Short naps after 3 to 2 transition

[korg]

After a very unexpected successful and painless 3 to 2 nap transition and almost 2 weeks of the 2 nap schedule my LO has started to wake up after 40 mins into a nap. I rescue every nap now. He used to have 2 x 1.5 hr - 1.75 hr naps. I usually plan about 3-3h20m of nap time.

I switched to 2 naps at late 7 months-ish after naps lengthened (I capped every nap), night wakings increased and early mornings.

My schedule before the transition was 2/2.5/2.5/3

Now it is 2.75/3/3.5. My guy is a few days shy of 8 months old.

What is the cause of the short naps?? Thanks!

 

[trivalee]

@korg How much does your baby sleep at night? Your schedule does not have enough awake time during the day. A two naps schedule to be sustainable need at least 10 hours of awake time. My suggestion is to keep them awake for 3 hours in the morning and see if the first nap extends, then 3.5 hours for the second wake window. 3 hours of sleep during the day plus an 11 hours night requires 10 hours of awake time otherwise your schedule doesn't fit a day with 24 hours.

 

[korg]

@trivalee Thank you! I figured as much. I've been trying to stretch the wake windows but he gets pretty fussy. I guess I just have to distract him!

 

[katrina2017]

@korg You could try some low energy activities in that last 30 minutes where you need to extend.