shouldn't a 3mo old have a long afternoon nap?

[nicolas]

Hi all,
I am 2 weeks on EASY and still struggling.  We have great days and totally off days.  We are in the 45 minute nap crew, which is a different issue.  My question is this:

Isn't 3 months the time when babies start having a long afternoon nap?  How does that affect EASY? When Nicolas used to sleep on the boob, and take his afternoon nap next to me in my bed, he would sleep for 2 -3 hours.  I'm assuming that was because he was able to fall back asleep at his jolt times bc I was there next to him... but if I figure out how to extend his nap, should I be aiming for a longer nap in the afternoon?

thanks so much, I don't know what I would do without this website!!

[kim&savannah]

I think a lot of LO's actually have a longer morning nap for the first year or so--they are less tired after a long nights sleep so they actually have an easier time putting themselves back to sleep through the jolts.

How many naps does your lo take right now?  Are any of them long?  If you are battling the 45 min. nap monster, I would probably just work on extending each nap (or at least the first two--we do 2 long naps and then one or two 45 min. naps depending on how the day has gone) and he'll probably end up making one longer than the other just naturally.  For us, its usually the first one--it can be anywhere between 1.5 and 3 hours and then the next nap I can usually extend as well, but not for as long--maybe 1.5 hours.

I also can get him to do a nice long pm nap if I take him into my bed with me--which I'll admit I do when I can get dd to go to sleep and if I need a nap--but that happens so rarely that I'm not too worried about it--gotta get naps in when you can!

~Kim

[nicolas]

Thanks Kim!

No long naps anymore, I am in the 45minute club.  Is that why my EAS timing keeps getting thrown off? I guess it's obvious except to me.  wow, 3 hours? that sounds so luxurious!

So, I really should observe his next nap then.  to time the jolts, right?  I'll probably try the resting hands on his body before the w2s method. 

thanks for the speedy reply, Kim!
I have to admit he is snoozing in his swing as I type. It was such a rough afternoon, that my neck muscles tensed up and started aching- so I needed a little intervention for a moment to gather my senses.

Do you think if I am able to extend the naps, it will be easier to keep bfing 3 hours apart- and easier to follow a 3 hour bw cycle?

-liana

[*Natasha*]

Could you post your routine?