Thoughts on napping alone and "sleep cycles"?

[mrsbrauchli]

This isn't a total cry for help, but more "curious about what you do" sort of thing.

My ten week old is quite an "easy baby" for night time sleep. We nurse at bedtime, I lay her down, and she typically sleeps for 5-8 hours before her next nursing! Crazy. (she sleeps the first several hours in her own room and then we bring her in with us when we go to bed).

Ok, so... For daytime naps, I often nurse her and lay her down and she goes to sleep just fine, but she always wakes up after one "sleep cycle" (30-45 minutes). And acts totally done with napping.
I realize she is still so young, but I wonder if there is something I am supposed to "do" to encourage longer sleeps? Or do you just go with the flow and let baby cat nap like this whenever she needs? I've worn her for some naps and sometimes that lasts longer, not always.

Just wondering what other gentle mamas do.

[Asiago]

I nurse back to sleep after a sleep cycle. My son is a toddler and naps on our bed, so I am able to slide next to him either before he stirs or when he starts, and nurse him back down into the next sleep cycle.

Congrats on your new little one

[mrsbrauchli]

Thanks.
Further question then...
Has your babe always slept on your bed for naps? Do you have a floor bed or do you worry about him rolling off?
I worry about leaving her on my bed without me. I dont know if I'm just over-worrying.

It makes me feel a lot better to hear that you nurse back to sleep. Thank you.

[Asiago]

The first year or so he slept on me in a sling, apart from some early crib naps (which felt awkward and unnatural to both baby and I). I also went through a time when I would transfer him from the sling to a jog stroller in the house, then wheel him over to where ever I was, He cried upon waking up and I quickly abandoned that and went back to the sling. At about 13 months or so I slowly transferred him over to our bed for naps. He began crawling at 7 months so somewhere between 7-9 months I taught him to exit our bed safely. He would turn him body around to drop his feet to the floor, then plop down on his tush (my husband was impressed ) I also put a bolster under the fitted sheet on each side of the bed in the event he rolled as he sleeping. I usually do not go far though, if I leave him for brief periods I come right back and either lie next to him or stay in the room (fold laundry, go online, read, etc.). When he wakes I am there to nurse him back down.

Edited by Asiago - 8/19/12 at 10:29am