https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Wed, 08 Apr 2026 14:35:54 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/extending-short-naps#post-2119771 Tue, 24 Mar 2015 11:12:59 +0000 Meridian 2119771@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>LO (23 weeks) usually starts fussing/crying at 25 - 35 mins into any crib nap. I usually end up holding him for another 45 mins to an hour to extend the nap. I often have to stand and sway for a few mins while giving him his paci. Once his eyes are closed and he seems sleepy again, I can sit down in the glider and watch some netflix, haha. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/extending-short-naps#post-2119769 Tue, 24 Mar 2015 11:12:24 +0000 Anagram 2119769@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I did the pick up/put down method with some success at that age---but maybe it was just getting older? Somewhere around 4-6 months, we went down to 3 naps a day and the first two naps were pretty good ones--1-1.5 hours long. The last one was usually still a cat nap of 45 min-1 hour. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/extending-short-naps#post-2119767 Tue, 24 Mar 2015 11:12:21 +0000 snowjewelz 2119767@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was told before to start doing whatever it is that you do to get them to sleep BEFORE their sleep cycle ends so they're already asleep again to start a new cycle... I never did it b/c I keep hoping that nap would be the nap she extends herself lol! Cause sometimes she does nap by herself for more than an hour (rare tho) and I wouldn't want to wake up her by accident! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/extending-short-naps#post-2119758 Tue, 24 Mar 2015 11:09:40 +0000 Littlebit 2119758@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Nope. My LO has done the same thing since he was 2 weeks old (he's 6 months). For every.single.nap. </p> <p>Now that he's 6 months I occasionally get lucky with a longer nap. Maybe 10% of the time? Doesn't matter what we do to extend it (curtains, sound machine, in the carseat, in the swing, on me) - it never works. Sorry to scare you :( </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/extending-short-naps#post-2119750 Tue, 24 Mar 2015 11:05:53 +0000 Mommy Finger 2119750@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>At that age, DS would wake up after one sleep cycle. I would then have to bounce him on a yoga ball to get him to fall back asleep and then hold him for the second part. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/extending-short-naps#post-2119719 Tue, 24 Mar 2015 10:52:55 +0000 Freckles 2119719@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DS is 16 weeks and he is a horrible catnapper unless i have him in the Ergo. I was able to extend DD's naps when she was that age by doing the whole blackout curtains/white noise/wait 10 minutes bit, but DS is obviously not affected. For his first nap, i start putting him down (i.e., rocking) about 1.25 hours from wakeup.</p> <p>Were any of you able to successfully extend your baby's short naps? Any advice/tips? Please don't tell me to wait 10 minutes...or 15 minutes...or 20 minutes...because this baby is not going back to sleep! </p>