Need advice on coordinating scheduled naps

DC are 3 months now and I have to try to get them on a nap schedule. I've been observing when they like to sleep between feedings and at least 50% of the time DD is awake while DS is asleep and vice versa. For example, DS likes to sleep shortly after his bottle but DD will stay up longer and often drifts off when he awakes.

I know they really should nap in their cribs. There will be a lot of stair climbing for mommy...lol... hopefully, I'll be in better shape than pre-pregnancy...lol.

So, how do I begin to get two children to nap and the roughly same time Any tips, advice?


TIA

Re: Need advice on coordinating scheduled naps

I wish I could help, my boys will sometimes take a nap at the same time.
Most of the time they do go down at the same time, but matthew takes longer naps than Christopher.
I know I wish I had a ranch house, going up and down the stairs, because I have to put Matthew in his crib for naps, he will sleep longer than in the pack n play, which I use for storage now
Christopher still naps in his swing sometimes which is down stairs.

Re: Need advice on coordinating scheduled naps

I started getting my boys on a nap schedule starting at 4 months..i heard it's kind of hard to do it any earlier then this. I started with an afternoon nap...usually picked a time and put them both in their cribs and let them cry a little. usually they would and hten fall asleep....about three weeks later i started seeing that they were exhausted approx 2 hours after they woke up and started putting them down for a npa in the morning. I just stuck with it and now they nap for me for those two times. The afternoon nap i usually let them tell me when they want to go up...anywhere from 1-3. The morning one has consistently been 2 hours after they get up.

I think you should wait another month or so and then stick with a plan. They start to realize that they have to nap when you put them in a crib and let them fuss for a bit.

Good luck! Naps are great!

Re: Need advice on coordinating scheduled naps

I started an official nap schedule at about 4 1/2 - 5 months. I read HEALTHY SLEEP HABITS, HAPPY BABY which essentially said to observe your children, figure out drowisness signs and before they fall asleep, put them in their cribs when they begin to get tired. The first few times the boys did not want any part of it and I let them fuss for up to 15 minutes. Over the period of a couple of weeks they adjusted to the timing (usually soon after breakfast and soon after lunch for about 1- 1/2 -2 hours each). I found the book super helpful and we've pretty much stuck with teh schedule till now and I still keep them on the schedule even when out. Different children, do however, require different amounts of sleep so it may never be perfect, but I always allow them to sleep up to 2 hours and if they go beyond that I wake them to maintain their schedule which works really well and if one wakes early I'll bring him down and let the other sleep.

HTH!

Re: Need advice on coordinating scheduled naps

I say keep your DS awake by playing with them on the floor until the time when DD is tired. Then put them both in their cribs or pack n play..continue to put them in their cribs or pack N play everyday at the same time..at 1st they might cry but keep at it. Thats what I did and now everyday 10:30-11am they both go down for a nap..it's wonderful to have those 2 hours to myself. Good luck.

Re: Need advice on coordinating scheduled naps

When they were that age... they rarely napped at the same time. It was always... one was up the other one was sleeping.

Now, I put them both down at the same time and they nap for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

I think the nap time started to be more consistent when the girls became more active. In their exersaucers, tummy time, playing w/ toys. Going outside in their swings.

If you put them down at the same time, same routine every day, then they will nap. I thought about how at daycares. they can get 8 babies to nap at the same time. I figured I could get 2.

Re: Need advice on coordinating scheduled naps

Thanks ladies.

I'll hold off for another month when the ped will probably recommend starting cereal and they are a bit more active.

Jen, thanks for the book title. I'm ordering it tonight.

Re: Need advice on coordinating scheduled naps

Posted by Tah-wee-ZAH

Thanks ladies.

I'll hold off for another month when the ped will probably recommend starting cereal and they are a bit more active.

Jen, thanks for the book title. I'm ordering it tonight.

Re: Need advice on coordinating scheduled naps

mine nap at the same time when I thow on my 600.00 dyson vacuum..