Q for those who don't have set nap schedules

spunkyprincessmande

I don't have specific times of the day that I put Micah down for his nap, but he is pretty consistent with being tried after being up for about 2 hours.  My question is when you say you let him sleep when he's tired and be awake when he's not, do you mean he doesn't nap at the same time every day or he sleeps literally whenever he falls asleep (i.e. he's playing in his jumper and falls asleep so he must be tired...put him in bed)?

My LO is so alert that he pretty much forces him to stay awake.  When he's tired we have to "help" him fall asleep (i.e. bring him to his room/feed him/rock him, whatever).  He has never been one to just fall asleep in our arms while we're holding him or anything like that so I'm just curious about other babies.

Doodle2011

Prior to her starting daycare at the end of March, we had no set nap schedule for her, and she would fall asleep wherever (swing, bouncy, Ergo, in the car).  If we tried to move her to her crib she would wake up.  Most naps were actually with me in our bed, as I was home with her and would enjoy the nap as much as she did!  Now that she's in daycare she will allow us to put her down in her crib for a nap, but I wait until I am sure she is ready (rubbing eyes, fussing).  Perhaps waiting too long for the tired signs, but it works for us.  She's not much of a napper without me laying down with her anyway, but she sleeps well at night (still up for several quick feedings but back down and out within 5 minutes).

KerryHS

My LO is very set on when he eats, but not when he naps.  He always needs help settling (he is 3 months old now).  We still swaddle him and bounce him in our arms for a few minutes.  He is usually pretty easy to get down (less than 10 minutes), but he doesn't sleep long - usally just about 30 minutes.  Then I keep running in and out to give him a pacifier for another 20 minutes to try to get him to sleep longer.  He usually starts being tired after about 90 minutes of being awake.  I don't let him just go until he drops because I don't think he ever would stop.  I am hoping this short nap phase will end soon because I feel like I spend a lot of the day trying to get him to sleep.  I woudl love a nap schedule, but from what I have read you can't really do sleep training until about 6 months....

PunkyBooster

I watch for cues- eye rubbing and loss of interest in what we're doing are the big ones. I take him to his room, rock, nurse, and put him down. The times vary depending on the day but generally he does one short morning nap and a longer afternoon nap!

My LO does not drop anywhere- he is very, very particular about his routine and sleeping in his crib. 

HTH!

BlindysWife

Linus doesn't nap at the same time every day, but like your son, if he's been awake for two hours, he's probably getting sleepy. Occasionally, he'll fall asleep in his bouncy seat or while lying on the floor. But most of the time, when I see that he's getting tired I have to hold/bounch/walk him to sleep. If I let him be on his own and he gets too tired without falling asleep, he becomes ultra cranky.

Lately, he's been a lot harder to put to sleep, even when he's tired, and its making me bonkers!

MrsSeli

Sophie has never once ever just fallen asleep while playing or being held.  She needs to be "put to bed", so when I say she sleeps when she's tired I mean I put her to bed when she starts acting tired.  

JoannaJes

MrsSeli:

Sophie has never once ever just fallen asleep while playing or being held.  She needs to be "put to bed", so when I say she sleeps when she's tired I mean I put her to bed when she starts acting tired.  

This is the same for both of my kids as babies. Once DD starts yawning, getting glassy-eyed, or rubbing her face into me, I know she's tired. So she has a bottle in her room, I put the white noise on, and put on her seahorse, and she falls asleep. I sometimes rock her a little as well.

KerryHS

I feel your pain.  My LO is suddenly a lot harder to put down too even when he is CLEARLY tired.  Very frustrating.  I am hoping it is the 4 month wakefuls that people are posting about and that it will soon pass.  Good luck to you

 

KristySnyder

I go by DS if he starts rubbing his eyes and slowing down when playing. I will rock him in my arms/feed him or just lay him in his crib and let him fall sleep. I am not sure if daycare has set times. But I have noticed he is usually tired around the same time everyday...9-10:30 12:30-1:30 and 4-5:30 Between those times is when he falls asleep. Naps last anywhere from 15 mins. to 2.5 hours!!!! Then a agian there are days where he won't nap at all or only take one or two naps...Its all good regardless of when and how long he still sleeps for a good 6 hours or more at night

laurapalmer

DS is a bit younger but I go by the clock too. He's usually ready to go down after an hour and 20 minutes but you'd never know it by looking at him. I have to bring him to his room (darkened) and rock him to sleep. If I wait for tired cues it takes longer and it's much harder to get him down. If I wait for him to fall asleep on his own he'll be up at least half the day with no naps and get super cranky.

freeatlast2014

MrsSeli:

Sophie has never once ever just fallen asleep while playing or being held.  She needs to be "put to bed", so when I say she sleeps when she's tired I mean I put her to bed when she starts acting tired.  

This! But sometimes I have to fight and fight and fight to get him to fall asleep. I agree w/PP about it feeling like I spend most of my day some days trying to get him to nap!

mommy2alyssa

DD's never fallen asleep while playing. I wait until she's just starting to get tired (starts losing interest in playing) and take her to her room and rock her to sleep. I've found that if I wait until she yawns or starts rubbing her eyes I've waited too long and it's awful trying to get her to sleep. Sometimes she'll be up for 1 1/2 hours, other times it'll be 20 mins.

cloverhrt

Our daughter is not on a nap schedule.  She is the same, gets tired after 2-3 hrs of being awake.  If I notice her yawning or rubbing her eyes I will put her in her swing.  She may cry for a few min (if longer, I turn on the vacuum) and then she's asleep.  She'll sleep anywhere from 30 min to 2 hrs.  The only thing I make sure of is that she doesn't go down for her last nap any later that 4:30.  Otherwise she fights going to bed at 8.  She has been sleeping through the night for the past 2 months (8pm-6am) so it works for us.  But as you know all babies are different.  Some do better with schedule's.

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