How do you fit naps around baby groups at differing times?

[Sarahlou8]

Hi,

My baby is almost 5 months old and over the last couple of months have been going to several baby groups (massage, yoga, swimming etc) and had a lovely time.

At the weekend when there's no school runs or outings to consider, she will normally nap at around 10am, 1pm and 4pm - we read her cues and she sleeps when she is ready.
But in the week I find it really difficult as I'm trying to engineer her naps so that she is awake for her groups, and because they are all at different times, we can't seem to form a routine.

Just as an example, on Mondays massage starts at 10am so I have to encourage a nap at 9am as I know she can't last until 11 when it finishes.
But on Tuesdays Yoga starts at 12 so a 9am nap would mean she's tired by 12pm so I have to stretch it out so she sleeps at 10ish.

Afternoons are even harder!

I really don't want to have to give up our groups as we both enjoy them and it gets us out of the house,but I worry that maybe she's getting to the age where she needs a bit of routine as she doesn't sleep particularly well at night. just wondering really what others do?

I was led by our ds's and the groups fitted around them.

In the groups I met parents with similar aged children so we often missed the group but met at a different time when the dc were awake and able to enjoy it.

I was a strict mummy and we had a routine from early on, it meant we didn't do some groups / activities as they clashed with naps / mealtimes. But at least it meant they were well rested and fed for the groups we did go to. I like routine .

same as Iwish, as are most of my friends. I found as DS got older (now 17 months) I became less bothered about going to specific groups. As long as we got to meet up with other mums and babies I wasn't too fussed whether this was at a formal group or not.

I know, though, that I'm quite uptight about naps as it took DS quite a long time to sleep through the night, so it's really important to me that he can sleep when he wants to.

I was pondering this the other day, DD is now coming up to 7 months and we go to something virtually every day. I have found I can get her to nap in the car on the way to things (or pram if I can walk it) and also sometimes have to help her to sleep rocked on my shoulder or fed to sleep at some of the groups (not the activity ones though of course).

I am pretty sure I am obsessed with sleep (night time and nap time) and she is still not very good at it!

With my NCT group, we struggled to find times to suit everyone until we agreed to have a less formal agreement and stop going to each others' houses.

We used to take DD to swimming classes, but as she progressed through the stages, they started to clash with her lunch and nap times, and then we had to stop because she was impossible.

I also remember a few massage classes which were a complete waste of time/money as DD slept or was grouchy through lack of sleep.

Yes hopefully in a few months time I'll be able to make arrangements with friends I've met so far that fit in better with naps/mealtimes, it's just for now (we've only really started getting out and about since Christmas) I know I've really got to make the effort to meet as many new Mums as possible as none of my friends have babies.

Jointhedots - yes, we're at something every day, for the informal mother/baby groups it doesn't matter if she sleeps or needs feeding, but at massage/swimming etc, when I've committed myself (and paid!!) she needs to have slept to enjoy it!