Weird Sleep Schedule?

I've been trying to read up on sleep schedules. From what I've seen, our boys should be sleeping about 14.5hrs total and starting to do the 2-3-4 thing. We're not really close to that. Instead, they're sleeping about 16hrs a day and are only up for about an hour at a time during the day before getting tired. This would be fine except their last nap ends around 4:30pm. This means by 6pm, they're tired but won't go down for the night. The earliest we can get them down is 8:30pm, leaving us with 2.5hrs of fussiness and crying every evening. Sometimes we can get them to sleep in their bouncy chairs for 30min, but not consistently.

What do your nap schedules look like in the afternoon/early evening? Are your babies around this age really up for 2hrs before giving off sleep cues? Is there something I can do so they're awake longer in the morning and nap later into the day?

Thanks!

 

I had the exact same problem with the evenings. I had to start letting them fall asleep around 6, and then waking up around 8 or 8:30, doing another feed, and then down for the night at 9.

By 6 months old they were able to just stay asleep after the 6 pm feed for the entire night. (Until 5:30 am)

 

whatever you are reading is averages... about the 14.5 hrs of sleep... and I'm pretty sure for a 4 month old it seems it should be more...

Mine are 17 months and they sleep 11-12 at night, then usually get 2 2hr naps... = 15-16hrs a day. they get cranky if they've been up for longer than 3 to 4 hrs... so just take what you're reading as a guide... and make it work for your family.

as for fussy evenings - ugh! I don't think I even started putting ours down closer to 7pm until they were 8-9 months. I think I was waiting b/c my dh gets home from work late. I finally decided I had to start their bathtime earlier whether or not he could be there to help or play with them. we didn't start a regular bathtime routine until we started having them both in the big tub at the same time... which for us was closer to 6 months. not sure if you do a bathtime routine... but ours love it. at that age its just a few inches of water, bubbles and laying on their backs... but ours kicked and squealed and had fun... maybe (if you're not already doing it) starting a bathtime routine will help...

good luck.

 

Mine are at the same age and usually can't make 2 hours. They get up around 7:30-8:00 and go down for their first nap at 9:00. The second nap occurs after only being awake an hour or so. They stay up almost 2 hours in the evenings but take short nap at 5:00 and go to bed between 6:30 and 7:00. They eat every 4 hours during the night independent of when they go to bed.

 

The 2-3-4 routine is for 2 a day nappers. My girls needed that third nap until they were about 8 months old. As for bedtime, routine is key. If my girls skip their bath, they don't go down as easily. They need cues too!

Good luck momma!

 

Hey girl!

I think at 4 months the babes were still napping 4, sometimes 5 times a day. After their first bottle in the morning they would go right back to sleep until time for their next bottle, and then they would start the daytime routine. Sounds like for your guys, they might need to do that for their nighttime bottle.

As in if they do take a nap around 6pm can they snooze for awhile, then wake them for an 8pm feeding and then down for the night at 8:30 or so?

We aren't even doing the 2-3-4 thing yet, mine still get three naps a day and start to get fussy after 2-2.5 hrs up.

Oh and dont' feel bad I struggled with their naps until they started falling into more of a routine around 5-6 months old! :hug:

 

We are just now getting into the 2-3-4 schedule at 9 months. And I'm still not sure if DD is ready to go from 3 to 2 naps a day. At 4 months mine were still taking 4 naps a day and we didn't have much of a predictable schedule. Bedtime was maybe around 8 p.m. I think it just takes time.

 

At that age, your LOs need more than 14 hours sleep though each baby/child is different. Mine need that now and they are almost 17 months old.

Mine were on a 4-hour routine at the age yours are now. They´d eat at 7am then go straight back down for another nap, eat again at 11am then nap again, eat at 3pm then nap then had a 7pm feed, bath then bed for 12 hours. They dropped the 11.30pm dream feed at 4 months. I´d say they were napping for about 4 or 5 hours in the day + the 12 hours at night.

Maybe you could wake them at 4pm or 4.15pm so they are more tired or just have a later bedtime. Mine eat dinner at 8.30pm and dont get up till 8.30-9am so it has its advantages later on when they´re older!

Good luck!!!

 

Thanks for all of your responses!

I guess somehow I missed the part where 2-3-4 is for older babies. It sounds like I should just keep putting them down when they're tired, even if it's only been an hour. They'll do the sleep, eat, sleep thing, too, like some of you have mentioned, so it feel like they've been sleeping all morning.

We just started a more formal bedtime routine this week that includes a bath. Alex doesn't mind it but Zach tends to cry. I'll try laying them in the big tub on a towel, and see if they like it better.

It sounds like I need to convince them to take a nap in the evening. I've tried a couple of times in the past but maybe they'll be more receptive now that they're older.

I guess I just needed reassurance that they're normal, no matter what the book (Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Twins) says.