what naps should a 3 month old have?

[GetDownYouWillFall]

My second baby so I really should know, but have completely forgotten and struggling to get a daytime routine.

I have to drop my older DD (4) at school at 9 and pick her up at 12. DS (3mths) always seems to be just dropping off to sleep when I have to scoop him up and go out to pick up DD.

He is also really easily woken by DD who can be quite loud round the house. If I try and put him in his cot in his room in the day he screams.

He just seems to snatch naps as and when but would really like to know how to get into a proper nap routine that works with my older DD as well.

The Gina Ford stuff just seems to assume you have no older children to worry about!

Erm, I just hope he naps on the school run and fudge the rest. I do know that an hour and a half awake is their limit.

Hi SoH we are obviously in tune with each other tonight

Thanks. I just have to be a bit laid back with the naps I suppose, but always end up feeling guilty. I feel sorry for the poor baby being lugged around all over the place and never getting a proper sleep!

I only have one DD and I'm struggling with nap times and routines! My DD is 11 weeks and I have to either feed her to sleep (and then hold her on my lap for her nap) or take her out in her pram or driving in the car! I will be interested to see the replies! She sleeps well in her cot at night but not at all in the day! She won't fuss but just lie there awake!

I try to not let her go more than 2 hours without a nap so aiming for 3 a day. I often have to pound the streets with the pram though to make it happen, obviously much harder for you with another DC.

A couple of books I have read suggest monitoring your baby for a week and noting their natural tired times by their body cues. Then try to establish naps round the times they seem to be getting tired.

My dd2 who is a little bit older (5 months) has three naps. One at 9am for about half an hour, another at 12 for an hour or so, and one at 4pm.

Pretty much the same as nevercan at 5 months too. But I had to work at him sleeping in his cot in the day. But he will now normally have one nap a day inthe cot...the other two will be in car or pram whilst shopping/running errands/visiting friends etc etc.

I'd be interested in any tips about encouraging naps, my DD is 3 months and only naps on me after a feed (but rarely longer than 20-30 minutes) or in a sling, won't nap in the pram (cries) or in the cot (lies there awake for a short time before crying). Any tips gratefully received!

There are various ways of teaching babies to self settle which you can google. It helps to put them for their naps in the same places each day. My little one always has a bit of a cry before falling asleep but I just stand over the cot and shush her until she drops off. It took about 5-10mins in the beginning and now is only a couple of shush and then she is sparko. Sometimes she wakes after 20 mins but I don't go straight to her if she cries or chats. I wait 5 mins or so and most of the time she goes back to sleep for longer..... Hope that helps.

Same as nevercan on the waking after a short time....normally 30 mins for ds, if I leave him for a minute to grumble (not really crying) he goes back to sleep. If he starts proper crying (big difference) I go to him and cuddle etc. You have to be quite confident that your Lo is not hungry, wet/dirty nappy or has wind for this to work. Also I try the cot for at least one nap a day. Make sure your Lo likes the place you're to leave them by making it as pleasurable as possible....ie read stories or sing lullabies there. I do my after bath routine in the nursery, massage and sing etc to him....he loves his room. Good luck.

thanks for the replies Glad to hear I'm not the only one struggling to get my baby to nap! Like scottygirl mine only seems to sleep for 20-30 mins at a stretch. Never seems to be long enough to get anything done! He needs picking up or he will scream. As soon as I pick him up he stops. Arrgh. I end up cramming all jobs like washing etc into the evenings by which time I am exhausted.

Will try and persevere with putting him in his cot for at least one nap a day. That way hopefully he will not be as disturbed by DD's noise and will maybe sleep a bit longer. It is quite restrictive though. I'm worried I will never be able to go out anywhere in the afternoon because of him needing his nap. DD is only at school in the mornings and she goes a bit crazy in the afternoon if we don't leave the house!

From birth, most recommend three naps a day - morning, lunch and afternoon. GF says lunchtime should be the longest as this is the last to go, normally aged 2-3. The morning one goes second and the afternoon one (usually) goes first.

My friend's LO who is a similar age sleeps around an hour from 9-10am, 2.5 hrs at 12ish and 30 minutes at around 4pm. But they are all different (how many times did I hear that in the first year! :) )

thanks loveisagirl that is really helpful. I've noticed my DS does usually go to sleep after I've dropped my DD at school, around 9:15 so I will try and stick with that for a nap. Also after lunch and a short afternoon one is a good thing to aim for.