Postby lalectrice » Fri Oct 26, 2012 2:16 pm
Please do beware of sleep training and especially anyone advocating crying-related techniques, especially for a child as young as 3 months. There is abundant evidence from neuroscientific research and the work of developmental psychologists that such techniques are extremely ill-advised and, frankly, damaging. (If you're interested, message me and I will happily elaborate, with references!)
My baby was the same as yours - 3x 20-30 min catnaps was typical for her at that age. I understand and sympathise hugely with your desperation to escape and have some time for yourself, but perhaps your very young baby just isn't quite ready to be on their own for a longer period of time. Have you tried lying down with your baby and/or having them sleep on your chest while you catch up with emails, shop online, read, rest etc? This can prove really precious, intimate time during what is a very brief period in your baby's life. Or try a sling/baby carrier if you need to do stuff in the house.
That may not be your cup if tea, of course - but don't fall into the trap of believing the sleep trainers' mantra that you have to 'teach' your child to self-settle and move through sleep cycles by themselves. This is utter rubbish in cognitive/developmental terms - your baby will self-settle when they are ready. (My daughter did and she started out as an appalling sleeper, waking very regularly through the night as well.)
You've probably read it, but Elizabeth Pantley's 'The No-Cry Nap Solution' is quite useful. This resource (info for parents, affiliated to Durham University's Parent-Child Sleep Lab) is a good, neutral guide to the facts about baby sleep habits, sleep training etc: isisonline.org.uk
Good luck.