Should a 3 month old have a routine?

[Natale28]

My DS has just turned 3 months. He feeds every 3 hours during the day and settles reasonably well around 7.30 pm ish each evening. I usually feed him a few ounces at 10.30 pm and he normally sleeps til 5 or 5.30 am. We have absolutely no routine for day time naps at the moment and i basically put him down when he seems tired and he sleeps for different amounts of time each day ranging between 45 mins to 1.5 hours.

Should i have a more rigid routine or is he too young for that? Lots of people keep telling me how he should have 3 solid naps a day of 1.5-2 hours each!

Just to clarify he sleeps 45 mins to 1.5 hours per nap not per day!

He sounds like he is doing fine working his own routine out. If you are happy that he is getting enough sleep (sounds like he is) then id say leave him to it.

What you're doing sounds ok. Is your baby pretty happy when he is awake? Not overtired and cranky? Then, I wouldn't worry. He sounds like he's in a marvellous routine of his own already.

Yes he is pretty happy most of the time, sometimes a bit cranky by late afternoon. He never naps for over 1.5 hours anymore which friends of mine seem to think is strange for his age but I think most days he gets enough sleep. Thanks for the reassurance!

DS is 11 weeks and his feeding pattern is very similar to yours - he BFs roughly every 3 hours. He has naturally developed a napping pattern - between 9-9:30, around lunchtime and then afternoon at about 3:30 - usually between half hour and 45 mins each. He seems happy and content.

We just try to be flexible with it - if he sleeps for an hour we let him and if he needs feeding more frequently I feed him! The feeding and sleeping pattern is what he has naturally fallen into and is what he needs for now - I'm not relying on it as it will probably change soon as he develops!

DS is cranky in the afternoon too... I'm trying to see it as a positive - that he knows its time for bed soon and he is learning the difference between nighttime sleep and napping sleep!!