Need 4 hour EASY because not hungry at 3 or 3.5 hours, help with naps

[sk4399]

Hello,

I would like to get my 3.5 month old on a nap schedule.  I know that I am supposed to wait until 4 months for a 4 hour schedule, but she isn't hungry at 3 hours or 3.5 hours.    She is sleeping from 6:30pm 6:15am. That is great, but naps are rough. She's still taking 20-45 minute naps 5-6 times a day, I know that these naps aren't enough for her because she is always cranky and ready for another nap about one hour later.  Also, she is so tired at 6:30 pm (even after a nap), that she won't event take a bottle.  I'm not sure if I should be still watching her tired cues or the clock.  She is 15.5 weeks and since she takes such short naps, her awke time is very small and the E.A.S.Y schedule doesn't work.  Should I bite the bullet and keep her up the 2 hours like a 4 hour EASY, is it okay to let her get over tired and hope like the book says that she'll get the hang of it in 3 days or so?  Any help would be great. 

 

TIA,

Katy

I do put DD down awake,and for the most part she falls asleep right away without much fussing.  Thanks for any advice!

[*Mona*]

Katy,

I wouldn't say you're "supposed" to wait until 4th month to go to 4 hrs EASY... if your LO isn't hungry at 3,5 hour mark and her naps are that bed, then I would surely go for 4 hour routine.
my dd is 15,5 weeks too and we've been on 4 hrs EASY for over a week now. some days are better, some are worse, but still her naps and feeds have already improved over this week.
try and see if your DD can handle 2 hrs of A time. if not straight away, then try keeping her up longer graddually. here's the link to the info on transitioning to 3,5/4 hrs EASY: https://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=63161.0.

I envy you those nights though, lol

good luck,
Monika

[Cohensmom]

Hi Katy,

Just up until recently my lo could not stay awake longer than 1 to 1.5 hours and he is 5 months old.  He usually would take 4, 45 min naps a day.  I personally think that if your lo is sleeping from 6pm to 6am with no feeds, count yourself lucky.  I've done A LOT of research on naps and some babies will sleep 30 minutes each nap while others will sleep 2 hour or longer.  Both are normal.  If you do try to extend her naps, you could be jeapordizing her sleep at night and she could start waking. 

You mentioned that your lo always seems cranky after her naps.  My lo at that age used to be the same way.  I think it's normal.

Just some things to consider once you start changing things up.  My baby also could never really follow the 3 hour easy and now not even the 4 hour easy.  Watch your babies cues and not the clock.  That way you'll have a happier baby.

Michelle