Napping all day
Katie31759
member
I haven't posted on here before but I need some advice. My LO is 3 months old and he was taking 3 naps a day and then sleeping a 5-6 hour stretch at night till about a month ago. Then he started waking up every 2 1/2 hours at night or so and taking a long nap in the morning, one time 6 hours! So we decided to wake him up after 3 and see how that worked. He seemed less cranky for a bit. Well the past couple days he's been sleeping that 4-5 hour stretch at night but was impossssible to get down for his 2nd nap, so we decided to let him just sleep yesterday and he slept 5 1/2 hours. He seemed better for a while, but only took a short evening nap and was screaming when we were trying to put him down because he seemed over tired. Do you think we should let him sleep when he wants or wake him up after a few hours? I have no idea what's best for him! Thanks so much!
Re: Napping all day
We were/are of the philosophy to let baby "drive" and wake or sleep as desired (we would gage based on his sleepy cues), with some extra encouragement to go to sleep when we are asleep (nursing in the dark, shushing, if nothing else--giving him a quiet toy to play with in the cosleeper while we slept, etc.) DS took about 5 naps a day only settled into night-time sleep mode until 10-11 until he was a year. (hence how he could fit in 5 naps) After that, he moved himself to a routine of two naps before 5PM and nighttime sleep around 7:30. But, our family and work dynamic allows us extreme flexibility and we have no problem with him not STTN. He woke every 2 hours at night from 7-12 months to nurse. I would latch him and then sleep through the rest, so it didn't really phase me. That doesn't work for some families.
Our way was very free-form, but DS couldn't be a happier guy. I think that is another way to look at it--if your child is miserable (day or night), then address it. But, if your child is thriving even if your way may be outside of cultural norms or a certain method (be it AP or far from it), then heed that. I am a firm believer that--barring some sort of health condition--babies' natures are smarter than parent's methods and they are driven to eat, sleep, wake, etc. based on their unique needs that day, week, season, etc. Now, the reality is that sometimes life doesn't allow us the flexibility to heed that. But, if you can, great!
So, my best advice is a) follow your intuition b) address things only if they are actually causing problems c) don't be afraid to change your methods. You'll find something that works then baby will change. Or, something will fail but then baby will change and that thing may now actually work.
It sounds like you are already on that track, just hitting a road bump with the over-tiredness. Also, your baby is still very young. My way may not be a fit for many families with, say, a 10-month old, but your baby is still super young. Before you know it, the 4-month wakeful may be here!
More Green For Less Green
Things tend to go haywire at 4 months. Then after that, they settle a bit, but aby sleep is anything but a linear path, IMO. Here are some helpful things to read...
https://kellymom.com/parenting/nighttime/4mo-sleep/
https://kellymom.com/parenting/nighttime/sleep/
https://kellymom.com/parenting/nighttime/sleepstudies/
I work full-time, so I hear you on the up-at-night being hard! Though I don't find it problematic or concerning, I do recognize that it makes it that much harder. Luckily, my job is rather flexible, so whileI can't really get a nap in, I only have to get up early 2 days a week. DS tends to wake up at about 6-6:30 so DH gets up with him and I get some solid sleep until 7:30 or 8.
More Green For Less Green