3 month old baby only sleeps 20 mins?

Question

babysitting my nephew and he only takes 20-30 minute naps - my kids always slept at least 2 hours at a stretch - is he getting any REM sleep

Answer 1

You should remember that you are babysitting, if you watch him only during the day, maybe at night he will sleep more. Babies sleep on average 16 hours a day, but the longer he stays up during the day is better! I am sure he isnt getting any REM sleep, but as long as he isnt super cranky I am sure everything is ok. Maybe he is a night sleeper (super jealous lol)

Answer 2

Babies need several cycles of sleep to be rested. A babies sleep cycle is 20 minutes...so your nephew is waking up after one cycle and doesnt know how to get himself back to sleep on his own.

My son was the same way and so is my daughter (7mos). And I found that with her, I swaddled her and she was able to rest for over an hour and half when tightly swaddled. At 3 months, its kind of late in the game to start swaddling, so the baby will probably protest a bit...but he should settle down quickly if you lie him on his side and calmly whisper to him or rock him gently on his side while swaddled.

Babies need to be secure and in a familiar position....in the womb, their quarters are tight and close. Thats what swaddling recreates for him.

Good luck....I so understand how frustrating it is to take care of a baby who takes those little cat naps.