Hello

Not sure if this is the right place to post, but wanted to get some advice from you lovely mums.  I haven’t been on here for a while, but as we don’t live in the UK at the moment I don’t know who to ask…..

My daughter who is 1 in July only naps for 30 mins at a time.  She used to nap twice a day and now it’s sometimes only once a day.  I’m pretty sure this isn’t enough - she’s been napping like this for a long time now.  She usually gets to sleep by me feeding her or in the sling.  I don’t get much quiet time with her alone as also have a loud 3 year old son.  She used to nap for hours when first born.  I did try feeding her back to sleep - but this didn’t work, but I also perhaps haven’t given it enough of a chance.  If we’re out she’ll nap in the sling, car and if we’re at home i’ll put her down on my bed - all of those last for exactly 30minutes! My son could really do with some longer naps so i can spend some quality time with him and have some time to do other stuff too…..

She sleeps pretty well at night - wakes in the night for feeds, but goes back to sleep quickly. Also, if she goes to bed on time, about 7, she usually wakes 30minues later but goes back quickly with a feed…...

I’m very lax at routine and schedule and each day can be so different. I remember with my son around this age he always used to have a nap around 12-2pm.

Would love to hear some tips for getting her naps longer, or if other mums have had similar experiences…..

Thanks

My daughter gave up all daytime naps at the age of 9 months. I guess they are all individual and some need less sleep than others!

No advice I’m afraid but our youngest son used to nap for 30 minutes only at birth and this phased ot really quickly. By the time he was 3 months he was sleeping only from 10pm until 6am and still waking 1-2hrly for feeds. By the time he was 12 months he was settling for the night at around 10pm and waking for the day ar around 4am. He simply din’t need any more, and was always sparkling, energetic and bright throughout the very long day. Couldn’t say the same for mama…....
Some babies just seem to need far less sleep than is thought of as normal.

Becks

all my 4 have been very different with sleep.
I would be grateful that she does sleep at night as dealing with a wakeful baby and a Toddlit is very hard !! I would concentrate on finding things to do with your son that you can do together , just accept that this 2 is a phase and one day the baby will gladly go to some one else so you can have special days with your first.

My daughter is also one in July. She usually has two naps, but recently sometimes goes with one.
She used to be terrible with naps, would refuse to go off or stay off, and we ended up with a very grumpy baby who stayed up until 1am and woke between 10 and 11am!
I am not good at routine, but we set alarms and did two hours after waking for the first nap, then three hours after waking for the second, and four hours after that waking for bed. She responded like a charm, and now its the days when the routine is shot that she only has one nap.

So, what I am eventually getting around to saying is - maybe try routine? It went against everything in me to introduce one, but she is much happier now. Although lots of babies do drop naps around 1 for good. I am dreading it lol

I don’t think its anything to worry about they are all different and I am sure she would sleep if she needed to. My son was a big day time napper and up a lot for feeds at night. My daughter the complete opposite from birth she slept through the night just waking at 11pm and 5am for a small feed and back to sleep but in the day she would only nap for ten minutes and that was only about twice a day.

Grace only ever (from birth) slept for 20 mins at a time during the day, and until about one, that had to be on me. She had two naps a day until quite late though, and only dropped all her naps at nearly 3.5 because I couldn’t manAge her and Jude (mother-led nap- dropping!). I guess babies are just different. Grace is a whirlwind - she just never wanted to miss anything!

Angie

Thanks everyone! 

This is so useful to know. I don’t know anyone else who has a baby who only sleeps for 30 minutes - so I thought something could be wrong. She seems fine, so must just be her.