezey · 03/01/2024 14:01

Unless there is a reason you can’t anymore…I would keep the contact naps! Snuggle in with your little one and enjoy the connection and let her get her rest.
I know not everyone can do them due to other commitments but I love my contact naps with my little one!
Don’t feel like you ‘should’ do anything. Self-settling is really hard for babies and will develop naturally over time without any training.

idontlikealdi · 03/01/2024 14:05

DTs didnt nap more than 40 minutes and never ever in their cribs until just turned one. I'd let it go tbh as her night sleep is pretty good.

Alloveragain3 · 03/01/2024 14:26

Naps in slings are great for getting things done and they tend to stay asleep for longer.

My DS never had long naps in the crib I'm afraid.

jobwantednotneeded · 03/01/2024 14:48

2 hour cot naps and 12 hour nights are worth the temporary discomfort of sleep training

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