Nap Questions

My babies are 9 weeks old today. We have what I would say is a pretty good routine going, but I know that can change at any minute!

They wake up between 6:30-7:30 and I give them their first bottle at 7:30, and then they are usually right back to bed for a nap. Sometimes the naps is 45 minutes, and sometimes two hours. I'm doing this based on the advice in Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Baby. Then it's pretty much the same thing over and over every three hours until bedtime - except we try to do some activity before heading back to nap for the remaining 3 daytime feedings. So we end up with about 4 naps a day after the 7:30, 10:30, 1:30 and 4:30 feedings (the 4:30 nap is always the shortest). So I'm wondering when and how will I know that it's time to start transitioning them to one morning, one afternoon and possibly a late afternoon nap? I know the book says the morning nap develops around 3-4 months - so should I be trying to stretch out their time of wakefulness after their first feeding now?

I'm also worried about what will happen to their routine when they go to daycare (in about 7 more weeeks). I'm hoping that we have more of a schedule then (rather than just a routine), so it will be easier for my provider. The babies do go to sleep on their own, but you have to catch them at their "magic moment" or it can be more difficult. I worry that the provider won't have the time or inclination to work as hard as I do to make sure they get the sleep they need!

Also, for those of you who had yours in daycare around 4-5 months what did your schedule look like in the AM/PM before and after daycare?

Thanks!

 

I'm reading HSHHC too! I still don't know how to get them to follow a nap schedule, but I've noticed that we are falling into one without forcing it. My girls (who are almost 5 months old) wake up around 7am and then DH gives them bottles at 8am. Then they nap at 9am and this nap lasts 1-2 hours. At 11am DH gets them dressed and ready for 'school' and drops them off by 11:30am.

At daycare they have bottles at noon and then nap around 1pm (1-2 hours). Then they have another bottle at 4pm and sometimes nap after that. I pick them up at 5pm and they usually fall asleep in the car. Sometimes they stay asleep until 6:30-7ish. Then we do a bath, bottle, bed by 8ish. Sometimes they wake up when we get home and don't want to go back to sleep. Then we play a bit, hang out in the swings, bath, bottle, bed (usually earlier because they missed their 3rd nap).

Now we are trying to incorporate solids into this schedule and its hit or miss. Monday they slept so we didn't eat, yesterday they were awake when we got home so I put them in their high chairs and had some sweet potatoes, then we took baths because sweet potatoes are messy! Then we played a little bit, had a bottle and were in bed by 7:30 because they missed their 3rd nap.

Good luck! -Leighann

 

My guys actually have their shortest awake period after their first feeding. You would think they would be well rested from the night's sleep but they can only stay up for an hour max after their first bottle. When they finish their morning nap they eat again and then stay awake a little longer (1 hr 15 min) before next nap. Then a little longer (1 1/2 hr) after that... you get the idea. In the evening they can stay awake for right under 2 hrs before bed, that's their longest awake period. I'm trying to follow HSHHC also and I've noticed that as the weeks go on our routine has started to become more like a schedule. Naps are starting to happen around the same time every day and bed time is the same time every night now.

 

I follow his book too since he's our ped. At 3 months they were still napping 3 times, at 4 months I pushed my luck and woke them up at 7 am, back down at 9 am (in the beginning they would sleep close to 11, now usually a little after 10 am), back down 1/1.15 pm (together with my oldest), wake them all up at 3.00/3.15 pm, up til 6.30 pm (start evening routine at 5.30 pm); my oldest down at 7.15 pm. It's funny how sudden things change when they start to hit the 3-4 month mark. Before it was really random, same with my daughter. My oldest didn't go to 2 naps until 6 months, but her naps were always shorter anyway, especially her morning so she couldn't make it until 1 pm.

 

so encouraging to read all of your exp with HSHHC

i have been practicing putting them down in the magic window for the last few weeks. it is HARD! they both put up a fight usually and i let them cry for up to 5 minutes. sometimes they fuss for only a minute or so and konk out...but often times i end up jumping ship since they fight it out.

when did it become easier for them to put themselves to sleep without so much intervention/ soothing? our soothing routine is swaddling and a pacifer...what ways do you sooth before putting them down awake.

how amazing to have dr. w as your ped!!! that would be incredible.

i am hoping this routine will eventually get easier and that they will fall asleep more easily on their own.

have any of you had to let them cry a little as the book suggests. the multiples section in the back said to start sleep training early so we are working at it...i am a teacher and go back soon, so i bet having a start time to the day will help out also.

love hearing your exp with HSHHC...keep them coming!

 

He basically told me at their 2 week appointment that I should put them down drowsy but awake and should avoid rocking them to sleep (I also have a 3 year old so I didn't have time either). They caught on pretty quickly, at 3-4 weeks of age, they soothed themselves to sleep. My girl usually without crying, my boy does cry / fuss occassionally but I just leave him to it. He always falls asleep fairly quickly after all. Weissbluth told me it's learned behaviour, so the sooner they learn the easier, and it has been pretty smooth. I never used a pacifier after my oldest had one for a long time (sleep only) and I hated "the where is my pacifier" although she still was / is a fantastic sleeper. It's a lot easier without one, especially when they're little and can't pop them back in! I am not afraid of crying, I felt I didn't have a choice.

 

QUOTE(Sofiesmom @ Aug 2 2007, 03:14 PM) [snapback]354953[/snapback]
He basically told me at their 2 week appointment that I should put them down drowsy but awake and should avoid rocking them to sleep (I also have a 3 year old so I didn't have time either). They caught on pretty quickly, at 3-4 weeks of age, they soothed themselves to sleep. My girl usually without crying, my boy does cry / fuss occassionally but I just leave him to it. He always falls asleep fairly quickly after all. Weissbluth told me it's learned behaviour, so the sooner they learn the easier, and it has been pretty smooth. I never used a pacifier after my oldest had one for a long time (sleep only) and I hated "the where is my pacifier" although she still was / is a fantastic sleeper. It's a lot easier without one, especially when they're little and can't pop them back in! I am not afraid of crying, I felt I didn't have a choice.



franca...thanks so much for sharing. how wonderful that yours didn't fuss too much when put down. ours will cry and cry! when you said you were not afraid of the crying, how long did you allow them to cry? i 've found that if i let them cry for 10 minutes they get more angry and don't settle down at all. that was really good that you started practicing so early so that they caught on quickly. i have twin mommy friends that didn't start dr. w methods until 5 months and say it is much harder now. we started practicing at 6 weeks but it's tough. when i am home alone i'm tempted to just put them in the swing, etc bc i know they will sleep without screaming/ crying. thankfully they do take naps in their cribs and sleep in their crib well at night (5 hours straight last night and they are 8 weeks) as for the pacis...i have a love/ hate relationship with them...they help to avoid the crying/ screaming but also become obnoxious when they fall out. YIKES!

if you could give any advice what would it be? how soon were yours sleeping through the night? i am so envious dr. w is your ped! i have wanted to email her several times!!

 

Honestly, I have had them (mainly him) cry up to an hour. Obviously not that young, but sometimes I don't feel there is anything I can do. They're fed, clean, etc. ... what else, besides rocking? When they were little, usually 15-20 minutes max. I never had them sleep in swings ... only the first 2 weeks maybe. I just don't feel like breaking those difficult habits. It's easier to start right away, and have them get used to what I feel is the "right" way. But it's a very personal decision obviously. Overall, my children tend to be fairly good sleepers (we had some issues with ds related to reflux but that was about it).