Keeping a short napper asleep

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Does anyone have any tips for getting a short napper to sleep longer? My 4 month old ds always wakes after about 40 mins. I'm told that's when babies come out of a deep sleep. However, he needs a couple of hours at lunchtime and wakes up crying with tiredness but wont go back down. I try shush-patting, feeding, nappy change, anything, but he just screams. Any suggestions would be appreciated!

My ds never slept long at that age either. In the end, in order for him to get the amount of sleep I felt he needed, I let him sleep in my arms, that way when he stirred I could gently rock him again. Not ideal though but good excuse to put feet up and watch Jeremy Kyle instead of hoovering!
That's not really what you want to hear is it?
Can you not stroke, shush or rock him just before he's due to wake?

Go on with the shush-patting (or even just patting, I never did the shushing part). Don't do anything that takes him out of his cot. You could also try putting him down with white noise (eg a detuned radio) or a soothing CD playing on constant repeat. It can take anything from a few days to a few weeks to teach the baby to sleep on.

Does he have any other naps as well? All of mine still needed at least 3 naps at that age. 40m-1h before lunch, about 2h after lunch, and up to 40min before supper.

I struggled with this, my DS would do 30 mins then wake up without fail - and always wailing as he was still tired. I caved into it eventually and let him sleep on me, where the comfort of having me nearby would often make him drift back off when he stirred. I would also feed him back off to sleep. Basically I would do anything to help him get back off. Shushing and patting never did anything for us - he needed comforting from cuddles or feeding.

It took a few months for us but he now naps well (though down to only one nap a day) and will easily go for 2+ hours. I have to wake him up sometimes which feels strange after all the effort to actually get him to nap in the first place.

Agree with Prettycandles - both my boys have needed to be encouraged to sleep longer than 45 mins at a time at this age. It can be hard work but worth it. Agree that you shouldn't really take him out of the cot and confess to holding them through the whole sleep! I know it's cold at the moment but couldn't he have his nap in the pram so that the movement keeps him asleep?

Rather annoyingly my 20 month old has just started waking after 45 mins at his lunch time (and only) nap. He clearly needs more day time sleep but is being a b**r!

Good luck - it should just click eventually!

Yes - he has three naps, including 40 mins around 9am and another 40 mins in the afternoon. It's OK for him to wake after 40 mins for those ones - he wakes up smiling and happy - but the lunchtime one he needs to be longer because he wakes up crying. He used to have 2-3 hours but just seems to have forgotten how!

I don't think there's anything wrong with holding them through the whole sleep if you have the time to do it (I don't have another child to deal with and was quite happy to leave chores to another time). I used to have a snooze with him sometimes - that way we both ended up refreshed rather than frazzled.

If you want to hold him while he naps (I agree, it's wonderful ) then I suggest napping him on the double bed. That way you can wriggle away from him and get him used to not being held.

Babies have different sleep needs. My first two, particularly number 1, could sleep for England. No3 needs more sleep but can't manage to get it. Perhaps you could try shortening your ds's third nap or starting the afternoon nap later, maybe he needs less sleep overall during the day? He's about the right age to think about going down to 2 naps.

have you tried wrapping him up really warmly? Mine definitely sleeps longer if she is nice and cosy.

That's interesting, thanks. His room does get quite cold during the middle of the day when the heating has been off a while, so perhaps some warmth would help.

i'm with the warmth suggestion - DD was always a short napper, until i started darkening her room slightly (blackout blinds half closed) and turning her heating up