My 4 month old sleeps only sleeps for 30 minutes during the day. How can I get him to nap longer?

My daughter did the exact same thing starting at about 2 months old. I read a sleep book for children and it was right on. At 4-6 months they will start to pick up there naps thats when they start to have sleep cycles more like adults. If they wake up at 7AM they should have a mid morning nap at 9AM for 1 1/2-2 hrs. The morning nap will be the first to develop, at 6-9 months they should pick up the afternoon nap. Then at about 9-12 months they will drop the morning nap and keep the afternoon nap until about 3 years old. If she wakes up to early she will be cranky within 30-45 min so I just hold her and she will usually sleep in my arms for a good while. I found that before 4 months old she was to little to put on any kind of schedule, hopefully yours will pick it up soon. My daughters schedule goes like this:

Wakes up around 7am

nap- 9am

wakes 10-11am

nap 1pm

wakes 2-2:30pm

nap 5pm

wakes 5:20-5:30

bath 7-7:30pm

bedtime 8pm

Most babies sleep for 4 hour periods or less.This is because they need to eat A LOT. If he is sleeping through the night, he may not be getting enough milk. I know a friend of mine's 3 month old does the same thing...sleeps all night...awake all day. She started to wake him up halfway through the night to feed him and it helped a great deal.

No one can tell you how many naps he should have. This vary's on the individual.

I used the swing for my kids as well, by the time they outgrow the swing, their scheduals are changing as well anyway. So I wouldn't worry. Whatever works for you.

Why not try waking him earlier and feeding him? (instead of in the night so it doesn't throw off his schedual) That extra feeding could do wonders!

Also...you didn't mention if, while he is awake during theday if he is "crying like crazy" or if it is just when he first wakes up? If he is crying constatly than I would take him to the doc. But if not I don't understand the problem. I would have LOVED for my kids to sleep through the night.. if they are content during the day. I would embrase it!

Email me if you'd like

When you find an answer for that please let me know...I have a 10 month old that hardly ever sleeps! She will sleep maybe an hour or two during the day and at night she will go to bed about 9pm and then wake up around 3am to play and then go back to bed around 4 or 4:30 am and then wake back up at 6am. When she does fall asleep, as soon as I lay her down in her crib, she pops up ready to play or screaming because I don't hold her.

Maybe when your child starts to crawl and get more active he will take more naps during the day! Good Luck!

My daughter was the same way. My daughters ped told me that when they sleep good at night they really won't take long naps during the day. She would only take about 4 30 min. naps a day. But she slept from 7.3pm until 7.3am. When my daughter turned about 6-6.5months old she started taking longer naps during the day but she wasn't sleeping that good at night!

He is sleeping so well at night he doesn't need a lot of sleep during the day. I wouldn't recommend letting a 4 month old CIO. Fussing is one thing but letting them sit there and cry at that age isn't good.

I may only be 11 but my mom told me that i had the same problem and i still do. Try putting him on the dryer. that is what my mom did with me. It relaxes them but here is another thing. I'm thinking by the time he is to big for his swing he would grow out of it. I know Im just a kid but try it out.

my son is the same BUT i love the fact he sleeps at night

if u manage to get him to sleep more during the day you may risk very unsettled nights

maybe try putting him in his pushchair/pram and rock him

is he crying coz tired or bored? i had to get my son lots of rattles and play mat now hes very happy just laying kicking/pulling at his play gym

10/12hrs a night sounds like heaven to me

well my daughter will be 4 months old next week and all i do to get her to sleep is rock her and feed her with some music going. but what i have learned about babies is that they will sleep when they get tired enough. just be glad taht he sleeps all night.!

hello!

with my kids, i make sure that they have alot of milk before they sleep. this helps them have a nice, more longer sleep.

his standard tips are banal and predictable: avoid caffeine; remove the TV from their bedroom; sleep on a full stomach; put up dark blinds.

hope this helps you!

Sara

try to only let him sleep 9 hours at night? - then do exactly his bedtime routine during the day at naptime.