45 naps and eyes wide open...let him be or get him up?

[Mom-of-boys]

My happy DS2 almost always wakes from his naps at 45 min.  He falls asleep really easily when I swaddle him, give him a soother, and have white noise going in the background.  I always try to see if he'll fall back asleep by giving him his soother again, but pretty much every time his eyes are wide open.  Sometimes I hear him talking away to himself.  If he sees me he just gives me a huge smile.  . He is just 3 mo and I've tried extending a time to 1 hr 30-45 min and even then he'll wake at the 45 min mark.  Obviously if he's crying I go to him, but what should I do if he's just laying there wide awake? How long do I leave him before just getting him up?  It kind of messes up the next A times ykwim?  I feel kind of bad if he sees me and smiles and then I keep walking away hoping he'll fall back asleep...

[Sarah - Enfys' Mum]

It's kind of up to you how you handle it. I personally hate short naps and will leave Medi until she either falls back to sleep herself or she needs help. She will happily lie there and chatter away for ten minutes before going back to sleep. Other times she's crying from the off and I go straight to her. Other people will just accept a short nap, get them up, and carry on. If he's happy and smiling I would guess he needs a bit more a time. Try a few minutes more,, very low key, and see if it helps.

[clazzat]

IIWM, I wouldn't get him up unless he is crying - as long as he is happy to be left, there is a reasonable chance that he will learn to go back to sleep, but if you always get him up when he wakes then he won't learn to transition.  TBH, I would try not to go in to him unless he is calling for you, and that way he won't see you and wonder why you are not getting him up.

[Layla]

I used to leave dd3 in the cot up to an hour from when she went down (so 15 more mins if nap was just 45mins). I felt guilty leaving her anymore than that, but that's just me... and sometimes she would surprise me and put herself back to sleep . When I'd get her, I would do more A before E was due. We didn't have the perfect EASY but that didn't bother me