https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sat, 04 Apr 2026 15:34:34 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nap-help-going-from-3-to-2#post-2477341 Sun, 28 Feb 2016 01:24:54 +0000 Portboston 2477341@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Dahlia: thank you!! he finally conked out after 40 min of crying off and on. Woke up after 2.5 hrs (~10pm). I know this is an out of habit wake up since he's been doing it for the past week or so. I let him fuss and he went back to sleep after 5 min. So far so good but we have about 8.5 hrs to go!! </p> <p>I'm hoping eliminating the possible suck to sleep association will help the night sleep which will help the nap schedule. And then I'll get some sleep!!!!!....and if not you will find me in the bath tub with a few bottles of wine tomorrow 😭 </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nap-help-going-from-3-to-2#post-2477334 Sun, 28 Feb 2016 00:57:08 +0000 Dahlia 2477334@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Sorry to hear he cried tonight! I hope he eventually went down and it gets better (and you get some sleep) soon. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nap-help-going-from-3-to-2#post-2477317 Sat, 27 Feb 2016 23:23:09 +0000 SweetiePie 2477317@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Portboston: we were same as @gingerbebe for a while. It took a long time before we could do a true 2-3-4. I think he was almost a year! It was more like 2-2.5-3/3.5 for a long time. I think about 8 months to 12/13 months. Now at 17 months we are on a true 2-3-4 schedule (not sure for how long though since he may go down to 1 nap soon. Eeek!)<br /> Also, you could TRY to do a third nap again and see how that goes. Sometimes they experience sleep disturbances and we think it means a nap transition is occurring but it could just be something developmental. So you could try it and see if LO is happier and gets better sleep. If so, stick with the 3 naps until it is undeniable. All babies are different and age shouldn't be the guiding factor in setting naps/sleep. </p> <p>ETA: this might be helpful:<br /> <a href="http://www.babysleepsite.com/naps/6-month-old-baby-naps-how-many/" rel="nofollow">http://www.babysleepsite.com/naps/6-month-old-baby-naps-how-many/</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nap-help-going-from-3-to-2#post-2477312 Sat, 27 Feb 2016 23:14:12 +0000 QBbride 2477312@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My daughter dropped her third nap around 5-6 months, mainly because she was starting to fight it and I didn't have the time/energy to deal with it. Right now she naps around 9:30 and again around 1/1:30 and is up at 3:30/4pm. I don't put her down until 7:30pm, mainly because I want my husband to spend some time with her and I'm always busy getting dinner ready and dealing with my 2.5 year old. So basically she always goes 4 hours before bedtime. She wakes up 1-2 times overnight. </p> <p>I think the "sleep experts" would tell you that even if he doesn't fall asleep while feeding, he might still have a sleep association. I think they recommend separating the last feeding and bedtime by at least 30 minutes. However I nurse to sleep because a) it's easy and b) I like it, so take my advice with a grain of salt :silly: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nap-help-going-from-3-to-2#post-2477311 Sat, 27 Feb 2016 23:12:51 +0000 Portboston 2477311@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@gingerbebe: that seems more doable. I don't think he'd take a 2 hour nap but I definitely think spreading the time out would work better so that last stretch is around 3-3.5 hrs. 4 was just too much. </p> <p>@Littlebit7: thank you and I totally feel you on the letting go thing. It's super hard for me. I use an app to time all his sleep and I've said to myself that I'm going to quit using it and just let him tell me when he's tired but I just can't let it be. Parenting and control freaks do not go hand in hand!<br /> I've tried letting him fuss when he wakes up early from a short nap but I usually only do 10 min. He's fallen back to sleep twice in the few months that I've started that. Maybe I should give it 15 min instead. I know for a fact he's still tired after a 40 min nap!!</p> <p>Thanks to everyone for all your words of wisdom!!!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nap-help-going-from-3-to-2#post-2477287 Sat, 27 Feb 2016 22:32:23 +0000 Littlebit7 2477287@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>If it makes you feel better I feel like baby sleep is this ever evolving thing. Just when you think it's smoothing out, wham, they throw you for a loop and..... Cue panic! I feel like I go through a bout of this every 4-6 weeks. Either it's early waking, poor naps, night wakings. It normally lasts a 5-7 terrible days but eventually evens out (or a new normal is established). I've reallllllly been trying to go with the flow more. It's hard. Really hard. But if she's tired, I let her sleep even if it's at a weird time. Sometimes I knooooow she needs a longer afternoon nap (she's on two naps) and if I let her fuss for 15 min in her crib she goes back to sleep for another hour. That has been a common occurrence, but not predictable in our switch to two naps. So I can't expect a daily two hour afternoon nap as much as I hope for it. It's all really frustrating so big hugs to you. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nap-help-going-from-3-to-2#post-2477286 Sat, 27 Feb 2016 22:28:37 +0000 gingerbebe 2477286@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My son was on 2 naps at that age. 2-3-4 never worked for us. He woke at 730am, was down for his first nap from 10-12pm, then 230-430pm. Then bed at 730pm, unless the second nap was shorter in which case he went down a little earlier. So he was 2.5-2.5-3. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nap-help-going-from-3-to-2#post-2477280 Sat, 27 Feb 2016 22:09:22 +0000 Portboston 2477280@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Littlebit7: he's super picky about his naps and will not really nap on the go unless he's strapped to me. And I guess for a cat nap I'd be ok with that. Maybe I'll work that into our afternoon routine. </p> <p>@Dahlia: I'm trying to nurse in the beginning starting tonight. He's currently crying in his crib :( I know he CAN fall asleep on his own, he does it all the time but it seems like the change in his routine might be throwing him off. I'm determined to stick to it though. </p> <p>@Tanjowen: yea bedtime has gotten a bit earlier for us. I'm trying to put him down between 6-7 but closer to 6. He's been in his crib for about a half hour crying :( but he did have a long afternoon nap today so that may have thrown things off. </p> <p>@cam: I think 2-3-3 May be a better idea. If he continues to take decent naps and wake up around 7 I can see that working. But when he's up at 5:30 it totally throws things off!!!</p> <p>@tofuwad: ugh! good luck to you as well!! This is tough!!!</p> <p>@macintosh: yea I think I'm going to have to just be flexible until he is more able to stay awake longer. I don't mind 1-2 MOTN feedings but more then that kind of makes me crazy :-/ </p> <p>I never ever thought infant sleep would be so difficult to figure out!!!!!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nap-help-going-from-3-to-2#post-2477226 Sat, 27 Feb 2016 21:09:21 +0000 macintosh 2477226@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>When my LO did the 2 to 3 nap transition, I just let him have the extra nap if he needed it or skipped it if he didn't. If his earlier naps were short and he was tired at 5, I had him nap for an hour and pushed bedtime back. After a few weeks he was completely done with the 3rd nap and taking 2 naps, 2 hours each. Good luck!</p> <p>ETA: he didn't drop his night feedings until 9 months when he learned to self soothe. Sorry your nights are so crappy right now! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nap-help-going-from-3-to-2#post-2477221 Sat, 27 Feb 2016 20:55:14 +0000 tofuwad 2477221@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We also are in the same boat. Nice naps and bad night sleep. We are on a 2-3-3 schedule. And some days she still does get a third nap if her naps are crap. I just move bedtime 1/2hour later or earlier depending on naps. But I don't know what I'm talking about because she still wakes up like clockwork at 12, 3, and 5. I tried to push one of the feedings back last week and that was a disaster. So in a couple weeks I'm going to try and make the night feedings shorter and shorter and see if I can get rid of the 3am feed. </p> <p>So good luck! I'm right there with you! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nap-help-going-from-3-to-2#post-2477210 Sat, 27 Feb 2016 20:33:09 +0000 cam 2477210@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We moved to 2 naps right around then too. We ended up in more of a 2-3-3 because he took pretty long naps but I think 4 hours would've been too much especially at the beginning of the transition. Good luck! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nap-help-going-from-3-to-2#post-2477187 Sat, 27 Feb 2016 19:54:17 +0000 Tanjowen 2477187@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We moved to 2 naps around that age, but he was in bed at night at 6 p.m. He would get up at 7 a.m., nap 9:30-10:45 a.m., then nap again at 1:30 - 3:00 p.m. He was wiped out and ready for bed at 6 p.m!</p> <p>I should add he still woke up once a night to eat (usually around 2 a.m.). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nap-help-going-from-3-to-2#post-2477166 Sat, 27 Feb 2016 19:17:37 +0000 Dahlia 2477166@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My 7 month old still needs 3 since she can't stay awake longer than 3 hours and takes short naps. Maybe keep the third nap for a bit while you work on improving night sleep? I would think the sleep association might be a bigger problem then the daytime schedule, and if your LO gets better night sleep he might have longer wake periods and be able to do 2 naps more comfortably. You could try moving nursing earlier in the bedtime routine. We nurse, then massage, diaper change, pjs, two songs and into the crib. </p> <p>Truthfully though, even though DD went to bed completely on her own with no associations, we were stuck with 4+ MOTN wakings until we did some Ferberizing. Three nights of that and she now only wakes once and has even slept through (11 hours straight) a few times. It was painful when we did it, but she is so much happier now that she's getting good night sleep. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nap-help-going-from-3-to-2#post-2477156 Sat, 27 Feb 2016 19:06:08 +0000 Littlebit7 2477156@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>yeah 4 hours seems a bit long for that last stretch. What about nap at 9, nap at 1:30, and bedtime at 5:30 or 6? is that too early for your family schedule?<br /> Will he nap in a stroller? Cat nap at 4 in the stroller and bedtime at 6 or 6:30? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nap-help-going-from-3-to-2#post-2477145 Sat, 27 Feb 2016 18:34:34 +0000 MrsSRS 2477145@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Oh that sounds glorious. Come on babies do thaaaaaaat. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nap-help-going-from-3-to-2#post-2477144 Sat, 27 Feb 2016 18:33:25 +0000 Portboston 2477144@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsSRS: last week I was getting a wake up around 10pm and then a long stretch. And by long stretch I mean 4-5 hrs. It was great because I could stay up until 10 and get some decent rest. But the past few nights it's been every 3 and I'm loosing my miiiiiind. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nap-help-going-from-3-to-2#post-2477142 Sat, 27 Feb 2016 18:30:19 +0000 MrsSRS 2477142@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My personal bare minimum for sanity is 3 hours in a row and then some other little bits, but I feel like it's been weeks since I got a long chunk. That 6pm bedtime means when DD does do a long chunk it's still over between 10-11, so even if I went to bed right after DS at 8...whine. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nap-help-going-from-3-to-2#post-2477138 Sat, 27 Feb 2016 18:26:13 +0000 Portboston 2477138@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsSRS: we can commiserate together 😭 </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nap-help-going-from-3-to-2#post-2477134 Sat, 27 Feb 2016 18:23:01 +0000 MrsSRS 2477134@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>No advice there. We're having the same problem. :crying: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nap-help-going-from-3-to-2#post-2477132 Sat, 27 Feb 2016 18:20:51 +0000 Portboston 2477132@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsSRS: ah how I wish he would car nap. I think he's slept in the car once in his life! </p> <p>I should also add, I'm starting to think he has a sleep association for nights with nursing to sleep. I don't nurse him to sleep but I do nurse him right before I put him in his crib. He's still awake so he does get himself to sleep but maybe it's too close to his bedtime....? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nap-help-going-from-3-to-2#post-2477130 Sat, 27 Feb 2016 18:18:26 +0000 MrsSRS 2477130@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We had good luck with a car catnap around 3 or 4 for a month until we were truly ready for 2-3-4 </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nap-help-going-from-3-to-2#post-2477125 Sat, 27 Feb 2016 18:11:24 +0000 Portboston 2477125@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My 7 month old is going to put me in the nut house. </p> <p>He's been on a flexible 3 nap schedule for a while now and while his night sleep isn't great (2-3 wake ups) it was semi tolerable. Last week, he started refusing his 3rd nap and being pretty hard to put down for his other two. He also went from sleeping a total of 11-12 hours at night to around 10. I decided he was ready to drop his 3rd nap and I went with a 2-3-4 schedule. The naps have been pretty good until today (+1 hr each) but night sleep has been a nightmare!!!! He's been waking every 3 hours and refusing to go back to sleep unless I nurse him. I think the last awake stretch of 4 hours is too much. Today, he woke up at 5:30am which threw everything off so he's getting 3 naps today. His first two were micro naps (30-40 min) and I'm currently holding him for his last nap. </p> <p>He typically goes to bed between 6-7pm and will be up around 6:30/7. So naps the last few days were about 9am &amp; 1pm for 1.5 hrs. </p> <p>I'm at a loss. I'm not sure if he wasn't actually ready to drop his 3rd nap and I should go back. Or if I need to stick with the 2 naps and tough it out until he gets used to it. Or adjust from 2-3-4 to another time frame....this is so confusing. I just want him to sleep better at night 😫<br /> Please help!!! </p>