Wondering about baby's sleep.....WDYT??

[Heaven]

It seems like most ppl have the same problem. During the day their bubs tend to want to wake up after only one sleep cycle, i.e. 40mins. But during the night this doesn't happen, they have longer sleeps without a problem. But everyone is always telling you that they need to sleep longer than that for day time naps.

So if babies are supposed to sleep longer during the day then why is almost everyone having this same problem?? I'm beginning to wonder if that's just the way babies are and maybe they just want shorter sleeps during the day. My DD wants to wake up after only one sleep cycle during the day but obviously she is capable of sleeping longer because she does so without a problem at night. So I'm constantly stressing she's not getting enough sleep and worrying about trying to get her back to sleep. Maybe we should all just relax and let them sleep however long they want.

So, that's what I've been pondering Any thoughts?

[Olive]

OMG i was going to post something similar today!! along the lines of we all know their ment to sleep longer than one sleep cycle but very few seem to do so! so maybe their not ment to sleep longer who made these silly rules anyway

FWIW millie has around 60-75 mins up and then back down for around 45-60 mins all day

[Heaven]

LOL Jols. I know. If they're meant to then why aren't they doing it!! LOL. I say they're not meant to. There, I feel less stressed already hahaha.

[Olive]

i agree!!
oh and there is miss M now! mmm that was ohhhh 45 mins

[sneakysparkle]

I soooo agree with you - babies know what theyre doing!
its us that keep saying they should be doing this and that...

[kawazuki]

my DD would only sleep for an hour max at a time during the day not wake up hungry just wake up refreshed ready to watch the world and see mummy and daddy.
but over night was 7 8 9 hours straight easily.

you know what if she is happy healthy, eating drinking pooing crying laughing being a baby she is fine.

they know what they want and they will do it no matter what we say lol
we are only their parents why would they listen to us lol


so go with it, enjoy the time dont stress, soon u will be saying i wish she would stay still lol or i wish she would go abkc to 3 hour sleeps during the day i got so much done lol

we are down to 1 day sleep of 40-60 min and i miss my mummy alone time lol

[diva det]

i totally agree heaven
it frustrates me to no end that they tell new mums that their babies are suppose to sleep this much and do this and put on this much weight!!!
As a new mum you are vulnerable and turn to those that are suppose to know! When bubs dont do what they are 'suppose' to, it makes us as mums feel like we are failing!!!
so wrong
bubs know best!!!
If they are tired- then then will sleep more!!!
If they are hungry - then they will eat more!!!
if they are not - then they wont!!!

The best thing you can do is to trust your gut and instinct!! YOU know what is best for YOUR baby! and dont let anyone else tell you otherwise!!!!!

[Willow]

Can't tell you exactly HOW many times I've pondered this myself!

The only thing that I can figure is that both of mine would end up overtired if they weren't having decent sleeps during the day.

[Ozziehoffy]

Could be very true! I remember Oskar doing exactly that! Elijah has tendancies to sleep longer but only some days and only maybe once during the day. Personally I'd prefer the longer sleeps at night anyway as I'm sure most of us would!

[Pretty Butterfly]

Harmony has never slept like she should, or in 40 min cycles...

She has 1 big nap each day for a few hours, thats it!! She's up all morning, then all arvo till bed again...

She sleeps like a toddler....

[amberj]

ITA!! I can't tell you how much grief I went through feeling like I was failing at motherhood because I couldn't get DS to sleep longer than 45 minutes. In the end, I came to the same point that most others posting on here seem to have: as long as my child seems happy and not overtired and is growing and developing fine, then I will just go with the flow.

Finally, finally, finally his laps have lengthened- but that probably only happened a month or two ago (ds is almost 1). It seemed to be with crawling around and using so much energy and dropping down to two naps he found the ability to break through the 45 minute mark. It is nice when they have longer naps, but either way, short naps or long, as long as they are happy and healthy, so be it. Otherwise its like constantly banging your head against a brick wall!!!

[Arcadia]

I hear ya!

The whole concept of resettling bub after one cycle really irks me and I never bothered with it. I just get DD up whenever she wakes up. And as for 45 min cycles...you lucky girls, my DD's cycle is only 30 mins. I would kill for an extra 15 mins sometimes...lol.

ETA whenever I say "she should be blah blah" to my husband, he always responds "who says? She hasn't read that book"...

[Shanti]

I hear ya!

ETA whenever I say "she should be blah blah" to my husband, he always responds "who says? She hasn't read that book"...

Same here! That's what my DH says to me hehe and that makes me feel better! it's true!

Yeah lately I've just been getting DD up if she wakes after 30mins or more I don't bother trying to re-settle especially if she's wide awake and smiling at me all playfully! If i try to resettle her she just gets cranky at me so no point!!!
She will usually have two or three day naps of about 40mins long.... sometimes less sometimes more.

[Mumma2three]

Jasper has never resettled after his 40 mins! I am going to go with the flow! Good thread, good timing!!

[Georgi]

What I have come to realise is that if DS doesn't sleep for at least 2 - 2.5hrs a day, then he'll wake at 5am. If his day sleeps have totalled 2.5hrs, the next morning he'll sleep to 7am.

That's why I want him to sleep more, so I can sleep in

[Jakabella]

Yep I agree and thats why I let Bella sleep as much or as little as she likes during the day and she is ALWAYS happy - (well not at the moment as she is teething!!) And she sleeps for 13 hrs over night so she is getting lots of sleep then.

She has put her self in a routin:
Sleeps every 2 hrs approx for approx 45 mins
Has bottle every 3 hrs
Sleep ALL NIGHT...
Who can aregue with that!?!?!

Just go with what you rbub wants - they know how to do it!

Its less tress for them and less for us!!

Kate xox

[Heaven]

Thanks girls!! I won't feel guilty now if she doesn't sleep as long as she apparently 'should'. She knows how to sleep, lol, so I'm sure she'll do it when she needs it!!!!!

[Michelle71]

DS only napped but as he got older the naps lengthened but became fewer. Now he has one nap per day around lunchtime from 1-3 hours. He is almost 2. DD is 5m and naps for 30-60 minutes every 2 hours (roughly) but I don't worry and know it will change as she gets older.