Info on set naps?

[sunshine29]

Hi all,

For those of you who are on set nap times, can you answer some questions for me?

At what age did you move to set naps?
How did you implement them?
Were your los good nappers before the set naps? Or, why did you decide to move to set naps?

Thanks!

[Edesanja]

I haven't done set naps but have done 'nap windows' with both my 2. IT ends up being pretty predictable but is not as rigid as set naps.
I don't know how old your lo is. I have only done from when we were on 2 naps. With J (my youngest now 12.5months)  he started the 2-1 switch very early so from 6.5 months he was doing a short 45min AM nap and a long PM nap. (I just tell you all this because I think capping his AM nap actually made the nap window idea work well for us).

Anyway I can tell you more, but probably best to know the age of your little one so I can give relevant info!

[scucci1979]

following along.

DD2 is also starting her 2-1 early. She is already doing 3.5hours of A time-sometimes can do 4.

Wondering if you can share what your lo was doing at 8months. 

Sunshine: i believe a lot of moms started set nap times between 7-8months. Also, from what I read they adjust +-15min of A time. 

For myself, I am thinking of moving to set nap times but am not sure how to do it when they wake up early.

Wondering what other experienced moms have to say.

[oe]

following along as I would also like to move to set naps. I am just a schedule kind of person and suck at guessing A times.

[jackman]

At what age did you move to set naps?

6-7mo.

How did you implement them?

Based on your lo's age and WU, you set the naps with +/-15min and allow a good week for it to take as you need to allow lo's body clock to adjust. You have to wake your lo at the same time everyday and be very strict about the set naps. If you are used to watching A times, you can't flip flop between set naps and A times as your lo will get confused.

Were your los good nappers before the set naps? Or, why did you decide to move to set naps?

My DS was a good napper once he got over the 45min jolts. We decided on set naps since I also have an older lo (DD) and it was just easier than watching A times (takes the guessing game out). Set naps have been a life saver especially since my DS is a terrible night sleeper so at the very least, his naps are predictable and I can count on them for some good zzz's.

For myself, I am thinking of moving to set nap times but am not sure how to do it when they wake up early.

If your lo wakes up early, you keep the set nap the same which can seem like an eternity. You do have the option to bring the nap forward by 15min if you think your lo is shattered.

HTH.

[mickey44]

We have been on a set nap for about 6 months now.  It started when I had to go back to work and naps are daycare are set naps.  So around a year old our LO started going down for naps between 11:30 and noon (she was going down around 11:00 ish before we did the switch)  and within about 2 weeks she had her naps set at noon.  Our LO was a very good napper  before we started with the set naps!!!

[aidenmc]

I started with set naps about a month ago. At first they were good and ds was napping even better but now we are back to EWs and over time he has had a harder and harder time making it to his first nap. And EWs have gotten earlier - 4:30 yesterday. Now feeling like our day is shifting and wondering how to keep to set naps but avoid or recover from OT. We in stuck in a bad OT cycle right now.

[clairebear79]

following along too.  I'm also considering set naps as feel like we have no routine - I never know when he'll wake up, when his meals will fall, when his naps will fall etc.  Maybe this would make things more predictable for us.  But like Sabs - wondering how on earth you do it when your LO wakes early - without them ending up OT???  Interested to hear what suggestions you get.

[aidenmc]

I'm finding that regardless of how OT S is primed to fall asleep at his set times. Tried for a super early bt last night and took forever to get him down. Tried to shift his naps earlier today but again I am battling him for an hour. Think I may go back to what I was doing, even though I can't seem to find a way to get him sleeping better.

[sunshine29]

I assume its a bit early to start set naps with my lo as he's not yet 6mos. My lo has always been a poor napper, so I am currently a clock-watcher for A times and it is getting difficult to know how long he has been awake for the first nap. Sometimes he plays in his crib without letting us know he's awake. If the first nap is off, the rest usually are too. Which of course throws off everything, as I'm sure some of you have experience   I was just looking for a way to get into something more consistent.

[Edesanja]

I think you'd be better waiting to a bit older but definitely keep nap windows in mind for future. They can work so well and for someone who loves consistency they can be fab! Do you have another thread going? I learnt a few things from having a TERRIBLE napper between 3-6.5months.

[Edesanja]

Couldn't find a current thread for you. Why don't you start one? The mods are fab (Sarah's DD and my DS are the same age and she helped me sort out my DS!) and more eyes on a situation is helpful! Just remember to give all info you can eg (age, temperament, routine, problem etc).

[lesliemarie]

I don't do set naps all the time but the morning nap is always at the same time on school days.  I let her sleep until whenever she wants in the morning but she is usually up between 7 and 7:30.  Then she has to go down for her nap between 9:30 and 9:45 because we have to leave the house at 11 to get DD1 from school.  She really doesn't have an option.  So by 9:30 or 2 hours after getting up every day she is tired and ready for a nap.  Sometimes we get a 45 minute nap and other times I have to wake her after an hour and a half or hour and 15.  Because of this she has a nap window in the afternoon of 1-2 pm and then depending on how long she sleeps she may or may not have a cat nap.

Not sure if this will help or not.  DD2 is 6 months old now and we've been doing this since about January but she has really taken to the 9:30 thing for the past month and a half.