How to drop from 4 naps to 3?

[helgaw99]

Hi
My 5 month old baby has got himself into a wrong napping routine that I am struggling to crack. We mix feed and this is how it works.
He wakes up at 7 am
BF
9.15am- nap for 45-60 mins
10ish- bottle 120mls
12pm- nap for 45-60 mins
1pm- bottle 150mls and some baby rice (just started yesterday)
2.30pm- nap for 1 hour
3.30-4pm BF
Bath, BF and bed by 7pm.
Dream feed at 11pm
Sleeps through with one feed.

I want him to drop the 12pm nap and have a longer sleep after lunch and maybe a short sleep later but have got myself into a right muddle. I have no idea how we will fit in proper food when it's time.
If I try and keep him awake until after lunch he gets very miserable, shows all signs of tiredness and eventually just falls asleep.
Anyone got any tips or suggestions?

What you need to do I crack the waking after an hour at his 12pm nap. I used to give lunch before this nap so I would:

A) not give the 10am bottle but delay lunch till 11am and give milk and rice then. Should be able to last 4 hours at 5 months?
B) put down to sleep at 12.30 and in conjunction cap the morning nap to 45 mins max with a view to cutting to 30 mins at 6 months old.

Giving lunch before nap should give him an energy boost to stop him nodding off at 12 or earlier.

The ideal would be a good long 2 hour nap until about 2.30 or 3 at the latest. If he can't last till bedtime toys you can give a short catnap at 4.30ish.

I used to give lunch at 11 for ages as it fitted with the nap really well. Eventually it moved to 12 as the lunchtime nap moved in a bit to 1pm.

Hope that all helps!

Thanks very much, very helpful. Do you suggest I try and draw out the 10am feed slowly, he starts shouting for it at about 1 minute past!

Bit confused - title says drop from 4 naps to 3 but the routine you describe is 3 already?

loveis and I have had very different nap experiences, so for what its worth I was forever trying to get the blasted naps longer not shorter. It was rare for DD to sleep longer than 45 mins, and I didn't get reliable >1hr til down to one nap. She still rarely sleeps more than 1hr 45. I was going to post because my DD went suddenly from 4 naps to 2 at 5.5 months, but actually I don't think you have 4 naps so that's not really of much help!

However, where loveis and I clearly have common experience is that you need to be prepared for an early lunch. DD is 17months and I often give her lunch at 11.30 - they eat at 11.45 at nursery. That said, I didn't really move lunch much earlier til she dropped to one nap. Just fit in some meals at times convenient to yourself to begin with and worry about the routine when they start taking reasonable amounts of solids about 8-9 months perhaps, by which time you'll be reducing milk anyway.

Agree with fifi that the 45 min nap issue is very common. It may be that you find yourself in the same boat and struggle to lengthen the naps. I do think moving lunch forward is worth a try as the 1hr waking may be linked to hunger if lunch is currently happening after that nap.

WRT moving the 10am feed to an 11am lunch, you could either offer water at 10am or alternatively offer half the milk feed at 10am and finish with solids and rest of milk at 11am. I have been known to give lunch as early as 10.45am and it really made a difference to my DD's energy levels and her ability to last a little longer until her nap.

Babies sleep cycles are 45 mins long and so at that time they are stirring and are easily disturbed /unable to resettle themselves. Teaching them good self soothing skills is the key to a longer nap time and clearly he can manage it as he does it at night. Good luck!