https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Thu, 07 May 2026 01:20:13 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/5-month-old-and-naps#post-2904698 Thu, 05 Dec 2019 15:36:53 +0000 LadyDi 2904698@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Umbreon: That is so great! I'd like to thank myself for reviving this thread, bc that's probably what did it. :wink: </p> <p>Our night sleep has gotten WAY better over the past couple of nights (knock on wood). He's been putting himself to sleep and last night he woke up twice but was able to settle himself back down in 5-10 minutes without any help. Yay! I am hoping things continue to trend in that direction and that eventually it'll translate to better naps (which are still basically crap). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/5-month-old-and-naps#post-2904695 Thu, 05 Dec 2019 15:28:52 +0000 pachamama 2904695@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Umbreon: yay!! Naps really do tend to get better! I had similar issues and my guy is almost 11 months and very consistent. No complains with his napping (and I complain about everything!!) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/5-month-old-and-naps#post-2904619 Thu, 05 Dec 2019 11:51:52 +0000 Umbreon 2904619@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@LadyDi: hi again. I have another update for you. Literally a day after I replied to you, he slept really well during the day. His naps were an hour to an hour and a half long. The next day, same thing. We had a busy weekend, where his naps had to be in the car, and he regressed a little bit as the next day they were only 30 minutes long again. But yesterday, he had another hour and a half long nap.</p> <p>I've done nothing differently, I feed him before he goes to sleep. Sometimes he goes in the crib awake, sometimes he falls asleep eating. So I think there is hope, things seem to be getting better for me now! He's 8 months old. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/5-month-old-and-naps#post-2903886 Wed, 27 Nov 2019 20:24:21 +0000 pachamama 2903886@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Both my sons were unreliable nappers until probably 6-7 months old. 30 mins just like your guy. So frustrating but I think it's normal, they're still so young. We always napped 9am, 12 and 4 then switched to 930 and 230pm naps around 7 months. With my 10.5 month old, he'll be good for a few days then short. But he's definitely getting better. I was also adamently against CIO but he could *not* put himself to sleep. It was horrible and legit ruining our lives, so we did CIO around 6 months. Now he usually sleeps 7-7 straight 🙌 </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/5-month-old-and-naps#post-2903861 Wed, 27 Nov 2019 12:52:27 +0000 Umbreon 2903861@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@foodiebee: I think his nighttime sleep might be a regression, with teething is another Factor. He has no teeth yet, but I know they're coming.</p> <p>He's never napped well though, so I think that's just a quirk of his. I'm hoping as he gets older it'll just get better. There has been some improvement with some slightly longer naps lately, but I've just gotten used to the short naps!</p> <p>I track his sleep, and he gets enough sleep in a 24-hour period so there's that. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/5-month-old-and-naps#post-2903856 Wed, 27 Nov 2019 12:19:00 +0000 foodiebee 2903856@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Umbreon: Do you think he's going through a sleep regression? We did Taking Cara Babies's SITBACK technique and it worked well for us, not CIO but some fussing. My DS (5 mo.) is a crap napper too and sounds just like this thread. He has weeks where he'll nap for 1-2 hour stretches and then weeks where it's all 30 minutes. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/5-month-old-and-naps#post-2903842 Wed, 27 Nov 2019 10:48:34 +0000 Umbreon 2903842@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@LadyDi: I'm sorry! I do leave him in the crib longer than the 30 minutes that he sleeps. He's pretty content when he wakes up, I'm not sure if yours is. I usually leave him in the crib 15 to 30 minutes. I've been lucky a few times that he's put himself back to sleep, but usually he just talks to himself and plays with his hands. But at least I can finish my cup of coffee haha </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/5-month-old-and-naps#post-2903838 Wed, 27 Nov 2019 10:08:32 +0000 LadyDi 2903838@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Umbreon: damn that is really not what I was hoping you’d say! I know DS is still really little so I think I’m going to give it another month before I take any drastic measures. He’s my third and my first two were able to catch on to self soothing pretty quickly so I’m kind of at a loss with this one! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/5-month-old-and-naps#post-2903830 Wed, 27 Nov 2019 08:10:36 +0000 Umbreon 2903830@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@LadyDi: unfortunately naps did not really improve. He still only sleeps 30 minutes at a time. However I do get the occasional longer nap. Maybe every second day he will have a nap that's longer than 30 minutes. It will range from 45 minutes to two hours!</p> <p>My LO does not seem to tired at the end of the day though so that is a difference. We did start putting him to bed earlier, he goes to bed at 7 and he will usually sleep until 10:30 to 12:30 before he wakes up the first time. His night sleep has gotten worse since I originally posted this. He wakes up three to four times a night.</p> <p>I just don't have it in me to sleep train and have him CIO. For a while he was putting himself to sleep for naps, I could put him in the crib awake and within 7 minutes he be asleep. That doesn't work as well anymore, not sure why.</p> <p>I wish I had better news for you. Sometimes if LO has a bad night I'll let him sleep on me for the nap but these days it still ends up being 30 min only. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/5-month-old-and-naps#post-2903772 Tue, 26 Nov 2019 15:53:59 +0000 LadyDi 2903772@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Umbreon: my DS is 5 months old and has the same nap habits as your LO. Just wanted to follow up and see what worked for you or if naps naturally got longer on their own. I know my DS is exhausted in the evenings bc he’s not sleeping enough during the day. I’m holding him for a nap as I type this. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/5-month-old-and-naps#post-2897326 Thu, 19 Sep 2019 14:44:03 +0000 bhbee 2897326@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Umbreon: that’s awesome! Not all kids are bothered by light by my son always really benefited from blackouts (still helps him settle at 4) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/5-month-old-and-naps#post-2897301 Thu, 19 Sep 2019 10:37:57 +0000 Umbreon 2897301@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Okay so he has been sleeping about 45 minutes now. This is a record!! </p> <p>I hung a dark sheet over the curtains to make it extra dark. It's also cloudy today so its darker for that reason too. He is currently sleeping in a crib in our room, so I put pillows on my side of the bed under the blanket to make it look like I'm sleeping there. </p> <p>I'm not sure if the darkness or the illusion of me sleeping there that's helped him sleep longer.</p> <p>I feel so good. I actually got to finish a cup of coffee this morning!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/5-month-old-and-naps#post-2897234 Wed, 18 Sep 2019 12:47:46 +0000 SweetiePie 2897234@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Umbreon: That makes sense! But, I’m also of the opinion that babies don’t really use crying for emotion the same way we do. Yes sometimes. But usually it’s just how they communicate because they can’t just say “hey mom, I’m up, come get me!”<br /> But I get what you’re saying! If the baby cried a lot you’d be more desensitized. </p> <p>Max wake time for both of my boys at that age was 1-1.5 hours. And yes, definitely time awake in the crib counts as wake time. My 18mo occasionally wakes at 2pm instead of 2:30 or 3. I leave him if he’s quiet. But when I figure out his bedtime for the day I do it from 2pm. So he’ll have an earlier bedtime on those days.<br /> Definitely don’t worry about extending wake times at this point. It’s not until they get to 1 nap that you need to TRY to keep them awake longer. Let him take the lead. Are you familiar with sleepy signs/signals from the baby?<br /> They usually say that yawning is too late. Like past optimal nap time. So if you’re using yawning as a signal, it’s POSSIBLE that he’s overtired and that’s why he can’t stay asleep. Overtired and wired is not just inability to fall asleep, it’s also to stay asleep. </p> <p>And 100% if your baby is in a sleep deficit, it’s ok to let them sleep on you once in a while. Sleep deficit, sick, etc. It happens! I’m not a monster :-) especially at that young age it had to happen from time to time that I held him for a nap (my youngest. My oldest really never needed it). It takes 3 days straight of doing something over and over for it to become a bad habit. So if you have to hold him once in a while it’s not going to derail everything. So if you know he hasn’t had a good nap all day and you want him to just get some good sleep - give yourself permission to put your phone on silent and veg out while you hold him for a nap. Don’t do it all the time. But occasionally is very much ok! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/5-month-old-and-naps#post-2897229 Wed, 18 Sep 2019 12:15:02 +0000 Umbreon 2897229@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Also yesterday I had a friend over yesterday and she would not leave despite my hinting (she stayed 4 hours!) And even though I excused myself 3 times, LO would not nap. I got him down for a nap once and he slept 10 min.</p> <p>After she left i fed him and he fell asleep almost instantly. I wanted him to sleep so I let him sleep on me (first time in weeks) and he slept over an hour.</p> <p>Previously when he would sleep on me he would only sleep 30 min as well. But we have gotten out of that habit now. Should I let him sleep on me occasionally or is it better to just stick with the crib? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/5-month-old-and-naps#post-2897228 Wed, 18 Sep 2019 11:54:03 +0000 Umbreon 2897228@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>And I guess I would count the time after he sleeps that I leave him in the crib as awake time? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/5-month-old-and-naps#post-2897226 Wed, 18 Sep 2019 11:51:09 +0000 Umbreon 2897226@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@SweetiePie: okay. I'll give this a try. It's just so hard because he's really easy going, and rarely cries. I sometimes go a full day without him crying once. I'm okay to let him fuss a little bit, but as soon as it turns into a cry as when I really want to go in and get him. Because if he's crying, I feel like he really must be sad, because he doesn't cry often. Make sense?</p> <p>How long should I be keeping him awake? I find usually at the one-hour Mark he's tired. And it's probably because he's only sleeping half an hour at a time. Should I just go with that in the meantime? Focus on his naps, then focus on extending his wake time? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/5-month-old-and-naps#post-2897220 Wed, 18 Sep 2019 11:15:30 +0000 SweetiePie 2897220@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Umbreon: nap sleep and night sleep are just totally different kinds of sleep. It’s less deep and they are just not as easily going to fall back asleep/make the sleep cycle transition.<br /> It will happen! It takes time for sure. </p> <p>I would definitely cut out any rocking to sleep. Even though technically what you were doing (as soon as eyes close) is drowsy but awake, it might be a little too much.<br /> Also since he’s quiet, definitely don’t go in and get him. You can extend little by little. But my guys are/were the same - they wake up but don’t cry (usually). So I leave them in there for the entire length of what I want the nap to be. It teaches them that even if they wake up, maybe it’s not time to be up yet. They do have an internal clock and sometimes it just needs to be trained. It doesn’t have to be cio.<br /> If you want nap to be a minimum of 1.5 hours I would work towards that. If he wakes at the 30 min mark and is quiet, leave him till he’s not. I know you won’t do cio but will you let him fuss a bit? It’s really really important for them to be able to put themselves back to sleep and learn the length of a nap which can mean some fussing. If it elevates to crying you can go in and comfort (replace paci, rub tummy, pick up for a brief minute, etc) then go back out. Sometimes they just need the reassurance that you’re there. It’s still nap time, but you’re there. </p> <p>Even now my 18mo will sometimes wake early from nap. His nap is 2.5-3 hours most days. But once in a while I’ll her him at the 1 or 1.5 hour mark and he’ll sort of fuss or cry out (like a quick WAH) and if I just leave him he’ll go back to sleep. I know the urge to go in, trust me. And I don’t really do CIO for naps (weirdly I am ok with it at night but not daytime). But I definitely let him “FIO” aka fuss it out. 😆 because if you keep going in when he wakes at the 30-45 min mark you are only reinforcing to him “yep it’s Time to wake up. Here I am!” So then you can’t really blame him. You’re the reward :-) Just like I hear some parents put in the TV when their kids wake early so they can sleep a little more. Say 5:30am. And then they complain that their kid is up every day at 5:30am. Well, they’ve learned that they get the TV so that is the reward for waking at 5:30am. I know it’s not entirely the same, but similar idea.<br /> It’s not a punishment to make him wait a little. You’re instead giving BOTH of you a great gift of good sleep! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/5-month-old-and-naps#post-2897218 Wed, 18 Sep 2019 11:02:45 +0000 Umbreon 2897218@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Well he is still only sleeping 30 min. It is very very frustrating. I dont understand why he sleeps so well at night. Clearly he can put himself back sleep? Why are naps different? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/5-month-old-and-naps#post-2896652 Wed, 11 Sep 2019 18:23:50 +0000 Lahela017 2896652@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DD is 5 months too and we are in the same boat. Her first nap is usually almost an hour and then she take 3-4 30 minute naps throughout the day. Frustrating for sure, but I think it will just work itself out with time. Like you, I put her in her crib, dark room, fan, etc. (for what it’s worth, I rock her a bit before naps and bedtime too, and don’t plan on stopping. It works great for us for now, and she sleeps 11 hours at night.) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/5-month-old-and-naps#post-2896466 Mon, 09 Sep 2019 21:58:26 +0000 ALV91711 2896466@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Umbreon: Glad you had a good night! Hope he keeps it up. Sleep is the worst and every time you figure it out it changes! Both my boys are bad sleeping babies. </p> <p>For naps if you notice he’s awake I’d leave him until he is fussing. If he’s happy or quiet he may just go back to sleep. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/5-month-old-and-naps#post-2896465 Mon, 09 Sep 2019 21:18:55 +0000 Umbreon 2896465@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ALV91711: thank you! I think I will just continue what I'm doing. I have started to leave him in the crib a bit longer after he wakes up hoping he will go back to sleep. </p> <p>Last night we had the best night yet. The last time he woke up he wasnt asleep after feeding like he normally is but i put him in the crib awake and he put himself back to sleep. So he knows how to do it.... its just he doesnt for naps yet.</p> <p>But I got so much sleep it was amazing. I was so energized today even with all the short naps! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/5-month-old-and-naps#post-2896349 Sun, 08 Sep 2019 22:00:38 +0000 ALV91711 2896349@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Umbreon: yes, as he got older and dropped naps then he got to one longer and one shorter. At about 8 months he started to do this. He still isn’t a great napper. But because DS1 had half day kindergarten it was easier to go with it and the more &amp; shorter naps worked with drop off and pick up. Now at 12 months he has a morning nap for 45 min and his second is 60-90 minutes. He just started daycare and I’m hoping his naps will get better/longer. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/5-month-old-and-naps#post-2896344 Sun, 08 Sep 2019 20:55:49 +0000 Umbreon 2896344@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ALV91711: I think there was 4 today. It is pretty exhausting. I usually get about halfway cleaning something or eating something before he wakes up. </p> <p>So your LO just eventually started taking longer naps naturally? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/5-month-old-and-naps#post-2896343 Sun, 08 Sep 2019 20:50:42 +0000 ALV91711 2896343@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think a lot of it has to do with age. How many naps is he taking a day? At that age with DS2 he was doing 4 short naps, it was exhausting. </p> <p>Even though it goes against what most people will say I still nurse before nap at 12 months. He mostly falls asleep nursing and when he doesn’t he will fuss for 5-10 minutes before falling asleep. </p> <p>I would think in the next month or two you should see naps condense and lengthen. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/5-month-old-and-naps#post-2896324 Sun, 08 Sep 2019 16:11:31 +0000 bhbee 2896324@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Umbreon: it’s going to work better with some kids than other but yes totally awake ... I mean he should be tired (either because you’ve seen ANY sign or the clock says it’s time) but no help from you like rocking. You can have a book routine if you want or something like that but to be honest I didn’t at that age. Some kids a little routine helps but I don’t think you want any eye closing. Nursing - sometimes you can’t help nursing before a nap but for me, I tried to keep awake during nursing if she seemed to be drifting off because that didn’t help us. Again you have to see what works for you but it has been totally amazing to put down and walk away! And if it doesn’t work now I’d try again in a month or so. The idea is if they can go to sleep the first time without help, they can go back to sleep mid nap without help. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/5-month-old-and-naps#post-2896323 Sun, 08 Sep 2019 15:55:48 +0000 Umbreon 2896323@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@bhbee: So when you say put him down awake, should I rock him to make him drowsy, or is it as simple as just putting them in his sleep sack putting in the crib and walking away? Right now I do feed him, or Rock him to sleep first, when I rock him as soon as he shuts his eyes I put him in the crib, he will open them, and usually fall asleep shortly after. But I have never really put him in there completely awake without any sort of rocking or feeding.</p> <p>It would be amazing to be able to put him down there awake </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/5-month-old-and-naps#post-2896322 Sun, 08 Sep 2019 15:48:15 +0000 bhbee 2896322@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>there’s definitely something to age ... we did some sleep training this past time but it all just clicked at 7m (we started training loosely sometime after 6m). But it sounds like you are doing the right things ... I’d definitely try to focus on putting down awake and making sure he’s not overtired. I don’t think you’ll need any hardcore cio but if you let him fuss a bit going down it may help teach him to put sleep cycles together himself. Like when I did naps for this past baby, I would put her down at the first sign of tiredness (I tried not to nurse to sleep) and set the kitchen timer for 20m. I couldn’t have a super set schedule since she is #3. As I said she was a month or so older but it clicked pretty quickly. A few times I went in at 20m and calmed her before leaving again, but mostly she was out in those 20m. It has been awesome! Every kid is different but maybe some things you can consider. Good luck it’s so amazing when they nap better! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/5-month-old-and-naps#post-2896321 Sun, 08 Sep 2019 14:53:05 +0000 Umbreon 2896321@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think my baby is a fairly good night sleeper, but hes terrible for naps. </p> <p>He only sleeps for about 30 minutes and hes awake. I am longing for him to sleep a decent amount of time so I can get things done while he naps, and maybe even have a bit of "me" time. But he only sleeps for 30 minutes and gets tired after about an hour to two hours. </p> <p>Any tips? Will he just grow out of this himself? When he wakes up he usually just lays there quietly. I wouldn't even know he is awake except for looking at the monitor. He eventually starts to fuss. </p> <p>I do feed him or rock him to sleep but if hes drowsy but still awake he will put himself to sleep most of the time (unless hes really over tired). </p> <p>I usually have a fan going in the room (although I do plan to buy an actual white noise machine) and it's fairly dark in the room. We just came back from vacation and the hotel room was nearly pitch black in the day and he still only slept 30 min. </p> <p>Sometimes if he sleeps on me he will sleep for an hour or two - but even that is rare and its usually only 30 min.</p> <p>Maybe this is common or normal. I dont like cry it out methods. Tips are appreciated! </p>