Six Month Schedules

We seem to be at a bit of a crossroads around here. We have been on a 3 nap schedule lately (9, 12 and 3) and then down for the night around 6pm or so. They were sleeping til 3-4am, up for a quick feed and then back down til 7am. Loved it. Now, aside from the 9am nap, naps are somewhat inconsistent and they're waking more frequently in the night and waking earlier (as early as 530am - yuck!) I'm wondering what other peoples schedules looked like at 6 months?

 

I think you want to be dropping the third nap and pushing the second to 1. I think they are growing out of the third nap.

 

Yup push that 3rd nap out. That's around the age all of mine dropped it too and we went to the 2-3-4 schedule. First nap is 2 hr after wake up, 2nd nap is 3 hrs after wake up and 3rd nap/bedtime is 4hrs after wake up

So if they wake up at 6am aim for nap at 8, if they sleep until 10 next nap is at 1, if they wake at 3 then bedtime is 7. Adjust accordingly, mine always wanted a earlier bedtime (like 6) in the beginning. Like they were too old for that 3rd little nap but too young to stretch the 4 hours

 

Yup, we dropped to two naps around that age. We did manage to carry two naps through to almost 1.5, though, so you're going to be able to develop a good rhythm again.

My girls were always in bed by 7 (absolute latest!) the first year, too. It made for happy babies and happy mama.

 

I was wondering if someone could help me with my schedule. My 6 mo twins have been having 4 naps since they were probably 3.5 months old. I'm trying to drop that last nap as they no longer sleep 30 min cat naps but I'm finding it hard b/c they can't really stay awake for more than 2 or 2.5 hrs.

naps typically are :
8:30-9:30 (sometimes only 45 min or 1.5 hrs)
11:30-12:30 (or only 45 min long)
2-3 or 2:30-3:00 ( i don't let them sleep past 3:15)
4:45-5:15 or 5:00-5:30

Bedtime bottle 6:30
crib 7 pm.

Today I was able to do only three naps
8:30-9:30/10
12-1
3-4

bedtime bottle 6:30
crib 7 pm

I find they can't really stay awake that long. DS started rubbing his eyes an hr after waking on most days. I feel he needs more sleep or would benefit from sleeping thru thr night (which he doesn't do)

 

Would they sleep longer for each nap or are they up? I would try to lengthen the second nap of the day to closer to 2-3 hours. If they get up closer to 3:30 they can take a 1/2 hour nap about 5:00, then up for bit before bed. What time to they get up in the morning? 7 am wakeups were good for us- they could have an 8:30a, 12p and 5p naps then bed at 7pm.

 

The second good nap should establish itself between 5 and 8 months of age. My two didn't really get consistent about 3 naps until closer to 8 months. As you described, my LOs just couldn't stay awake that long.

And like your experience today.. we could only drop the fourth nap IF we could hit that 12:00 hour for the second nap, and that was dependent on morning wake up time and most importantly on the length of morning nap... if they went down earlier than 12:00, they couldn't make it to bed time without the fourth nap.
I felt like all i did was put babies down to sleep and every day was a guessing game as to how the schedule would go based on how long they slept.

My guess is if they are still sometimes taking 45 minute morning naps then it might take a little longer for them to drop to 3 naps...
I found the best thing i could do for them (and the schedule) was get them as much sleep as possible and follow their lead. For my LOs, if they got behind on sleep because i was 'stretching them' the naps got shorter, which defeated the whole thing. ETA - with that in mind when they don't get a 4th nap you might move bed time slightly earlier.

What time do they wake in the morning? Something to try.... sometimes shortening the first awake period will help make the first nap longer.. i know that sounds counter productive.

It looks to me like you are doing everything right. I wish i had better advice than 'hang in there'. it will get better.

 

Amy- they wake up at 7 am or 6:50 am. I usually put them for their 1st nap an hour and half or sooner but I do want them to go down a little later. It doesn't seem to shorten their naps.

I find that if DS gets a good nights rest (only wakes up 2x-once for feed and one just cry) then his naps are usually 45 min to an hr each time. But if he has multiple wake ups (due to DD), he makes up for it with longer naps. DD is the same but her normal naps are an hour.

This did not happen btw 4-5 months when they were doing 30 min cat naps all day. If they had crappy nights, they had crappy days.


Cheez- the only time they can have a 2 hr second nap (or longer) is with stroller or car rides- but this isn't even a guarantee. I also want to drop that 5pm nap time as well. so we will see now that they are napping somewhat longer.

 

Good job on the 7 wake up time! gotta like that! :clapping:

I wonder if, on days when DS sleeps well at night, keeping them up a LITTLE longer before the first nap (15 minutes) might help him stretch it to an hour. Maybe he is growing out of that.. 'need to go back to sleep immediately stage'! Something to watch for.. because then aiming for that 9 to 10:00 window can be helpful.

You might also watch to see if more activity or outside time before the first nap helps them sleep better / longer. I don't remember the age, but for a while i found a 10-20 minute stroller ride (or even time on the porch) made a difference in quality of the first nap. I know, it is like a race to get it in since the time is so short between wake up and nap but if it works it is worth it.
For us getting that first nap consistent and longer was the cornerstone for the whole day.

Another thing to think about.. some kids will sleep longer than 12 hours at night given the chance with an early bed time. My LOs will regularly sleep close to 13 hours at night. Wake up time in most kids is biological, so earlier to bed usually does not mean earlier to rise.

 

Thanks daisies for your input- they are not ready for three naps but that last nap (430-5 or 445-515) is sooo HARD- they resist and resist and often just cry for the whole time.

This morning I put both of them down an hr after wake up and DS slept an hour while DD slept almost an hour and half. But DD woke up for the day at 6 am and woke up DS- so like today everything is sooner which means that their third nap will tentatively be from 2-3 or 330 which doesn't get them to their 630 bedtime bottle. What to do? I've read that babies can stay awake longer as the day progresses but for my LO's it only stretches it 15 to 30 min max. Just not sure what to do after 3 pm...

 

What if you dropped the fourth nap and moved bedtime sooner? I know it's crazy, but my kids went to bed at 5:30/6 a lot during that time. It may be that a couple weeks of that eases the transition away from four naps.

 

^^this is what i would try too.

It is hard and everyday is slightly different so it is a constant guessing game. your attention and efforts now, will pay off down the road.

 

Rachael- we are living with the in laws so we sort of have to go a bit with their schedule like dinner is at 530pm and wake up in the morning is 7 am. I'm fine with this but when we find our own place i may move their bedtime to 6. For now i have to struggle during this time frame from 3 pm till 630pm.

 

My girls are 5 months and have just started waking and having a hard time with naps recently, I think because of feedings. Lately they've been getting to sleep closer to 830 because they can't relax and fall asleep. Normally they go to bed at 730 and wake up around 730, no night feedings. They have a nap generally around 930-1030. Another one around 1-2 and one more around 430. I have always had a very hard time getting them on a nap schedule as some days they won't sleep for more than a half hour (which results in three naps a day) and some days they'll nap 3 hours straight.