question about 12 week old routine

[etmom]

My ds is 12 weeks and appears to be an angel baby (at least compared to my last ds that was grumpy/touchy!)  Anyway, I wanted to ask about his routine at this stage.  You'd think by the third one I'd have it down, but they're all so different.  He does really well with sleep all night long.  His last feed is between 7-8 then he goes to bed and doesn't wake until 6-7 in the morning to feed again.  Then he eats basically every three hours during the day.  My main question is about his afternoons.  He has a very regular, predictable morning nap of 2-2.5 hours appx. 45 minutes after he wakes up.  His second nap is fairly predictable at 1-1.5 hours.  Then after that it's kind of chaotic!  After is 1ish feeding he may sleep for up to an hour or maybe not.  If he has his paci. in he tends to sleep longer.  Same with the nap after the 4ish feeding.  Then after the 7ish feeding he's out for the night.  I guess I am wondering if this pattern is normal for his age or if something should be different.  He does use the paci just to get to sleep for the first two naps and bedtime but once he spits it out---after 1-2 minutes---he may squirm and fuss a bit but will go to sleep.  I also know the morning nap and nighttime sleep are established earlier and maybe that's what's happening. 

So here's our basic routine assuming the day starts at 7:

7---feed
7:45-10/10:15 nap
10---feed
11/11:15-12:30 nap
1-  feed
2/2:15 tired for another nap (his tired signs are very clear)  May sleep up to an hour, maybe not. 
4--feed
5/5:15 same as 2/2:15
7 feed
8 bed
sleeps til morning

[Sarah - Enfys' Mum]

We had the same issue, I think.  The first two naps were generally good, and the third and fourth ones were short.  I don't think we ever had more than an hour for the third nap but I didn't worry about it too much because we dropped it probably at 3.5 months.  Does that help?

[*Natasha*]

Is he happy or grumpy after waking after only a short nap?

[etmom]

I think that is helpful and am expecting some changes in the next month as he matures.   To answer Natasha's question, I think he is still tired but he's not fussy.  He will usually suck the paci a bit when I get him up but then after a while he spits it out and is happy until feeding time.

One thing I"m not sure of now has to do with his swaddle.  He still has both arms in and is close to finding his thumb.  So I've wondered if I should try leaving his hands out.  But the tricky part is that he sleeps great overnight and in the morning without his hands . I think his hands being available to suck on would help because, during these more difficult naps, if I give him the paci he'll sleep until it falls out and then wake again.  I guess I'm kind of anxious for the whole thumb thing but also wonder if it will distract him at this point and keep him awake.  Should I just give it a try and let him fuss about it for a couple afternoons?  Or should I assume that he can put himself back to sleep if he needs in the swaddle? 

I am thinking that it is an age thing as some of his sleep is established.  But just really desiring a longer afternoon nap as I have two toddlers who sleep during that time so some days don't get much of a break at all.  Any thoughts on whether or not to keep the swaddle.  Oh, and he also sleeps on his stomach (I have a video monitor).  He seems to do best this way.

[Sarah - Enfys' Mum]

Don't ask me about swaddling!  We have just now stopped and Enfys is 7 months.  We stopped at night a month ago and today for naps.  E doesn't suck her thumb or a paci, but she has a lovey (taggy blanket and a stuffed cow).  So I don't know.