Sleeping FAQ: 0-8 weeks – Daytime Sleep

My 7.5 week old daughter is always sleepy in the afternoon

My daughter has suddenly been unable to stay awake after the 2pm feed.
She is very sleepy all afternoon and I cannot keep her awake after about 3pm.
I have tried giving her a cat nap around 3pm for 15mins but this seems to make her even sleepier during the rest of the afternoon.

I have cooled her down and cooled the room down but nothing gives!

At present she naps from 9-9.45am, 11.50-2.15pm and 3.30-5pm. She settles at 7pm

The sleep needs of young babies can vary. Some are able to stay awake for up to 2 hours whilst others are not. Your daughter may well have been through a recent growth spurt which often occurs around the sixth week. This can sometimes be followed by a baby needing slightly more sleep than she had been previously, perhaps by taking a longer nap at a different time of day.

Providing your daughter is happy to settle at 7pm and sleeps well in the evening and night let her have this slightly longer afternoon nap for as long as she needs it. If she likes to sleep in the afternoon take her out in her pram or let her sleep in her baby chair rather than putting her into her cot in a darkened room. This will help her to be able to settle in places other than her nursery and also she is likely to sleep less deeply if not swaddled and tucked into her cot. This nap often becomes shorter and may become two cat naps, but your daughter will let you know when she is ready to do this.