Wondering about our schedule

SO I just wanted to get some ideas about our schedule that we are on.
The boys are almost 4 months old and I'm thinking something needs to change becasue the last few days we have been having a COMPLETE meltdown around 5:30pm and I have been putting them to bed around 6ish but I would really like to get them to go until 7pm...for a couple of reasons, 1) their dad doesn't usually get home until 6ish and 2) I'd like them to sleep a little longer in the morning(if that's possible)

SO here is what we have been doing
6-6:30am waking up and bottle then playtime
9ish bottle
10ish they will nap anywhere from 30 min to 2hours
12ish bottle then playtime, holding, etc
2ish nap time for MAYBE 45 if lucky
3ish bottle and then playtime
around 5ish all heck breaks loose...I'd LOVE to try to hold off their feeding until 6:30pm but then they usually can't make it that long so I feed them around 5:30ish and they usually will end up falling asleep here so I put them to bed.....

I keep reading that some are doing three naps...should I? I don't know, I just know that I am frustrated! UGH.

 

This might help. The schedules start at 4 months...

[Wiki]Sleep_Schedules[/Wiki]

 

Are you only doing 2 naps? I would definitely do atleast 3.
I am trying to get my girls to drop their 4th nap but if they take crappy naps all day like today (45mins and under) then they still have that 4th nap. I never let them stay awake longer than 1.5-2hrs at a time (I am working towards closer to 2hrs now). My girls go bed bed at 7 and I make them stay in bed till 645-7 (if they wake before then I treat it as a night time feeding).
I still have my fair share of meltdowns at night but it is usually when they are overtired.

Good luck!!

 

I definitely agree about needing a 3rd nap. Maybe you could try putting them down around 4:30 for 30-45 minutes and then stretch the bedtime to 7. That 3rd nap did wonders for us for getting through the last bottle and on to bed. I would try to get the 3rd nap in about 2 hours after the 2nd nap. HTH - good luck!

 

Thanks ladies! I am really going to work on getting in three naps at day I think it will make for happier babies and happier mommy! Thanks!

 

A general rule is to put them down 2 hours after waking. Mine are only awake longer in the evenig and that only started about 2 weeks ago. YOu might try putting them down earlier in teh morning they may get overtired all day long and then melt down. I know it may sound crazy but sleep breeds sleep. The more sleep they get the mroe they will sleep. They shoudl be going 12 hours at night not longer. If you want them to sleep past 6 try putting them down at 7 so they can sleep till 7. Good luck. I think we were doing 4 naps at 3 mo.

 

At that age, the only schedule my girls followed was an eating schedule. I didn't implement sleeping through the night until 4.5 months and naps followed started around 5.5 months.

 

I agree with the pp's about a 3rd nap. I would also try to put them down for a nap no more than 2 hours after they last woke, that may help them to sleep longer and be better rested. We typically do a 7:30 wake up, nap from 9:30-11ish, 1-2:30ish, 4-4:45ish, and then a 7p bedtime. It seems like ALOT of sleeping, but without it we get that 5:30 breakdown as well.

 

My boys wake between 6 and 6:30 also and do one of two things. They either take a 45 min nap after that feeding or stay awake for 1 1/2 hrs and take a 2-3 hour nap. If they take the 45 min nap then they go back to sleep around 10. They also usually take a 45 min nap around 4:30 (after a walk around the neighborhood) and are in a GREAT mood when Daddy comes home!

 

Let us know how it goes Mine were always ready for their 1st nap 1-2hrs after first waking, so maybe move the 1st nap up to 8am, then 2nd nap around 12 and a 3rd nap around 3pm.