Awake time....

Hey!

Without using the *should* word, I just wanted to ask...... the maximum time missy moo can stay awake between naps and sleeps is an hour and a half, maybe an hour and 45 minutes max, or if we get to 2 hours she is beside herself. I just wonder, shouldn't she be stretching this out a bit? Or am I getting ahead of myself.

I know this is probably one of those "it all depends on the baby" type situations but I just wondered what other's babies are like at 4 months? When do they start staying awake for longer periods?

Thanks!!
Sue xx

I really don't think you've got anything to worry about there hon. I remember at that stage and even a little bit older DS was still having 4 sleeps a day, so probably wasn't going for much more than 1.5hours awake time. It wasn't until after 6 months that we got down to 3 naps and then I think about 9 or 10 months till we consistently got down to 2. Even now at 13 months he's still having 2 naps most days.

I really think it is best to go with the flow and follow their tired signs. Especially if they are a cat napper (I think I remember you saying that somewhere else), which my DS was. It's only been in the last couple of months that he will sleep for anymore than 30 mins during the day.

Phew, that's cool then, thanks so much Miss E.

I am more than happy for her to be doing it this way - we actually spend a lot of time playing in the awake time so I think that is why she gets so tired - I do try and stretch her out to 2 hours sometimes but it almost seems cruel when she is so tired! And yeah, she does cat nap. Her shortest nap is half an hour and longest is 2.5 hours. But there is no daily pattern to that, she surprises me every day! LOL

Thanks again
Sue x

It does sound like she's telling you what her ideal awake time is, I'd just go with it. Personally with my DD I figure she'll stretch it out when she's ready. We've just hit about 2hr awake times and DD is just 5 months old, but some days after 1.5hrs she's had it, others at 2hrs she still seems raring to go! I do wind her down with quiet time though because whilst she may seem wide awake after 2hrs, the wheels fall off really quickly and she turns into monster baby ;) The quiet time is lovely for me too ha ha

I have to remind myself that she is doing so much more with her little body and mind that somedays she just exhausts herself quicker, especially if she really goes off in the jumperoo!

Haha, yeah HB, I stick her in her Jolly Jumper and she goes for it, then crashes really quickly. Poor wee thing gets really worn out in that. I have to say though, it does help her have a really good nap. I'm so glad that we got it.

Thanks
Sue x

"they" say the average amount of sleep a 4 - 6mth old needs is 4hrs & 45min during the day. Nath has about 4hrs a day - 2 2hr sleeps with 2hrs in between. The longest he is awake is between 3pm & 7pm bedtime, sometimes he has a nap around 4.30.

Hi Sue,
I have a four month old girl too... they must have been days apart. We also are really only going an hour to two hours max. There is no use stretching her as she really loses it. The only time I persist with stretching is to get her into bed at night. We have a rhythm of feed, lap play, floor play, and then sleep. I find if she starts getting really grumpy on the ground I take her into the bedroom and she will quietly watch the mobile on my bed for a while, and then the next moan and cry I wrap her and pop her into bed. Sometimes they are overstimulated(and will make the tired cues) but not actually tired enough to have a big sleep, which is why she might do the half an hour sleep. So taking them into the room for some quiet winding down time before bed, stretches them right to being tired enough for a bigger sleep. With jolly jumpers and louder toys try and use them after her feed after a sleep and always finish the cycle with a quiet period, this is when you really get to learn their tired signs.
Ahhhhhh they are pretty beautiful at this age aren't they!!!

Thanks ladies!!
Sue xx

Ok, i always thought my kid was too alert but this thread has shown it. She is also 4 months old and can go 12 hours awake. Sometimes she will have a couple of powernaps. It's only in the past fortnight that she is starting to have a decent day sleep. She still will do from noon to 7pm awake with only a powernap (if i am lucky).

Is there anyone else out there with a non-sleeper?

Goodness!

I have been reading though, that some babies can just do that. I'm pretty sure in one of Pinky MacKay's books she says that one of her children was like that.

Does she get cranky in the day time?

Not really! I'd just like a break sometimes.

In 'Sleeping like a Baby', Pinky mentioned briefly one of her kids and it sounded similar but then everything else is aimed at looking for tired signs etc, but my little one rarely gets them during the day. But she is a pretty 'good' night sleeper.

It's like she just doesn't need that much sleep, because recently when she has has a decent day sleep, she is up more at night.

It's a shame that you don't get more time to yourself but at the same time great that she doesn't seem to need that much sleep - as long as you're not to frayed around the edges!!

Sue x