Is there anything wrong with 3 naps a day?

[sweetjane]

Help please! Ds is almost 6months and typically has 3 naps a day, one in the morning about 2 hrs after he wakes, one at around lunchtime and one in the afternoon. He typically sleeps about 45mins to 1hr each time, depending on what we're doing but I don't let him sleep past 5pm. He always settles well at bedtime around 7:30pm.

MIL says I should be getting him to take 2 naps rather than 3, would this be better and any suggestions on timings? I know the CLB thing is to get them to sleep between 12 and 2 but there's no way he could manage from then until bedtime. Also I don't get how people manage with getting out and about if their dc are asleep for a 2 hour stretch each day?!

if it works for you then stick with it.

Mine were up about 7 - slept from 9-11ish, then again from 2-4ish, and bed by 6.30-7.

But really if it aint broke don't fix it.

Mine had 3 naps a day from about 4 months, then at about 6 months this dropped down to 2, and down to 1 at 12 months. All approximate ages. You will know when he needs to drop the late afternoon nap when he is not ready for bed. Until then as long as he and you are happy, I would go with it.

I have 3 naps a day, it doesn't do me any harm......

dd1 has 3 naps - she did a Gina Ford-esque 45 mins morning at around 9ish, 2 hours at midday and about 30 mins at 4pm

then just went to one long 3 hours at midday - gosh that was bliss, 3 loooooong hours

she did get quite grumpy towards betime iirc, but a bath used to bring her round slightly

dd2 didn't have any routine whatsoever

swetjane, as everyone says really, i'd just roll with it. your lo knows how much sleep he needs and if he's going off to bed ok at night time, no problemo!
dd has always determined how many naps and for how long herself. shes now cut down to 2, but i have a feeling shes on the verge of cutting down to 1! boo hoo!!!!

ooops sorry, sweetjane

I would leave well alone if it is working for you. He will naturally drop to less naps when he is around 8 - 9 mths old imho

my ds was the same until about 7.5 months when he naturally dropped the last nap. now has 1.5 hrs (now!) and half hour in the afternoon. let him set the pace, not anyone else!

My ds is same age sweetjane, and nearly always has 3 naps a day. Only exception is if he's had a particularly long one in early afternoon.

My hv says just be grateful for the peace!

Both my two had sleep around 9ish for 1 hour, then 12.30-2.30 then 4-5 in bed for 7/8

3 naps gives you so much time to do little things around the house/put feet up and enjoy a cuppa

Go with what feels best for you, the later nap will drop first I should guess at (did for me)

If I was going out I went with the flow if they needed a sleep in pushchair it will not hurt them!!!

My dd now 2yr9m still sleeps 12.30pm-3 most days when at home, but as my job is a childminder I tend to have 3 asleep during this time so we do all are going out things in the morning toddlers/crafts/bitty shopping if needed/visits ect.

HTHx

I have been loosely following the CLB routine myself, and at 6 months dd is sleeping EXACTLY the same as yours!!! I honestly haven't given it any thought - she's happy, i'm happy, she's sleeping through the night...why worry? It's a guide not the ten commandments remember

as others have said - if it works....
my ds2 has (at 17m) only in the last couple of months started having a proper nap at all - and he will probably drop it within 6mo. When he was 6mo I might well have KILLED for 3 naps a day!
Don't let others talk you out of something that works well for you.

My DS had 3 naps a day (one morning, one early afternoon and one around 4.30 - all around 1 hour) until he was about 9 months old - he dropped the later one and now has 2 longer ones (can be upto 2 hours) in the morning and mid-afternoon.

They will sleep when they need to so ignore your MIL - if I listened to mine, DS would have had rusks in his bottle at 1 week old!