Naps & timing

My boys are 6 months old...our nap schedule looks like this:

9-10:30

12:30-2

4-5

I really would love to drop that last nap... as it is a pain, and at times they don't settle themselves until it is time to get up (bedtime is 7, so I wake them beyond 5). However, they expire after 2+ hrs of awake time. How can I re-organize the day to get them thru it happily, but with only 2 naps?

What are you ladies doing?

 

My boys are only 5 months but our nap schedule is similar to yours. Ours still need the third nap which happens anywhere between 3-5pm for us. Sometimes they don't nap as long earlier in the day, and then they really need that third nap. Or if they have nice long naps earlier in the day then that late afternoon nap is usually short, like 30 minutes. Our bedtime is typically 7:30 so we'll let them sleep as long as 6pm and it doesn't seem to keep them from going down at night.

 

Our boys didn't drop their third nap until around 8 months or so. Your LO's may not be ready - I knew ours were ready when they started fighting that last nap and could stay awake for longer periods. Many people who do 2 naps do the 2-3-4 schedule, but if they can't stay awake for more than 2 hours, that will be hard for you to pull off.

 

My boys are 7 month and we've been on 2 naps for about 2 months.
One twin was still catnapping at 4.30 for about 15min until a month ago.

They get up at 7. first nap used to be at 9.15 for an hour. i just changed it to 9.30 so they now only have 45 mins.

2nd nap at 12.30/12.45 for at least 2 hours. if they re still asleep at 3(which is rare) i ll wake them up.


It s working great they re not overtired in the evening.

They ve been STTN since they were 3.5 months old, so they don t need that much sleep during the day I think.

 

We are at almost 7 months and Hannah still requires the catnap before bedtime too. They just might not be ready yet...I know my twins didn't drop it until closer to 8 months.

 

My twins have been doing 2 sleeps for around 1 month now.
As pp have said, maybe your lo's are not ready. It can be a fine line between 2 and 3 naps I think!
Some days it's really a stretch to make it work in my house, but it was bewcoming a battle to get them to have that 3rd sleep still.
Maybe to get yours to go that little bit further between naps, try keeping them busy. Take them out for a walk, try putting them in a different area of the house they don't normally go in so they've got new things to look at?

 

I would let them have that nap.my 9 months twins still have that nap some days too.it used to drive me nuts lol. But babies sleep for a reason. That's growing.so if they want it, they have it.

Babies actually growing when sleeping.some babies need 12 hrs/day, some need more.I know if my twins don't sleep a lot, they don't gain weight.but its just us. You know and decide the best for them. Good luck!!!

 

Thank you all! It sounds like maybe they are not ready to drop it yet. I don't want to be selfish and drop it for my sake... I'll stick with it for a few more months.
Thanks again!