We have a 3-year-old who goes to preschool a few mornings a week and a nursing, 7-month-old who naps 2-3 times a day. As with many families, our schedule revolves around big brother's activities and our baby girl gets schlepped around quite a bit. Thankfully she is a flexible, content baby. However, one thing I've noticed is that on the days we have nothing going on, she takes a few solid, long naps. On the other hand, days I'm in and out of the house, naps often get interrupted. For those moms who have or are going through this currently, how have you brought a little more consistency to your baby's daytime routine? And during this season, other than preschool and any other activities you weren't willing to cut out, did you schedule playdates or errands that would potentially interfere with baby's naps? Do I just accept that this is what it is until baby is down to one nap and hang out at home for awhile? I do feel our time at home and away from home is fairly well balanced. However, I'm wondering if it would be a good idea to schedule our day around baby's naps on low keys days until I'm sensing we could change things up again? Just curious how other families do this. :)
Do what works for you.
I tried to be home for one afternoon nap every day -- some days it worked and some days it just didn't. My youngest was and is more easy going than the oldest...
YMMV
LBC
Babies will take what they need. If they need a nap they will take a nap. My younger two were pretty much raised in a car, they slept in the car, ate, whatever. Their older sister played competitive soccer so pretty much we were never home.
They turned out fine so if you can't tell I changed nothing to accommodate a nap or whatever. Had no choice really, you can't be late if you have the goalie, ya know?
my babies napped when they were tired. and since our world was bigger than our house, that meant they often napped in car seats, on blankets, in backpacks, in strollers, in tack rooms.
i don't get scheduling life around naps.
khairete
S.
My older son was in preschool when I had our youngest son. My husband worked out of state, so it was up to me to do everything around the house including taking my older son to preschool. I had to work around my youngest son's nap times simply because he is a very high maintenance child, constantly whining and fussing. Nap time was my time to get the major things done and to relax! I really feel that this depends on the child. Some kids are more easygoing. They can sleep anywhere...cars, strollers, etc. I don't think that naps should be strictly at a certain time or place. My oldest son for instance, didn't have a set schedule like my youngest. As long as you and your baby are happy, I see no reason why you cannot continue your routine. If mama and baby are happy....that's all that matters:)
I have 3 kids - a 4 yo a 5 yo and a 1 yo. My 1 yo takes 2 naps. One is in the morning, usually a 2 1/2 hour. The 2nd is in the afternoon, a 1 hour.
My big kids are in school till 2:45, so the morning nap is kept sacred. On the weekends, generally we keep that one too. If we're going somewhere like into the city or something where we cannot wait till noon to leave, then we just go about our business and he'll nap sporadically, as best he can. (which is not too well). He's a little peach thank god!
The 2nd nap, I don't worry about it if we're not home. It'll happen
For the most part, I try and respect baby's first nap of the day. I also work from home so that's how I work M-F! So I need it!
(Plus he really needs it, he gets very tired otherwise).
If she's a content baby then it sounds like what you're doing is fine! She's "catching up" on her sleep on those days that you are home, nothing wrong with that.
I was never one to be chained to a nap schedule. My kids often slept in the car, the sling, the backpack, the stroller, where ever. I was NOT good at staying home all day, and I think your "schedule" sounds very well balanced :)
We never worked around my son's nap schedule when he was an infant. I am not actually sure he had a nap schedule. He slept when he was tired - on the floor, in the car, in the stroller, being held. His schedule went pretty much - wake screaming in hunger, eat, play, sleep, repeat q 3-4 hours. I am fairly sure he took more than 2-3 naps a day but it could have varied from day to day. When he was a bit older (maybe 1-1/2 - 2-1/2) and down to one afternoon nap, he was much less able to sleep anywhere and we did work our schedule around his nap for a while.
I have a 4 year old & a 1 year old. Yes when the new baby came, we had to work around the naps. It was much easier that way. I would feel bad having to stay home if the baby had to sleep and I know the youngest would get bored at home. I feel that after you have a 2nd or 3rd, you just work around it. You seem to be doing a really good job and having such a content baby makes it so much easier,
I think it depends on how the child reacts to having naps interrupted. My son would be a monster if his nap was interrupted, so cranky it wasn't worth it, he really needed is sleep. My daughter would smile at me if she was woken early and fall right back to sleep once in the car etc. So I would say it is really up to how your child reacts to it. Good luck!!
I have a 13 month old and I schedule our lives around his naps. #2 is on the way though and I'm wondering how it'll go protecting naps for everyone. You need to ask yourself if your child's nap is more important than your other child's activity. Personally, naps reign above all here. Only one day a week do I delay his nap for an hour long ECFE class. If you are free to drop your 3y.o. off anytime in the morning, I'd wait until baby is just waking up and then head to the preschool. Babies that young should be awake about 1-2 hours in the morning before napping again. Morning naps are more restorative than afternoon naps. So maybe you could see about changing to an afternoon program. Playdates just aren't worth it IMO when a child isn't getting the rest they need. Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child taught me a lot about how important sleep is for intelligence too. Did you know smarter kids sleep more? I guess they way I see it, you should make 2 solid naps a priority and make missing those a rarity. As far as the out of home activities, there is more than one way to skin a cat (as my mother says). There is almost always something you can change to create a better situation. PS-Pretty soon you could try eliminating a 3rd nap all together, especially if baby is getting two solid naps a day vs catnaps in the car.
