My 4 Month Old Needs a Nap After Being Awake for Only One Hour- Two Hours.

My son woke up at 6am and fell back to sleep by 7am, slept for an hour to 1.5 hours. Then he'd be awake until noonish, eat lunch and down for a 2 hour nap. Then he'd start falling asleep again around 4:30-5pm.
It was the first nap in the morning that came so quick, but there was a larger gap in the midday and evening. God bless the morning nap!!!! I was always ready to fall back to sleep with him. =>
The only reason I'd worry if he sleeps all day is he keeping you up all night? My son had his days and nights mixed up for 4 weeks, it was ______!!!
Its true, once you get used to this cycle....wammm!!! he'll change it. =>

That is exactly what my babies did. Sounds typical to me. Beware though, as soon as you get used to this schedule, he'll change it! =)

A.

Sleep is not something you or he can regulate. Let him sleep. Sleep is the only time children grow also, so be assured that it is good for him/her.
Enjoy !

Hi D.,
This is very typical! My two kids were this way. At 4 months old they took 3 naps a day- get up around 7am, nap around 9am, again by 12:30pm and then again in the late afternoon between 4 and 5pm. Bedtime was early - 7-7:30pm. At 6 months of age, it all changed. I found they could stay up, with encouragement, for 2.5-3 hours. So, they napped only twice a day - around 10-10:30am and then around 3-3:30pm. Bedtime was a bit later- 8pm. Hope this helps.

J.

He is tired so let him sleep. Sometimes after they are fed they get tired. Just look at men, same thing LOL. I would put him back down. Is he up a lot at night? That could be it. I wouldn't worry unless he wants to sleep all day. Then take him to the Dr and have him checked out. Or you could just call and ask the Dr if you should worry.

Every child is different and none truly go by what the books say. Just like grown ups what is right for one may not be for another. Sometimes seems crazy to another LOL.

Hope this helps and try not to worry unless it becomes a problem of sleeping all day. I would not stress him or yourself by trying to keep him up at this point.

Hi - I think that's normal. My baby was the same way. Now he's 5 months old and is awake for 2 hours, then takes a 1 hour nap... he naps like this 3 times a day. I've tried tiring him out more for longer naps but it hasn't worked.

Are the activities you're trying age appropriate? 4 month olds can't do a whole lot yet. Do you have an activity gym? My baby loved that, but I had to rotate the toys on it a lot or he'd get bored. Be patient - in a few weeks he'll start to love toys a lot more and will have longer play periods.

D.,
Sorry for the late response -
there is a great book out there that adresses your question - The 90-Minute Baby Sleep Program: Follow Your Child's Natural Sleep Rhythms for Better Nights and Naps by Polly Moore.
There, the author describes how all babies are on a natural 90-minute cycle and until they are ~ 6 months old, babies should be put down for naps every 90 minutes (doesn't matter if they woke up from a full night sleep or from a 20 min nap) and then as they get older, the cycles grow - i.e. to 3 hours, 4.5 hours, etc.
I strongly recommend this book ... it opened my eyes to the sleep cycles of my baby and helped me out tremendously!