Let's talk about NAPS

DD is 4 months old and, thought she generally sleeps through the night (7 to 8.5 hours per night) she is not much of a napper during the day. She will usually take an early morning nap (30 min to 1 hour), a few brief cat naps during the day (10-15 minutes each) plus a longer nap in the early evening (15-45 minutes). Is this normal?

Re: Let's talk about NAPS

I think that is pretty normal. My DD is almost 6 mos old and her nap schedule did not really become anything of a schedule until the last few weeks. Everyone I asked kept telling me to wait until she's 6 mos old - that is just sort of happens by then. And they were right...she goes down 1.5 - 2 hrs after she's been awake in the morning for nap #1. Can last anywhere from 1 to 2.5 hrs...it differs each day. Then she's up for another 2 hours and then I put her down again for nap #2. Same thing there - anywhere from a 1 to 2 hour nap. Some days she has a half hour cat nap in the late afternoon...other days she skips it. She's in bed by 7pm each night.
Do you put her down in the crib for naps? This was key for me. I had to let her cry a few days when I started putting her in the crib but she'd only cry for like 10 minutes before falling asleep. if you're ok with letting her cry - give it a try. They eventually get the hang of it and she should become a better napper for you. Stick with it and good luck!

Re: Let's talk about NAPS

DD is 4 months and takes 2-3 naps a day. They are usually from 1.5 to 3 hrs.

She will usually get sleepy 1.5-2 hrs after she wakes.

I swaddle her, put her in her crib, turn her mobile on and give her a paci.

If she wakes up after 30-45 minutes, I let her fuss a little and sometimes she will go back down by herself. If not, I go in and give her a paci, put my hand on her chest and pat her tush. Usually after this, she will go back to sleep. I know that if she wakes up after only catnapping she will be cranky.

Her room also has darkening shades and a white noise machine.

Re: Let's talk about NAPS

I second the white noise machine and swaddling. I half swaddled DD in the miracle blanket until about a month ago. Then I realized my 20lb 5 month old was just way too big to still be swaddled. So I stopped. But definitely try the noise machine and swaddle. You need to make napping a routine for her. Do the same thing every time you put her down. Like turn on noise, swaddle, give her binky if she takes one. We have this little stuffed bunny that says a prayer so I play that before every nap and bedtime and DD smiles like crazy b/c she knows it's bed time...she loves to sleep so i can tell she gets all excited when I bust out her little prayer bunny.