When to accept the nap is over?

[yjlzelik]

Hi there,

I was just wondering... if LO wakes up too early from a nap and I try shh/pat and change her diaper but she just continues to cry harder and harder does that mean that nap is over? Are you supposed to continue trying shh/pat etc until the next feeding time?

Does it make a difference if she wakes up herself or if I wake her by accident? (Like knocking over the garbage can while vacuuming which happened today!)

Thanks!!

[*Kara*]

How old is your LO?

I drove myself insane trying to extend naps from 4 months until almost 6 months... I finally learned at about the 5 1/2 month mark to try for 10 mins and if it was clearly not going to happen (crying and upset), just get baby up and carry on with the day... not worth the stress.  It stresses mom and baby out to try and extend... and that doesn't exactly lead to a restful nap extension

[yjlzelik]

thanks!! DD is 11 weeks... Today I tried for like 20 minutes and like you said it was stressful for both of us!!!

[ZacsMumme]

If you want to try a few other methods to help your LO sleep longer than 45 mins which aren't stressful you can try W2S or HTTJ. Yell out if you need the links  (They are in Naps FAQs and/or General Sleep FAQs) and I will post them.