You know how they say "Sleep when baby sleeps"

little_mrs · January 2010

I'm guessing this is not an option for those of us with 2under2? If you already have your 2, how did this play out in the early days? TIA

howleyshell · January 2010

You're correct. At least in the beginning.

I will say that when I finally got their naps to line up together it was sooooo much better!

Mama Jan · January 2010

My boys do take an afternoon nap at the same time. Sometimes I get a good 2 hours out of them both asleep together. I don't nap, but it's definitely an option!!

They've been on this schedule since DS2 was just a couple months old. Before that? If I needed to nap, I napped when DS1 was napping and just let DS2 sleep on my chest.

bim38106 · January 2010

ditto pps. Also, those first few weeks we had my mom stay with us and help out with DD1. That was HUGE! We would sleep "in" until 9:30 and somehow that was enough for us to feel well rested.

After my mom left, I often coslept w/ DD2 on an air mattress in the nursery. That way at least DH got a good night's sleep. He would get DD to fall asleep (fussy time at night!) and I would sleep from 11-1 or 2am. Then I'd move to the nursery w/ DD and take care of all the feedings (BF anyway). DH would get up w/ DD1 in the morning (and any night wakings, which happen at least 2xs a week) and I would sleep w/ DD2 until she was up for the day around 9. We both felt pretty well rested, considering, with this set up. It really wasn't so bad

emas · January 2010

My 2nd was on an eating/sleeping schedule by about 3 weeks, and it worked out pretty well to have about 45 mins of nap overlap in the afternoon. Other than that, there really isn't a chance. However, I did find that it was a little easier to be sleep-deprived the second time around.

eaglesfan700 · January 2010

I could never do the whole "nap when the baby naps" thing - I would end up feeling groggy and more tired.

However, I could have if I wanted to. DS has always taken a decent 2.5 - 3 hour nap in the afternoon and DD seemed to nurse and then sleep for 2-3 hours in the beginning so there was usually a good overlap. She worked herself into a pattern relatively quickly

Cyrbia · January 2010

It's do-able if your first born always naps at the same time. You just need to learn how long the baby stays awake for before needing to sleep and then time their feeding accordingly before your first born's nap time...does that make sense?

AND, like pp's have said, you can always lay down with the baby when your other child is napping. If I didn't do this, I think I might have died from exhaustion. I had/have very little help and DS has TONS of energy.

Jerseygirl16 · January 2010

When I was having my second DD and DD #1 was 21 months old it wasn't so bad. I would nurse #2 right after I put #1 down for her afternoon nap and then put her down too. That usually at least got me an hour or two of sleep in the afternoon which helped.

My problem now is that #1 no longer naps and #3 is due soon. I am planning to put #2 down for her afternoon nap and bring #1 and #3 in with me to my bedroom. I'll keep it dark and nurse #3 to sleep while #1 watches a kid movie in our bed and then I should be able to grab at least a little sleep. I've done this before with #1 on days when I'm super tired and it usually lets me get an hour of sleep.

HarrietNJMommy · January 2010

Everyone else is MUCH luckier than I have been. When DD#2 was born, I was able to get both girls down for a nap in the afternoon at almost the same time. But that ONLY lasted for 6 months. DD#1 STOPPED napping completely when she turned 2 (6 months after DD#2 was born).

When DS, was born, DD#2 was 19 months. She stopped napping the next month (when she was 20 months).

So, for me, there was NO napping when the baby naps!

jnksmom · January 2010

I would sleep with DD during DS's nap if I felt like I needed a nap that day...I did most day the 1st 3 months because DD had colic so the nights were awful. When DD was about 6 months old they started napping at the same time in the afternoon which was great. I could nap if I wanted and I did/still do sometimes but most of the time I use that time to get stuff done.

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