How often do nap/awake times transition?

[Straffles]

I'm just going through a major nap transition with my 6 1/2 month old. We seem, touch wood, to be finding the new awake times at 2HRs 20MINS.

But how often do nap transitions take place in the first year? Every month? Or, once you've found a new routine of ATs and naps, does it stay put for a few months, typically?

There is one author in her book who puts 6 1/2 month olds - 9month olds at 2hrs 20mins, then from nine months onwards at 2hrs 50 and 3hrs awake time. This suggests that typically a nap/AT schedule might last at least two months.

What are people's experiences here. I find it so exhausting and nerve wracking making these changes, so am hoping for some degree of stability for a while - I need a haircut!!

Thanks all.

[amayzie]

Ok- the good news is that if you've made the transition from 3-2 naps then you are good for a few months!! The hardest part really is up to 6 months, then they are MUCH more settled and start to nap a bit more consistently!! Generally you will ant to keep creeping the A time up if the naps start to shorten, as many babies are on 3 hours A time well before 9 months.

The next BIG leap after the 3-2 that you'll be looking at isn't till 10/11 months or so- later if your LO likes short A times.

There's always tweaks- but you are hopefully in  a good period now (are you on 2 naps? )

[Straffles]

Yes we are happily on two naps now!

What's the big leap at 10/11months that you're talking about?

[amayzie]

LOL!! You don't want to know!! That's the 2-1 transition, similar theory to the 3-2 transition but you manage it slightly differently. But you have a few good months of settled times before you get to that! honestly, once we were on 2 naps it was GREAT!! We tended to do a long AM nap and the PM was often in the car- so short, but it meant i could GET OUT OF THE HOUSE!!!! and DO THINGS!!!

Here's the 2-1 to have a look at, but don't worry about it yet! http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=95670.0

Just keep gently pushing the A times up if the naps shrink over the next few months and you'l be sweet! (fingers crossed!)

[Straffles]

Thanks for that! I thought the 2 - 1 happened between 12 and 18 months. ANyway, I am not looking ahead, just dealing with how things are now.

I guess my question really meant, how often do you have to keep on tweaking/stretching awake times. The last few days I have managed to get my LO to nap with extended awake times. It's hard work.

I was just hoping he might stay with these new ATs for a while. His naps didn't get shorter, he just refused to take naps, which is horrible. Means I end up spending a long time trying to get him to settle and the day is wasted. So I'm hoping if these are the right ATs, I can stick to them for a while. Oh, I said that! Hate it when he doesn't settle. I just sit here afraid he won't, so kind of want to give myself the freedom to do stuff when he's sleeping now! And plan stuff for the next AT!

If he only does really short naps at any p0oint in the future (say 30/45mins), do you tend to get him up and put back for a nap in say just an hour? or keep up normal times?

Thanks again

[amayzie]

I tended to keep the normal A times- especially after 6 months.. although you'll probably find they're not as sensitive to A time changes, they get less affected by OT. UT continues to be a pain though!

Try not to stress about the A times- i know it's hard, but you know now what you need to do. You might look at every 6 weeks or so adding 15 mins or so- but they vary.. I found up to about 7/8 months they really built up the morning A time till it was quite big, then once they start crawling they get more tired so need to nap earlier. I would suggest to just keep his A times as they are, then as soon as you get a nap refusal one day, stretch the next day's A times by 15 mins. This is your cue that it's not long enough. I also found that by 6 months or so you know your LO pretty well and if they're going to go down for a nap or fuss because they are UT. If that happens, don't fuss about trying to get them to settle, just get them up again, play some more- say  20 mins or something.. then go again. At least if they are over tired you can then have a chance of getting them to sleep. You will NEVER get an UT baby to settle! Not in my experience anyway!