30-45 minute naps

My ds is also a short napper and almost 5 months old. I'm lucky to get an hour, really, really lucky to get a 2-3 hour nap.

Lately, he's been taking his morning naps in the bjorn as I toddle around the house.

He goes to sleep for the night between 8:30-9:30pm pretty regularly and sleeps until 8:30 at the latest, with minor wakes for nursing through the night.
He is also active and alert and loves the outdoors.

I'm starting to see a pattern, which is great. I'll only hope it lasts for a while.

I read some of Weissbluth and gave the book away already. I honestly can't remember his suggestions, but if you can get it read through and glean what you can from it. I do remember it made me paranoid about ds' sleeping habits, like I was keeping him up too long and making him overtired. That wasn't the case.

I have also read parts of Pantley's No Cry. I'm using some of her suggestings for napping, like using cue words for nap time, sleep time, etc. and he seems to be responding? I'm not sure if it's that or it's his age, my patterns, or some combination (most likely) or what. But, as I said, I'm starting to see a pattern and I feel like I must be responding to him well, too.

Sounds like you're on the right track.

All babies are different. Some are more different than others. Not all of them follow the same patterns, and there are even some who don't ever follow any pattern at all. But most settle into their own routine sooner or later (just when that happens also depends on the individual baby).

Some babies are cat-nappers, and get their sleep needs met in short bits and pieces over the course of the day, some sleep all night long and don't need a nap. IME, you can't force a child to sleep when s/he isn't tired, and you will have a very hard time trying to keep one awake once their body says it's time to sleep.

Both of my children sleep for long stretches, and are awake for very long stretches, too. I'm happy with things the way they are, and I know from experience that trying to force any sort of schedule on my firstborn always backfires on me, and makes life miserable for everyone in our family.
My littlest one, on the other hand, has always been predictable, settling into a rhythm within her first week of life. I try to plan my day around her schedule instead of the other way around, while respecting my irregular older child's temperament as well.

AP is all about recognizing your baby's cues and following her lead.

nods nods. My son was doing only 30-45min naps. he's just shy of 11mos now. We read the NCSS and dr.jay gordons 'changing sleep patterns in the family bed' and have our own modified combination of both plan.

we're still only getting a 30-45 minute nap in the a.m. but the pm nap is now 3 hours (albeit i go in and nurse after 45 minutes and again briefly after the 2 hour mark - a minute or two then pop off). My goal is the 45minute morning nap and a 2-3 hour afternoon nap.

we're working on nighttime too. he was wanting to nurse very 1-3 hours so we're working on that. the night he woke 9 times and nursed every single time did me in.
We're up to a four hour block, then another 4 hour block, then 2 hours and we get up for the day. Am hoping over the next month or so we'll get that to a 6 hour block then a 4 hour block....

I'm so glad to read this post!! Thanks Allison!!

My baby has started napping for only 45 minutes or so at a time as well. I've been trying to get those 2 hour naps out of him but it's not working. We cosleep and he usually took long naps on the couch in the basement where I hang out most of the day. I have been trying to get him to nap in his crib. I'd like him to get used to sleeping alone a little bit. That's where the short naps started, along with his vaccinations...all in the same day...hmm.
Well, after a night of waking every 1.5 hours, he slept with me in our bed for 2 hours this afternoon. Ahhh, I needed that. I don't want him to only be able to sleep well with me right by him, ykwim? Not a good habit for me. Also along with these short naps, his sleep at night has gone from a 4-5 hour stretch, then a couple of 2-3 hour ones to waking every 2-3 all night long.

I have had my best days when I forget about getting him to nap my way and just follow his cues. It sure is hard to get anything done in 1 hour spurts though! Oh and he napps like this every 1.5-2 hours all day. Sometimes 5 times.
Hes 11 weeks on monday.

Amy

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Yeah, hm. (BTW, have you visited our vax bd?) Many babies sleep longer and more deeply next to mom. This is not a bad habit, this is normal. Babies have a built in survival mechanism that makes them want the security of mom's body nearby as they sleep. Babies may take better naps, but wake more often to nurse at night next to mom. But this can be healthy and actually prevent sleep apnea which can lead to SIDS.

Most babies that sleep 4-8 hrs at night from about age 8 weeks to 4 mos, start sleeping less well after that. This is due to teething and developmental milestones such as getting up on hands and knees, rolling over, crawling, eventually talking, walking. All these new skills might be practiced while half awake and make baby fully wake up.

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Many babies will have periods of waking more, then sleeping better, when another tooth or a milestone come along. Habits have little to do with it, despite what sleep training books say.

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If he is that young, try letting him nap on you. He may sleep 2 or 3 hours at a stretch, then be so happy when he gets up, you can zip around the do your chores while he is awake, either playing on his own in a bouncy, under a playgym or mobile, or while he is in the sling on you. Take a nap when he does, or read a good book (a parenting book from LLL!) and forget about the dishes waiting on the table for the time being. Dishes and dust bunnies will wait. Babies are little for such a short time!

Thanks, everyone, for sharing your experiences and opinions.

Today dd took a 2 1/4 hour nap, but she woke around 4 times during it. Each time I (and once dh) held/rocked her back to sleep and then put her down. That was an incredibly labor-intensive nap! But she's in a good mood now.

I borrowed a copy of Weissbluth's book. It's very persuasive and makes me think dd should be sleeping more/better. As someone here posted, it makes the reader paranoid about how much sleep their child is getting! I tried to get dd to nap within 2 hours of waking today and she went down easily each time (woke at 6:15, nap at 8:15, woke at 9, nap at 11:15, woke at 12). Then she had that weirdo third nap this afternoon from 1:45 to 4:00. I have no idea if she'll take another nap. If not, when will bedtime be! This is frustrating...