Long Nappers...

Periodically my 3 month age adjusted DD and DS take 3 hr naps. Most of the time they go 4 hours between feedings; however, sometimes they're still sleeping when it's time to eat. Should I wake them up or let them continue sleeping until they wake up? Thanks!

 

At 3 months, yes, I was waking them to stay on schedule.

 

I didn't like "waking" mine, but I would help the process along by opening curtains and moving around making noise in the room so they would start to wake. Usually they would wake on their own within 15 minutes of me opening the curtains, and I only did that if they napped past 2 1/2 hours just because I found they were happier in general if they had several naps and if they napped for 3 hours, they were less likely to nap well the next time. Mine are usually at their best when they take a two hour nap, a 1 1/2 hour nap, and a catnap.

 

At that age, I think I did.. I'd just unswaddle them and they would ushually wake up on their own.

 

i found at that age that my girls would have difficulty with naps later in the day if any of their naps went past 2 hours so i usually would gently wake them when we hit that mark.

 

If they're a good weight and generally healthy I'd let them snooze away!

 

I would not suggest waking them unless it is something the dr. says to do. I would also suggest going with your gut feeling on this. No one told me to make sure that Nikola would go longer than three hours between feedings. I did this on my own when he was born b/c he was under 5 lbs. I had been induced b/c they found he had dropped off of his growth curve. When I told the dr. this in the hospital, he said he thought I did a wise thing. He never went under his birth weight. My point is, if your gut is niggling at you to feed them every three hours, even if you need to wake them, then you should. HTH.

 

Around that time sometimes they'd even sleep 4 hrs!! [and were on a 1.5 hr schedule] It used to freak me out. At first I'd wake them up and feed them, but I figure.. if they're hungry they'll wake up and tell me. Otherwise I just let them sleep. Obviously they needed it. That's when they grow ^_^

 

It depends. If you are concerned about weight, then yes I would. By three months our boys were good on weight, so I only woke one if I needed for schedule. If one was already awake and hungry I would go ahead and wake the other to feed them so they would stay on the same schedule. If we had somewhere we had to be so that they needed to stay on their schedule (3, 6, 9, 12) then I would wake one/both. If we were just hanging out at home though and both were snoozing I would let them sleep (enjoy the extra time) and adjust the schedule back overnight.

I should say it was a rare occasion that they weren't both fussing by the time 3 hours came around! They were like clockwork.