Do you structure day time naps or just let LO do their own thing?

[Stefka]

At the moment I just leave him to it and he does something completly different every day. Just wondered what others have found to be successful - if you manage the naps (e.g. not letting them sleep too long at certain times etc) or if you find it better to just let them find their own pattern?

I never let DD1 be asleep less than 3 hours before bedtime. She had 2 naps a day of 1-1.5 hours each
DD2 sleeps less in general but at 16mo tends to conk out for the one nap of the day at 1pm, goes to bed at 8pm.

i think if you try and impose a routine they will eventually fall asleep at those times by themselves even when they are no longer bfed, or otherwise, to sleep.
Also, if the DDs werent asleep within half an hour i scrapped that nap and waited till next one.

Oh I forgot to ask about ages. My LO is only three months so I am thinking it's early days for structuring them in some way but was interested to see what other people do.

when tiny i tended to put my LOs to bed 1.5-2 hours after they woke up

before long it was 3 naps a day

by about 5 months it was 2 naps - the first starting about 9am and the next 12.30/1pmish

between 12 and 15 months they went to one nap, usually from 1pm-3pm

if you see a vague pattern then 3 mo is not too early to consolidate it...i think
Routine is the only thing that keeps me sane...mind you ive spent most of the day on MN while my 2 roam the house and they should have got their pyjamas on 15 mins ago...

If you have to do a school run, it is well worth guiding babes towards a nap time of 12.30-ish, so that there is time to b/f when they wake, before going off to school. Then lo is happy to look around and babble, and the older dc get some attention from mum.

If my dd misses this nap, or has to be woken and rushed through feed and departure, she whinges all the way and things tend to deteriorate with competing whines from the dc ....

Nothing wrong with routine if the purpose is to ANTICIPATE lo's needs. Just as valid as REACTING to their needs IMO, and perhaps of more benefit to the family as a whole. 'Routines' which ride rough-shod over lo's needs ...