typical A time for 8 month old???

[allyson]

what is the average A time for an 8 month old? my DD is still taking 3 catnaps and I would like to consolidate to 2 naps a bit longer. I have tried exteding them, but it does not always work which makes me thing she is not that tired. we do an average of 2.5 hours of A time in the morning and 3 in the rest of the day. The other day I watched her for tired signs and she went 3.75 hours of A time and took a great nap of 1.5 so  it is making me think I need to adjust. what do you think?

[Meg's Mom]

Hi, the A times you mention (2.5 and 3) are for 6-8mos olds.  So it sounds like your LO could go a bit longer.  We dropped our catnap at about this age. 

Why don't you try extending A time gradually - 10-15 every couple days.

On 2 naps the ideal schedule would be:

7am wake
9.30/10am-11.30 nap 1
2pm-3.30 or 4.00 nap 2
7pm bed

Hope that helps.

[LeslieG]

Are you having trouble getting your LO down for a nap? This is what I am struggling with right now. She rubs her eyes and yawns but when I take her upstairs she does not want to go down during the day.  I can usually get her down after a bit but I don't know if maybe she isn't ready to sleep yet or she is over tired. This usually happens after about 2.25 or 2.5 hours of awake time.  Should I try 3 hours?  The morning nap is usually the worst.

Leslie

[allyson]

she goes down easily, but only sleeps for 30-40 minutes. I would extend her A time if she is struggeling going down. My dd did that also when she wanted to be awake for longer times. really watch her though. once you see a yawn bring her up. usually when they wipe their eyes they are overtired. my dd is doing 3 hours A time in morning and 3-3.5 in afternoon. I think my dd is just not a huge napper. she sleeps great at night though so I cannot complain. usually 12-13 hours at night.

[Meg's Mom]

IF you wanted longer naps, you could try shaving some of that night sleep back.

Their sleep must be thought of as a total - day + night = the total they will sleep.

Let me know if you want me to expand.

[teezee]

just a bit that seemed to help my lo take naps - i used to rock and sing to her as part of her sleep routine and now when i start to she starts to grunt with her eyes closed, then if i don't put her in her crib immediately with her teddy bear near she will throw a fit and be wide awake and refuse her nap...now if i don't try and rock and sing to her and try to put her directly in the crib she will not go down either so i am always pretty much taking her lead when she's had enough she lets me know and goes about doing her own thing.  hope it helps someone out there.

[allyson]

I know she sleeps a lot at night. Lat night was 12 hours. But yesterday she took 2 naps and her last nap ended at 2:25 and was an hour long, which I am happy with. So by 6:30 she was exhausted. soI had to put her down. so she slept until 6:20 am. I don't mind if she slept most at night, so I guess I have to take this into consideration.