I have an 11 week old baby who I want to start getting on a nap schedule but I have a little problem that hopefully somebody can help me with. She sleeps great, she goes to bed every night by 7:30 wakes once to feed then wakes for the day by 6:30. This is great because I go back to work next week and will need her up that early to feed her and get her ready to go but I would like to get her to nap between 9-10 a.m. and then again at 1-2 p.m. BUT since she gets up so early she is tired by 8 a.m. and I dont keep her awake because I dont want to get her overtired and 9:00 is a whole hour away so lately she ends up napping at 8:00 so should I switch her nap schedule to 8 and noon? That just seems like really early naps...any suggestions. I am going back to work next week and the babysitter is going to work on this schedule with me. Thanks for your help!
Napping at 8 and noon is fine! She's so little, and up at 6:30 is early. I say let her nap at 8, and gradually you can push it out to 8:30. As she gets a little older. At that time push is out to 8:10 and keep it there a couple weeks. Then 8:20 for 3 or 4 weeks (you have to go slow!). Eventually both naps can be 9 and 1. but for now let her sleep when she needs it at the earlier time!
Good luck!
I would follow the babys schedule, as to not make her overtired. Slowly try adjusting it.
My son about 3 or 4 months was finally on the schedule that worked best. I would try going to bed 15 min later for a week, then move back 15 min again for a week so by end up month we were on the schedule and it worked best for all of us in the end! My son is still on the same schedule now at 2 1/2 minus the early morning nap.
I not sure what you could do I am in the same boat except my baby stopped napping in the day all together. See she was about four months when she just started cat napping during the day 20min here and there. but she sleeps thru the night. My thoughts are as long as she is happy and plays well then dont push the schedule just let things fall where they may. Is there a reason you want her on a schedule?
It does seem like babies tend to make their own schedules around 3 months. It's not a rigid time schedule, but typically wake, 2 hours awake, nap, 2 hours awake, nap, 2 hours awake, nap, 2 hours awake, sleep for night. Seems like most daycares actually help out with that quite a bit because they stay pretty structured.
But most 3 month olds can't stay awake for 3.5 hours. Usually around 2 hours of awake time (sounds like exactly what she is wanting). So she would wake at 6:30, nap at 8:30 (until 10:30?), nap again at 12:30 (until 2:30?), nap again at 4:30 (until 5:30?) and go to bed at 7:30. It sounds like exactly right on track with what you need. Why do you think that's too early?
You're right not to let her get overtired. That just makes it more difficult to sleep! Babies usually don't drop to 2 naps until after 6 months. Either way, the daycare (if that's where she's going) will probably just mold her schedule to fit theirs. But 3 naps is right on track for a baby her age. :)
A couple of resources for you:
Sleep chart (because it's hard to know how much sleep babies need): http://www.parenting.com/article/Baby/Care/Baby-Sleep-Chart
http://www.babycenter.com/0_baby-sleep-basics-3-to-6-mont...
whats a schedule:) hee hee
I think from personal experience that you may get more frustrated as she gets older and determines her own schedule. I think relying on a schedule so strictly will only frustrate you, baby and sitter. Of course you will start to see a routine forming and can roll with that but then all of a sudden they go through a growth spurt, teethe etc and it all gets thrown out the window:)
Go with the flow.....hang in there:)
I don't think that you should change her natural nap schedule this young. She's napping when her little body needs sleep. Soon enough she'll change to one morning nap and one afternoon nap. Then after that she'll drop the morning nap all together but for now, let her have the early morning nap.
Well to be honest with you, I didn't start any kind of schedule with my kids untill they were older because really how are you going to keep a 3,4 or even 5 month old baby awake if they want to sleep. My kids go to a nursery and I believe they take a nap around 11 or 12 in the afternoon. I really believe you need to wait untill the baby is older before you try to schedule her or at least give her time to adjust to the whole sitter thing and let the sitter figure out the best schedule(within reason) since she will be around the baby all day.
at her wee little age, she definately needs three naps a day. I'd put her down at 8, noon, and then for a late afternoon nap around 4. I'm not sure what other mama's said, but I remember my teeny ones sleeping more than two naps a day. Good luck and congrats on being a mom! :)
Maybe go at it a little slowly by trying to get her to stay up 15 to 30 minutes later than transition to 9 am. When she goes to babysitter she may change her sleeping habits anyway. I wouldn't try forcing anything. That just makes for an unhappy baby! Good Luck. C.
I had early risers and my kids would nap 8-10 and 12-2pm when they were really little. Then it became more like 9-10 and 12-3pm. If you really want to adjust her schedule you could try keeping her up at small intervals to inch her nap time later. For 3 days try keeping her up until 8:15am, then 8:30 for 3 more days, then 8:45am for 3 days etc.... Good luck and congrats on your baby.
