Quick! Help! Should I wake DD up from her mammoth nap?

[wem]

We've really been struggling with DD (4 months). Just bought The No Cry Sleep Solution so will be reading that with interest soon. BUT. The question right now is do I wake DD up? She doesn't tend to have long naps. She had a rubbish night last night and was awake from about 5am, but had a longish nap (about an hour) this morning, from 9am to 10am. She went down for another nap two and half hours ago! I was fine for a while, thinking a two hour nap is fairly normal (not for dd, but I've heard tell of other babies who sleep that long in the day...).

I have tried waking her from this type of nap once before and she just started wailing. Don't want that to happen again!

Will it end up in a cycle of rubbish nights leading to big daytime naps leading to rubbish nights? Help!

An indecisive bump. She's still asleep. 2 hours and 45 minutes and counting...

I've always followed the "never wake a sleeping baby" mantra. No idea about No Cry Sleep Solution, sorry. When DS was 4 months old I just went along with it and slept or mumsnetted for as long as he slept.

Eventually I noticed that he slept at night much better when he'd slept well during the day. I think daytime sleep is very important for babies, so just enjoy it while it lasts.

I would wake her only if its going to interrupt her bed time or next nap time.

At this age they should be getting at least 3 naps a day

Don't let her go for longer then 2 hours between naps, sometimes she could be tired after been awake for an hour

look for signs of tiredness such as yawning and becoming quieter then begin to wind her down for a nap

Don't wait until she's overtired- signs are rubbing eyes, crying, hyperalert

make sure she naps in her cot as much as possible- not in her pram or car seat. Place as much importance on nap times as you do meal times.

I always go by the theory that if they are sleeping more than usual then they must need it!
I never wake a sleeping baby. It always evens itself out

dammit too late.

She made the slightest of waking noises so I went and 'encouraged' her. She grumbled a bit but is now having a dozy feed so hopefully no harm done

I'm just so unsure of myself. Spent the first three months totally sleep deprived as she wouldn't sleep at all unless she was being held. Since she got used to being laid flat I've been so grateful to get any sleep at all that we've just been winging it. Time to get serious now tho I think.

she's falling asleep on me again. I guess I'll just sit here and MN some more...

If it's of any interest... with DD1 I would defintely have woken her. Now on DD2 and wouldn't dream of it!

(I honestly don't know which is "better" though)

At 4 months, I think they need quite alot of day time sleep so I think a 2-3 hour nap in the afternoon is fine. My 9 month old DS had a 2.5 hour nap this afternoon which ended at 3.30 and he was in bed for the night at 6.30pm. Some babies just like their sleep! See how that nap affects her night sleep tonight. It could actually have a positive effect - they say that sleep breeds sleep.

You said in one of your posts that it's time to get serious about naps. We're still not in a proper nap pattern as DS's needs seem to change all the time. I'd just do what Thebreastmilksonme said - follow her sleep cues (eye rubbing, etc) and get her down for a sleep then. I'm sure she'll wake up when she's had enough sleep!

Also, just to reassure you, when you read the NCSS you will find she recommends good long naps during the day and reckons they will improve the quality of night-time sleep too. Not that the NCSS gave me any tips as to how to get DD to nap at all during the day - we're lucky to get 25 mins in the morning (with much rocking, shushing etc) and an hour in the afternoon by trundling round the park!

floradora - she's now got a new book out called the No Cry Nap Solution! Has ideas on how to help them get out of the habit of 'motion' napping and other things. I haven't actually tried any of the ideas yet, but it looks pretty humane.