At what age should you start nap schedule?

I have been trying to get my boys used to good sleep habits at night. Things are not perfect, but going pretty well for their age. But I am wondering at what age should I start to be concerned about a nap schedule. Right now I put them in their bouncy seats in the morning and throughout the day rotate them between chairs, swings and activity mat. They just fall asleep on their own in chair or swing, and sleep a great portion of the day. I want to be proactive, so I get them used to good sleep habits before they get too old. Any suggestions?

 

I don't think I really got the boys started on a real nap schedule until they were almost 5 months old. I was worried about bad habits and all that, but they really took to a schedule well at that point and have done fine ever since.

I started with EASY and moved to 2-3-4 when they were about 8 months old.

Before that they'd just pass out in their bouncers whenever they felt like it!

 

I always followed their cues. It was about 8 weeks when I realized when the twins were tired (tired cries) and I would put them down. When Evan came, it was probably about then.. but for the first year it was about 1.5-2 hour awake time between naps.

 

I didn't really start a nap schedule, one day I just realized that they were basically on one and then I tweaked it. That was when they were about five months old, but had I been a bit more observant I am sure I would have noticed it sooner. It's wonderful when they get on a nap schedule.

 

To be honest with you, I don't really remember exactly what age they were. I do remember that I did 90 minutes awake (which started with a feeding) and then 90 minutes napping. The 90 minutes awake meant un-swaddling them, feeding them, and then putting them under the activity mat or on a blanket, unswaddled. Then I swaddled them back up and put them in the swing or crib for 90 minutes. That's how it started.

 

Around 4 months I started figuring out what their tired cues were. We generally followed the 2 hour awake period and looked for their signs and their schedule followed some time later.

 

The morning nap came first for us at about 4 months actual and then they started with the afternoon about 6 months.

 

It was around 6 months for us, when a nap schedule came together.

 

I think my two were around 4 months when I was finally able to get them on a schedule. I started trying to get them on one around 3 months but it took awhile before it all came together.