Daytime napping

[LauraHigh]

Baby daughter - 12 weeks old. How important is what you do in respect of daytime napping? Should it be structured and in their own room? Will they get 'proper' sleep if they catnap throughout the day at different times downstairs with us or are we creating a bigger problem allowing this? Should we implement a sleep routine during the day as we have at night time (note - she sleeps brilliantly at night time after an evil 5pm-6pm screaming session most days)? I would love to hear your experiences. Thanks

I introduced regular naps around 3 months - after being awake for about an hour, DS would look tired (glazed eyes, looking away then grizzly then manic which meant too late usually) so I'd stick him in the sling or cuddle/rock to sleep. Didn't bother with sticking him in his cot or a routine. More following his signs but not keeping him awake too long.

As he got to 6 months and started on solids, having more structured naps worked better. By 9 months I put him down at the same time every day (well I'd rock him to sleep or feed) as trying to follow his tired signs didn't work. Now at 15 months we do the same - same time every day with a bit of flexibility.

At 3 months, make sure she doesn't nap too close to bedtime - DS needed to be asleep 2 hours after he woke from his last afternoon nap. Any longer he'd be overtired and wouldn't settle.

You can try to do a sleep routine during the day but they are still so young at this age and often clingy that it's not worth it! I preferred going for a long walk and DD would sleep then (and I would get good exercise).

Around 6 months or bit later even, it's easier to get them into a napping routine and this suits some babies (and Mummies!) very well.

I let my ds nap on a cushion on my lap until about 16 weeks (he only ever slept for max 30 mins) I now put him down for naps in his cot, it was not a problem to change at that stage. He now sleeps much longer, so I think I was probably disturbing him, plus it was light etc. I loved watching him wake up and smile at me, but I now get smiles when I collect him from his cot!

I started worrying about routine after their colic passed at 18 weeks. I started off by waking them up at the same time each day. By the time they were weaned at 6m they were more predictable.