Short vs long naps - benefits?

[FlightofFancy]

I wondered if anyone knew more about the benefits of longer naps vs short?

We're currently gritting our teeth through the 4 months sleep regression/endless 16 week (hah! now about 3 weeks long and counting) growth spurt and general sleep deprivation. While the nights aren't too bad as I can just feed DS back to sleep, I'm struggling with daytime naps.

He'll happily go down and settle himself to sleep for 45mins-1hr, but will then almost always wake up. That's fine for the first nap of the day, and for a teatime top-up nap, but I'd like him to sleep longer at lunchtime - mainly because when he does (very occasionally), he's much, much happier in the afternoon.

However, at the moment we're doing 4 x 45 mins space out at 8.45-9.30, 11.30-12.15 (sometimes will stretch to a whole hour!), 13.30-2.15, 4-4.45. Everything I've read online and in books, suggests that a 4-month old needs more sleep during the day than this, and that they only really get the full benefit of a nap if it's longer. I'm also aware he sleeps better at night if he's had a good sleep during the day.

Should we just muddle through, or is there real benefit to trying to get him to take a longer nap at lunchtime instead of two mini-naps?

FoF, from what I've read, some babies are just short nappers.

There are theories about how to get short nappers to go for longer - before they wake (or just as they wake) you can jiggle the mattress / rock the cot / give dummy / feed or whatever it takes to get them immediately off again into another sleep cycle. Apparently if you can do this once a day (for the same nap eg lunchtime) then after a week or so they should start doing it themselves.

It doesn't necessarily work, though - none of my attempts to get DS (17 weeks) to take a longer nap have been successful, and I wrecked my wrist in the process so I shan't be trying any more. We also have 4 x 45 min naps (just 3 on a bad day, and shorter ones if in the pram or the sling for some reason ). Very occasionally he will sleep for longer but it's rare.

If I were in your shoes, I'd have a go at extending the lunchtime nap but if it didn't work, I'd try not to get too hung up about it.

I do have friends who also had short nappers at this age who started taking longer naps as they got older - I think it sometimes coincides with being more physically active.

Many of us on the 'Challenging 3 month olds' thread have the same short nap problem, if you want to have a read of some of our ups & downs (most of our DCs are now 4/5 months). Some have had good results with getting longer naps in the pram.

Thanks both.

Starlight - sometimes he is. I'll always offer, and 50% of the time he'll have a top up feed. Though sometimes I get the pursed lips and head turn! I try to have a very gentle schedule for 'big' feeds, but snacks are very much on demand!

Angeldog thanks - helps to feel I'm not alone! I think you're right, I'll keep persisting with the lunchtime nap - as sometimes he will sleep for longer. He will have a good sleep in the pram (yesterday managed 2&1/2 hours in pram parked in corner of very noisy restaurant ), but I don't always have the energy for the long walk required! I shall stagger over and join you on the 3 months old thread!

If it makes you feel any better my DS will only sleep half an hour at a time, 3 times a day if I'm lucky. I'm at my wits end!!! 45 minutes would be lovely!!!

my dd is 9 months old now and has never really been into long naps - 45 mins is long for her. She reached her zenith of not-napping at about 6 months when she would only sleep in a sling on me or in a pushchair for 20 mins at a time but this has improved to at least being in her cot! Her older brother was into much longer naps in the day (although slept terribly at night which she doesn't do - swings and roundabouts!) and i know most of the books say that long naps are "essential" for proper growth etc.. but honestly i think she is doing fine and is a happy little soul and anyway she pretty much has to follow the routine and social diary of her brother so she just has to sleep when and where she can .
It helps me to remember that they need less sleep as they get older and i reckon that once she is crawling etc.. she will wear herself out more in the day!

If you try and spread the naps out do you think he would sleep longer? Both my DCs were only having max 3 sleeps a day at 4mo, at about 9.30 - 10.15, 12.30 - 2 and 4-5. They both slept fairly well at night though.

I would try to stretch out the time between naps, and also make sure that your DS isn't just going through a normal sleep cycle, rather than actually wanting to wake up fully. IME babies tend to have a 40-45mins sleep cycle, so they stir after this amount of time, but as long as they aren't really crying, will often settle back to sleep. If he is not upset when he wakes, then I would try leaving him for 5 mins to see if he drops back off to sleep.

I'm there with the short naps (without the roundabout of the good nights- boo). Although last week out of nowhere my DS took a two hour nap. I had put him in his outdoor clothes and in his pram, ready to walk him to sleep. Walked off to get my coat kys Nd stuff and came back to find sleeping baby, for 2 whole hours. Unheard of! And unrepeated despite desperately trying to find last weeks magic ingredient!

My DD was like this when she was younger. She is now 13mo and can sleep 3 hours in one stretch during the day. I think it was about 8 months she started sleeping an hour or hour and a half am and pm.

Glad to hear I'm definitely not alone. Yes, sometimes (very rarely!) he'll drop back off if I leave him a minute, but more often than not it turns in to mad wailing.
I'm not going to worry too much then, as long as he's happy!