Does anyone else not have a nap routine?

[Penguina]

Ds is 5 months and we pretty much have no day time routine. Some days he has 4 even 5 naps some 2 and a tiny one. I don't really try to have one either, I figure he knows what he wants and if he's tired he'lll sleep (only after boob of course...).

Should I have more of a routine?
When does having too many naps become a problem?

Majorly winging it over here.

[pipnchops]

This is what I did as I found having a routine made my days too inflexible as there were different things and different times that I wanted to do each day. So my DD just slept whenever we were in the car or on the my lap after a feed. It got difficult when I stopped breastfeeding at about 11 months though as it was pretty impossible to get her to nap unless in the car so days when we were at home all day were tough. She's 2 now and getting her to nap at home is a nightmare! I wonder if getting into a good nap routine from the start would have helped but I would have gone crazy staying at home all the time to make sure she had naps in her cot at certain times following a certain routine, so I did what worked for me at the time.

[Littleelffriend]

I don't have any daytime routine with my 6 month old. If she sleeps she sleeps. It doesn't seem to affect her sleeping at night.

[BastardBernie]

I did with my first and second but I haven't with my son this time.
He has a routine as far as bottle, new bum, play and sleep but not at set times.
I do think that this has caused his very short naps (20/30 minutes tops) but he's happy and has recently started sleeping 6.30-5.30 so I feel lucky.

[FifiFerusha]

My routine at that age was never entirely fixed but I found focusing on average awake times saw us through. Set times on a clock doesn't work that young. I think awake times for that age is about 90 minutes( google it though as I can't quite remember). So I followed this idea, looked for sleepy cues and did a pre nap routune( singing, lullabys, bf, then sleep) . If you miss the sleepy window they will just stay awake and OT. I never got more than 35 mins for each nap at 5 mo but it kept DS from OT. But don't worry too much. Once they cut naps, then nap longer, and you finally feel like your life isn't revolving around their sleep, a routine just happens. Good luck, there is no problem going with the flow as long as your little bundle gets the sleep they need x x

[FifiFerusha]

And bastardbernie, 6.30 until 5.30 is great, you are doing something right x x x x

[Mermaid36]

My twins are 7mths, 4mths corrected and we don't have specific nap times.

I know they will fall asleep around 9.30am, and at some point after 2pm, but that's about it.
We generally don't have a routine because we often have hospital appointments at one of three different hospitals for various things plus groups etc we go to. I'd be disrupting their routine 3 or 4 different days every week!

[FATEdestiny]

At 5 months old you can be as flexible and unstructured as you want to be.

By 15 months old you may start needing to structure in a lunchtime nap otherwise you may end up dealing with over tiredness. In order to develop a routine now it is easier if you have at least a loose structure to your day in the younger months.

By 25 months your day will be routined weather you like it or not. Toddlers need regular meal times. This in itself splits your day into three (morning, afternoon, evening) and in order to not affect night times, nap will need to fit into the afternoon slot.

By 35 months, if you are starting half day nursery then you'll find even more structure and routine to you day/week.

Should I have more of a routine?

You don't need to be mega rigid, but with an eye towards te future it will be worth having at least some structure. You'll be weaning soon, that naturally brings about structure and routine because of meal times.

When does having too many naps become a problem?

It's never a problem.

Avoiding naps too close to bedtime is a thing. But that's just common sense.

[Penguina]

Thanks

mermaid I think we were on the same ante natal group, june 16? I have name changed since.

[Ginseng1]

I used to have with my older two but this one sleeps when & where she wants. But she is just 16 weeks & will nod off on her playmat or bouncy chair for 20 mins at a time. I like to get hour walk in every day so do that early morn or around lunch & she'll nap then usually. I do find tho to feed well before bed she 'needs' 20mins around 4.30/5pm & that can b a struggle she might nod off herself but it's a busy house at that time so oftenhave to rock her in buggy to sleep. but am loving not being stuck to the house with her & being able to come n go & she's very good humoured loves playing on her playmat or bouncer so I can get stuff done so long as she happy it's working for me right now tho am thinking when she older & crawling/toddling I'll b glad of a 2hr nap in the cot for her & break for me!