still feeling trapped by schedule at 9+ months!?

i'm still feeling trapped by schedule at 9+ months! we don't even get out much b/c of it. (he doesn't nap well out of his crib and he hates eating so it takes an hour sometimes for meals.) ds doesn't sleep well at night so naps are really important to him and he can't stay up for more than 3ish hours at a time. here's our schedule. what do you think i should do? can i do anything? what do u do?

9-wake up
9:30- breakfast
10:15-12- hang out with dad b/c he works nights
12- bf and nap
12-2- nap
2--4 - (only real "free time" but not enough to travel far)
4-5- late lunch and bottle
5-7- nap
8:30- late dinner
10- bf and bed

if you're still reading, thanks!

Re: still feeling trapped by schedule at 9+ months!?

If it were me, I'd get rid of the 5-7 nap and put baby to bed earlier so he'll wake up earlier and have 1 nap in the am and 1 nap in the pm, then bed by 7-8pm.

Kinda like this
7-8am wake and breakfast
10am nap
12pm lunch
2pm nap
Dinner 5pm
bed by 7/8pm

I noticed with my girls if they nap after 4pm, they dont' sleep well at night they wake up and don't sleep through.

But that's just me. If your schedule is working for your family that def stick with it.

My 2 girls naps are right after one another, it's a good thing i have no car cause i'd be locked in the house anyway!

Re: still feeling trapped by schedule at 9+ months!?

Yup! Troy is the same. He cannot be up for more than 3, MAYBE 4 hrs. I know exactly how you feel. Sometimes after he get sup from a nap, has lunch, plays and we get ready to go anywhere, we have a window of maybe 1 to 1 1/2 hrs. Leaving me little time to do much of anything. Also, if we end up being out too close to the next nap time, he gets ubber-cranky. And it STINKS when he falls asleep when we're close to home--b/c he does not always transition from car to crib and stay asleep.

I hear you Michele....no fun!

Re: still feeling trapped by schedule at 9+ months!?

I would try to put to bed earlier and go out in the afternoon after the nap and if he falls asleep in the car for quick cat nap then that's that...I personally think 8:30 dinner is very late but that is JMO.

Re: still feeling trapped by schedule at 9+ months!?

Posted by sweetness

If it were me, I'd get rid of the 5-7 nap and put baby to bed earlier so he'll wake up earlier and have 1 nap in the am and 1 nap in the pm, then bed by 7-8pm.

Kinda like this
7-8am wake and breakfast
10am nap
12pm lunch
2pm nap
Dinner 5pm
bed by 7/8pm

I noticed with my girls if they nap after 4pm, they dont' sleep well at night they wake up and don't sleep through.

But that's just me. If your schedule is working for your family that def stick with it.

My 2 girls naps are right after one another, it's a good thing i have no car cause i'd be locked in the house anyway!

Message edited 2/26/2008 11:23:40 AM.

Re: still feeling trapped by schedule at 9+ months!?

the reason he's up so late is so he can see his dad for a bit when he comes home from work and he then sleeps in which is good b/c dh and i are up so late and need some sleep. he eats a late dinner so help with the night nursing (dr. recommended). but i know we have a very late and different schedule. it'll have to change in sept. when i go back to work and he goes to daycare.( ) anyway. i just wish there was more time between naps and feeding to get out.

jill- we have the same exact problem with transitioning from the car to crib. at least i know i'm not alone.

Message edited 2/26/2008 11:43:12 AM.

Re: still feeling trapped by schedule at 9+ months!?

I have been known to drive around anywhere from 30 mins to 2 hours if he is asleep in the car. I can't take him out of the Marathon and put him in the crib w/o him waking.

I go to drive thru dunkin donuts - check out houses - drop things off at families houses - whatever needs to be done is when Jack falls asleep in the car.

It's not worth it to wake him up.

Re: still feeling trapped by schedule at 9+ months!?

I agree - if you could cut out the afternoon nap it might help a little. Or at least be worth a try.

I had daycare stop napping Lucas after 5pm - which is hysterical because really the boy never sleeps there. But at that time the place quiets down and he starts to sleep a little more but it ruins his whole schedule so they keep him up. Here's his routine:

6:00 am - wake & small bottle (2-4 oz)
7:15 am - Breakfast
8:00 am - Bottle (6 oz)
8:15 am - Nap
10:00 am - Playtime & snack (maybe 4 oz bottle if he wants)
12:00 pm - Lunch
1:00 pm - Playtime
2:30 pm - Bottle (6 oz)
2:45 pm - Nap
4:00 pm - Playtime
5:00 pm - Dinner
6:30 pm - Bath
7:00 pm - Bottle (6 oz) and Bed
* For weekdays at daycare replace all naps with playtime

On the weekends when I am home with him I make sure to preserve the am nap but after he wakes up we usually head out. He will sleep in the car around 2-3pm and I do like Diana and drive around...maybe get something to eat in the car.