LO is 8.5 months old and has always been a cat napper. She takes 3 naps a day but only 30 to 45 minutes long. I keep reading about how some babies take these glorious 2 hour naps. Say wha? So I decided to try nap training, hoping that if she learns to fall asleep on her own she will be able to nap longer. I'll put her in the crib awake and she can *usually* fall asleep on her own within ten minutes or less of crying. Success! 30 minutes later she wakes up. Ugh. Am I doing something wrong? Are some babies just not meant to take long naps? She does STTN even though her naps are sucky, so maybe its okay since she's getting her zzz's at night?
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When she wakes, is she angry? Fully awake? We overcame the 40 minute nap cycle by giving C more time in his crib to fall back asleep (or at least to play independently) post nap. Eventually he got better at taking longer naps and stringing together daytime sleep cycles. Good luck!
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My LO took 1 20-40 minute nap during the day until around 14 months. Now she sleeps one hour - sometimes 2 hours, one nap a day. I wouldn't worry too much if your LO doesn't seem overtired, crabby or grouchy during the day. Some babies just don't need as much sleep as others.
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My LO was just like this the first year but we often had 2 30 minute naps in a day. She would wake up happy and ready to go so we went with it. We didn't get those storied longer naps until she went down to one nap at 12 months. We then got a solid 90-120 minute nap usually between 12 and 2 ish.
So you are not alone! I like to tell myself that she is not a sleeper because she is so busy exploring everything and that is a good thing in the end!
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You're not doing anything wrong - babies just vary a lot. My daughter didn't start sleeping for 2 or more hours until she transitioned to one nap at around 16 months.
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Sounds just like my daughter. You're not doing anything wrong, and in my experience, it's not worth fighting the short naps if nothing is working. Like @sarac, my daughter didn't take longer naps until she transitioned to one nap just after she turned one. 2 hours is still considered a long nap for my daughter, although occasionally on the weekend she will nap for 2-3 hours if she's really tired out from daycare during the week. It sounds like at least you're reaping the benefits of a crap napper, which is they tend to be good nighttime sleepers.
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@Mrs. Confetti: thanks! How long do you wait before going into the room? I've tried waiting before (10 min or so) to see if she would fall back asleep but she's just rolling around or whining for someone to get her!
@yoursilverlining: @MamaCate: @sarac: @skibobrown: thanks! That makes me feel better to know I'm not alone! Guess I will have to wait until she turns one for those super long naps. And yes, I'm thankful she's at least a good night time sleeper otherwise I'd pull my hair out!
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@dolphin: when I decided to try to remedy our 40 nap situation, I put in place a one hour nap policy - he had to stay in there for an hour after he went to sleep. So if he played or whimpered post nap, he had to wait til the hour mark before I got him. Eventually he would fall back asleep after 15-20 mins.
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I rally like this post on the subject: http://www.troublesometots.com/your-nemesis-the-short-nap/
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DS used to take 2-3 hour naps, but lately he sleeps 12-13 hours at night and 2 short naps (40-80 mins long).
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@dolphin: @yoursilverlining: @MamaCate: @sarac: @skibobrown: Thank you for posting this question and the responses! I have a catnapper like this too! Often, I get about 3 naps a day, 20 min. each. She's a great night sleeper and never grumpy. I get jealous of people who complain about the 40 min. naps. Glad to hear other's have similar babies and hope for longer naps after a year!
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Yes, we have had a chronic 45 minute napper, it has gotten better since he started walking and went to one nap- I think he is wearing himself out more. Now he usually goes about an hour and a half, sometimes more if we do a ton in the mornings and he really gets to run (summer here makes that hard because we are stuck indoors).
Yes, we leave him as long as he isn't upset, he can fuss, play, talk all he wants and sometimes after 10-15 minutes he will go back down. Other times he really is finished and brings out the "Hey, ALL DONE!" and we know naptime is really over.
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Yeah, all the guidance about twelve hours over night, two during the day just makes me laugh. Some babies, sure. Not mine. Mine is nine or ten overnight, one or two during the day. Her father needs a similarly small amount of sleep, and it's a useful thing, one you're grown up. But if your child is happy, no need to worry.
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