Earlier bedtime if naps are no good?

[Rugbys Mom]

I am trying to extend my son's naps. He is 3 months old and has been on the 3 hour EASY schedule for quite a while and he will only stay down for a nap about 45 minutes. I have tried W2S, but no matter what I do it seems to make him wake up. So I basically do PU/PD when he wakes too early. Occasionally it works and he'll go back down, but most of the time he just cries until it is time for him to eat again.I was wondering if he doesn't take good naps during the day if it would make sense for me to put him to bed earlier so he can get the sleep he needs or is that crazy?? He is so overtired by the end of the day when he doesn't take good naps I am concerned he is not getting the sleep he needs. Thanks!

[elmarie]

Hi Rugbys mom and welcome to BW!

I'm popping this over to naps-They will be able to assist you with extending those naps 

[Aly Mac]

HI Rugby's mum

Yep, putting to bed early is always a good option if they have a day of OT or lots of 45naps.  You will use this technique a lot over the next year.

Can you post your whole routine though? this way we can look at the whole day and maybe help you with dealing with the short naps - maybe change the A time etc.

thanks

[Rugbys Mom]

This is the schedule we try to follow. Of course since he usually takes short naps it doesn't always go as planned. (He is currently 3 months old)
7:00 E
7:30 A
8:30 S
10:00 E
10:30 A
11:30 S
1:00 E
1:30 A
2:30 S
4:00 E
4:30 A
5:30 S
6:30 E
7:00 S - bedtime
Dream feed between 10 and 10:30
He usually wakes again for feed at 2:30
Then he wakes between 4:00 and 7:00 a few times. It is very hard to get him back to bed at this point.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!! Thank you!!

[Aly Mac]

Ok one thing I would change is, that if you get a short nap, shorten the next A time.  at 3months around 1.5hrs is the max A time (of course all are dif, but thi is the ave).  as the day goes on he is getting more OT, hence the short naps.  doe he sleep well on teh first nap? 

[Rugbys Mom]

Thanks for the advice. I will try shortening the activity whne he wakes up early. First nap will usually be 45 min to an hour just like the rest. Today I was able to get him back to sleep when he woke up from his second nap early so he is very happy now. I just wish that would happen everyday
Any idea when he will aquire the ability to soothe himself back to sleep? Is this between 4 and 6 months? He still currently wakes up at night a lot too. Maybe if he naps better this would get better too??

[Aly Mac]

NOrmally they can grow out of the short naps between 4-6months and yes, once they nap better the night time sleep is usually better too.  I can't guarantee when they can self soothe - every bub is different.

you are doing everythign you can, that's the main thing.  keep at it and let me know how you go after a few days of it.

[Love being a mommy]

NOrmally they can grow out of the short naps between 4-6months and yes, once they nap better the night time sleep is usually better too.

So you mean there is hope that we will actually have the Y time!!!   

[Aly Mac]

Of course!! I just don't know when

[MommaHolmes]

I think maybe when they reach 18 

[Love being a mommy]

Haha