Very short naps and lack of nap routine

[LivBo]

Hi
I am looking for some advice on implementing a nap routine with my little girl (5m) and increasing the length of her naps. At the moment she is having tiny snippets of sleep through the day and by the evening is beside herself with exhaustion.

Our routine is something like this at the moment:

E 7am
A 7:30 - 8:15 then into the pram for school run
S 9:15 (45 min falling asleep on the way home)
E 10:30
A 10:45 - 11:30 then back into pram for school run
S 12:15 (45 min falling asleep on the way home)
E 2:15 ish
S short nap at some point in the afternoon.
E 5 (small feed)
E 5:50
S 6
E 10 (DF)
E 3

As you can see by her 13 hours in bed at night, she really needs a lot of sleep. She used to have 2.5 hr in the morning and 2 x 45 minutes in the afternoon, but now she barely has 45 minutes at nap times and today for example she only slept in 10 minute snatches.

Most of her naps are in the pram, but she has the same pattern when she naps in the bed.

Could you suggest a routine that might help her get more rest and do you have any tips on extending the naps. I could spend time on it in the morning with her, but it is near impossible spending a lot of time resettling after I have picked my elder daughter up from school.

Thank you in advance!
Liv x

[Papaya]

What are the school run times that you need to work around hun? Will she transfer from pram to cot?

Also, is she an independent sleeper - can she self settle when she does nap in her own bed?

[LivBo]

The morning run is 8:30 - 9:10 ish and the lunchtime is 11:30 - 12:10.

She can settle herself in bed. I can normally put her down and pat her a few times on the back, she then has a little moan and settles herself off. Occasionally (particularly when overtired) I pat her to sleep.

There is no way she would transfer from pram to cot, she is quite a delicate sleeper during her naps.

[Papaya]

The average A for this age is around 2hr15, or a bit more, so if you can just keep her awake until you get home that might work. Is my baby ready to increase his ‘A’ time? (incl. 'A' times for younger babies). She might just need a slightly longer A to take a good nap.

That is tough though, when they're starting to get sleepy and the stroller is rocking nicely Can you keep her awake by singing, giving her something interesting to play with etc? Aiming for nap at home around 9.15/30, hopefully for 1.5hrs, and then a second nap around 1.15 or so, and a catnap if needed. If she usually does such lovely long nights, if you can get two long naps you're probably close to being able to drop the catnap.

If she's still doing 45 min naps with the longer A time, it may still be developmental - most LOs grow out of short naps by 6 months. Have you ever tried W2S? Naps option 2 in this link: How do I address habitual wakings? (wake-to-sleep and other methods)


 

[LivBo]

Thanks for the links.

We have been on holiday so haven't been in an organised routine, but I can see that she is ready for slightly longer A time.

I am actually pleased to say that sometime last week she started getting tired very quickly after her usual 45 minute naps and seems to be moving towards doing one longer nap after lunch.

Fingers crossed!

[Papaya]

Crossing my fingers for you too