2-3-4 nap rule (long)

Kebert618 · December 2013

Well I've already posted like 30 times today...what's one more!

So since I'm going crazy with the lack of naps and nighttime sleeping, I'm obsessively googling for some sort of answer.
I keep coming across the 2-3-4 nap rule, which is recommended to start somewhere between 3-5 months. Layla just turned 4 months- perfect! Right? ;o)

Has anyone followed this? Is it really that amazing? All of the posts I'm reading say how amazing and life changing this is!
For those that haven't heard of this...after waking for the day, LO is awake for 2 hours, naps, then awake for 3 hours, naps, awake for 4 hours, then down for bed.

I've always tried following Layla's sleep cues and putting her down after being awake for 1.5 hours, but she always fights it and we spend 2 hours trying to get her down because she's wide awake. Now it makes me wonder if she's just one of those babies that doesn't need as much sleep? Or am I completely crazy for thinking that?? I know every baby is different...thoughts? Have you tried the 2-3-4 rule? I'm kind of at the point where it won't hurt to try!

Cocolamo1 · December 2013

Hmmm... I know my baby would be miserable if he were awake for 4 hours at this age. It might be worth a shot!

Revez · December 2013

If my LO doesn't want to nap... There is no getting her to nap. I'd love for this to be our day though.

thoughtfulmommy · December 2013

I was doing the same as you and not letting him go past an hour fifteen. I found myself rocking him for ever. He seemed wide awake. This week I tried pushing his naps a little later. He woke up at 7:00 so I got him ready for his first nap at 9:00 (instead of 8:15) and he went straight to sleep. I continued to put him down two hours from when he last woke up. He went down quickly each time. He slept for approximately 45 mins (his usual naps before were between 30-45, so pretty much the same).

I thought that my LO needed to be put down before he got overtired but I think he was always too awake. I don't think he could last four hours but maybe one day you should try 2-2-2?

Texasmomma13 · December 2013

This is close to Savannah's natural schedul She is up for 2 naps for 30-45mins. Up for another 2, naps 2-3hrs. Up for 4,another power nap. Up for two then down for the night.

AACaHa13 · December 2013

I havent tried that one. I read on troublesome tots that at 4 months baby shouldn't be awake longer than 2 hours at a time and should have 3-4 naps a day. I noticed the same thing as you, when I tried to force his naps, they were obviously too soon. I started to let him stay awake longer and he would fall asleep easier. Maybe try starting the 2 hour routine before doing the 3 or 4...she could end up really overtired which would probably end up with her being even more difficult to put down.

Caz1221 · December 2013

My LO only follows the "rule" of not being awake more than 1.5-2 hours for her morning nap. After that, I find that it takes forever to get her to nap if I try to strictly follow this rule of awake time. Instead, I just follow her cues without worrying about the clock. She had one day when she took her usual morning nap but then did not sleep for the rest of the day until she went down for bed. She was happy and alert the whole time. Today, she got up from her morning nap at 11 and then was awake until she fell asleep in the Ergo around 3.

katharine25 · December 2013

We kinda do this, it's more like a 1.5-2-3-2 for us though. It also doesn't help that his naps max out at 45 minutes. But once I heard about the 2-3-4 I started paying more attention and found our own timeline to follow -which is great since he rarely wakes up at the same time.

Kebert618 · December 2013

Thanks ladies. I thought 4 hours seemed long...even though LO has gone 4 hours many times against everything we tried.

@katies7- thanks for waking me up a bit. Layla is my first and I'm trying to do the very best for her- and lately I feel like I'm failing because we've had some rough weeks lately in the sleep department. I know every baby has struggles with something. Layla is great with nursing, happy (even on little sleep!), and very healthy. Sleep just isn't her strong suit lately.
I know she needs consistency and a predictable routine- but it's hard to stick with something when I feel like its not working. I do need to just relax- DH reminds me of that often!
Thanks for the pep talk! ;o)

LJUTCMommy · December 2013

4 hours sounds like an eternity for babies this small. I try not to let DD ever go past 2 hours. However, she has been staying up longer in the early evening, like 3 hours. I'm just now wondering if this is because I've gone back to work. Maybe she wants more awake time with Mommy.

It us hard work getting her down for naps, but like @katies7 said it won't be this way forever. My baby fell asleep on me while I was doing NFL-training camp-style-exercises and turning on the vacuum and giving her a pacifier and swaddled. Sleep is tough!

tts432462 · December 2013

@KatieS7 that is the best advice I've heard for a new mom. I wish someone would have told me this. OP please know you aren't the only one going through this. It can feel kind of isolating at times, but I promise you we are all experiencing some kind of sleep issue. I had no idea that sleep would be so hard with a baby. I just figured if they were tired they would sleep. HA! I was an idiot!

zora51 · December 2013

I don't really understand putting your baby for a nap if they're not showing signs of being tired.... awake times can vary. My LO is 3 1/2 mths and easily does 3 hrs awake, but normally is around 2. But I never TRY it..I watch his 'tired' cues for naps. If he doesnt show any, i dont try to put him down for one. I believe at this age I shouldn't force a nap schedule on him as his needs may change frequently. This relieves any grief or frustration spending hours trying if he's not ready. So honestly I wouldn't follow the 2-3-4 or any strict philosophy.

BabyE143 · December 2013

Sounds like LO's usual schedule (something we sort of fell into). This week she got her 4m shots and that schedule is non existent at the moment.

sfeebs13 · December 2013

I wait for her nap cues. I know and am learning more of them.

Occasionally at night when I'm trying to get housework done and dinner she ends up getting over tired and being new to FF it's been taking a little minute to get her to sleep, but once she does she does well.

Kebert618 · December 2013

KatieS7 said:
@Kebert618 YGPM

Thanks! Back at ya, @Katies7

Soleil3 · December 2013

I don't really understand putting your baby for a nap if they're not showing signs of being tired.... awake times can vary. My LO is 3 1/2 mths and easily does 3 hrs awake, but normally is around 2. But I never TRY it..I watch his 'tired' cues for naps. If he doesnt show any, i dont try to put him down for one. I believe at this age I shouldn't force a nap schedule on him as his needs may change frequently. This relieves any grief or frustration spending hours trying if he's not ready. So honestly I wouldn't follow the 2-3-4 or any strict philosophy.

Sometimes by the time they are showing the obvious sleepy cues, its too late and they fight it. OP I'd say Little dude is on the 2 3 4 schedule by his own doing, but Ive never heard of it until now. Its mostly looking for those really subtle cues and not so much the yawning or fussing.

thoughtfulmommy · December 2013

Soleil3 said:

zora51 said:
I don't really understand putting your baby for a nap if they're not showing signs of being tired.... awake times can vary. My LO is 3 1/2 mths and easily does 3 hrs awake, but normally is around 2. But I never TRY it..I watch his 'tired' cues for naps. If he doesnt show any, i dont try to put him down for one. I believe at this age I shouldn't force a nap schedule on him as his needs may change frequently. This relieves any grief or frustration spending hours trying if he's not ready. So honestly I wouldn't follow the 2-3-4 or any strict philosophy.
Sometimes by the time they are showing the obvious sleepy cues, its too late and they fight it.
OP I'd say Little dude is on the 2 3 4 schedule by his own doing, but Ive never heard of it until now. Its mostly looking for those really subtle cues and not so much the yawning or fussing.

Exactly. I think the hardest part about nap time is watching out for the subtle cues. You might miss the first yawn and by the second one, LO might be getting overtired.

kanned0121 · December 2013

lisarene77 said:
This is close to Savannah's natural schedul She is up for 2 naps for 30-45mins. Up for another 2, naps 2-3hrs. Up for 4,another power nap. Up for two then down for the night.

Jealous!! K is an awful mapper, even when he's completely exhausted.

mommabmb · December 2013

My LO is awake for 4+ hours all the time. Without a meltdown. But- he also STTN for 9 hours uninterrupted and has never been a good napper. He takes one 20 min nap in the morning, one hour nap around lunch, and a 20 min nap around dinner. He put himself on that schedule and he seems happy.

Do what's right for your LO.... I felt bad thinking he wasn't getting enough sleep, but if LO is happy and you're happy, forget about what you're "supposed to do".

sftbllstr87 · December 2013

I follow LOs cues and let him nap or be awake for however long he wants. I totally understand how sleep deprivation makes you want to try any and everything! It'll get better

henderson1026 · December 2013

I'm not a fan of rules for babies. Adults aren't textbook, I don't know why people write books and articles trying to act like babies are programmable robots.

Lexi is a cat napper and sleeps long stretches at night. I doubt she will ever fit the 2-3-4 rule.

2-3-4 nap rule (long)

Re: 2-3-4 nap rule (long)

Choose Another Board

Search Boards