babies napping better than ever

My 7.5 month girls had been nappnig horribly for the past few weeks.. I started putting them in sleep sacks for nap as I do for bedtime and the naps improved a little, but the past few days they have been napping beautifully. They went from taking maybe a couple of catnaps, with the longest nap being under an hour to today when they took a morning nap of an hour around 9, then i put them down at 12 (i'm trying the two hour awake then sleep thing) and they slept for about 2 and a half hours!! Yesterday they did something similar, and I ended up waking them up after an hour on the third nap because I didn't waant it to interfere with bedtime. Is this the age where naps suddenly improve or is this odd? Or is this just normal and their naps used to be just odd by the lack of?

Also, when they nap so well during the day like this, do you guys still put them for a third nap? Based on the two hour thing, their third nap would be due at 4:45, which is getting close to bedtime.

Just like some thoughts on the topic! Thanks!

 

If they are napping that well I would try and skip the third nap. My boys got to be much better nappers after the first 6 months of chaos. I hope that is what yours are doing and you will get into a nice routine with 2 or 3 naps. GL!

 

My two started napping much better around 6 months. I think a lot of it was due to the fact that they were sleeping much better at night...sleep begets sleep. And, maybe the fact that they were busier, and more worn out, and really needed that sleep! Around 8 months we were able to drop that 3rd nap.

 

I think I would also skip the 3rd nap. A nap starting at 4:45 sounds too late IMO. I would be glad they are taking longer naps, hooray!

 

It depends on bedtime. Mine kept the third nap (between 4 and 5pm) until 13 months, but they go to bed at 8pm. If you have an early bedtime I'd drop the 3rd nap if they nap well for the other two.

 

My kids usually wake up around 9 or 10 am. They play for two hours, and then their next nap is 12pm... they usually sleep 2-3 hours! If it's before 6pm then I give them a second nap. Their bedtime is at 8pm. Their second nap they only sleep for an hour to an hour and a half.

 

QUOTE(Melissatwins84 @ Mar 12 2009, 10:35 PM) [snapback]1225480[/snapback]
My kids usually wake up around 9 or 10 am. They play for two hours, and then their next nap is 12pm... they usually sleep 2-3 hours! If it's before 6pm then I give them a second nap. Their bedtime is at 8pm. Their second nap they only sleep for an hour to an hour and a half.


Sounds just like my two. DS will wake early and needs to go back down again for a nap after his morning bottle which is about 8-8.30am. They will then nap again at 1.30pm-ish for about 1.5-2 hours then DS will nap again around 6pm. Their bedtime is 8pm. DD fights sleep and only has the 1.30pm nap and will sleep 1-1.5 hours only. Both sttn. I find that sleep begets sleep also. DS needs more day naps as he is much more active.

 

For us naps totally improved at 6 months. That was also when they went to 2 naps, we don't let them nap past 4:00-4:15 because if they slept any later, then it would be difficult for us to get them to bed. That is great they are taking longer naps!