My 9 monthold takes 3 40 minute naps a day.Is this enough sleep?

Question

Most 9 month babies take 2 1-2 hour naps, but mine just keeps waking up after 40 minutes, even when I keep her up longer. She sleeps from 8-7 at night, soo no worries there. How can I get her to take longer naps and/or cut down to 2 per day? She still seems to get sleepy after 2 hours of being up (rubs eyes, yawns, etc).

Answer 1

That kid is getting plenty of sleep. If not she would just pass out and sleep where ever she happens to be.

I must admit I am a bit jealous that she get 3- 40 minute naps. Why can't I go back to the days of kindergarten where they let me bring out my lil mat and sleep. That is it I am going to my boss and telling him I want to spend the day coloring and to get a nap!

Answer 2

Every baby is different but as long as she appears to be happy and growing I think you are doing the right thing for her with what she is doing now.

My son is 8 months old and we TRY to keep him on a schedule where he has 2-2 hour naps a day with 3 hour awake periods. Sometimes he wakes up a little earlier and sometimes he may want to sleep a little longer, but we try not to go more than 2 hours at a time. And sometimes he falls asleep when we are doing errands in the car. LOL He's a very happy baby though and we just stay aware, like you, with when he shows sign of needing a nap like being fussy and rubbing the eyes. We've found that even with a schedule if a baby wants to sleep, he'll sleep whether you like it or not and you just have to work with it. He has starting to sleep through the night this past month so I suppose we are doing something right. LOL

Answer 3

My almost 5 month old takes a nap every 2 hours. She gets around 3 or 4 naps of 40 minutes or more. I try look for her sleepy signs and put her to bed. Healthy Sleep Habits Happy Baby has really changed my baby for the better. She also sleeps 11-12 hours a night.

Answer 4

All babies are different. Try a small nap in the morning and a longer nap after lunch. You could also try taking her out more. Fresh air does wonders. It'll take up to two weeks for the baby to adjust. But you might just have a baby who doesn't need that much sleep. My twins were two when we cut out naps all together just so they would go to bed at a regular bedtime (between 7and 8 pm).

Answer 5

DON'T WORRY!! My daughter did the same thing. She would only sleep for 35-40 minutes at a time, and only twice a day usually, but she slept good at night. If she doesn't seem to be tired, then she probably isn't. Just like adults, there are some children who don't need as much sleep as others, and as long as she is sleeping good at night she is probably fine. If she is teething this could also be why.

Answer 6

Newmom, I don't have children but my little sister has two one 5 and one 3. Your child isn't getting enough sleep, is your 9month old irritable and grumpy throughout the day besides the rubbing of the eyes and yawning. What is the diet like? My little sister had some issues with her first also regarding sleep during the day, where she would try her hardest to fight the sleep and want to stay up with the grown ups watching tv etc. Be firm but loving, lay down with your child and sing praise songs to God, plead the protective blood of Jesus over the children and it's what I've done and it works, my sister also says prayers and reads a book, even when they were only about 9 months old. It develops their language skills too and they have a peaceful sleep.

Answer 7

You can ut her naps back if u want to 2 a day, but since she sleeps so well at night thats probablly why she doesnt sleep so long during the day. Its more important she has full rest at night.. Every baby is different. If she's tired then let her sleep otherwise keep her up. Its great shes on a good night shedule, during the day she wants to probably be up and explore her surrondings (which is great) means her brain is going and she's absorbing alot of information.

Answer 8

I don't think there is much you can do here. Sounds like your baby is well rested from night time sleep (lucky you!) and will likely do what she needs to get rest during the day. Her nap routine seems to satisfy her needs. You say she is eye rubbing and yawning when she gets up, but is she cranky and crying and inconsolable? If not, she is probably doing ok.

I found it surprising as a parent just how easily my kids sleeping patterns would just shift, without me doing anything, to get them to a point where they satisfied their biological needs.

If you want to try to adjust daytime sleeping patterns, you might try keeping her in a darker room, in a quieter environment, more tightly swaddled etc...to see if that makes a difference on her sleep times. If her response is to keep doing what she is already doing....then rest assured, that is what her little body is telling her she needs, and when her needs change, her pattern of sleeping will change too.

Sounds like you have a happy, well rested and healthy little girl. Congratulations! :)

Answer 9

If you have her stay up, even when she's getting tired, and then try giving her two naps, she will be extra tired, and will hopefully sleep longer. If the napping doesn't work and she continues waking after forty minutes, I would suggest putting her to sleep at night earlier, so she will get more sleep anyways. Good luck!

Answer 10

Enough sleep for her or you?lol.

Really though, my aunt said her little girl would take 6 twenty minute "power naps" from the time she was 3 months old until she was about two. Everybaby is different. I know it can be frustrating, but try to let her follow her own internal schedule. Her body knows best what it needs.