https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Mon, 20 Apr 2026 18:14:42 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nap-three-is-longer#post-2786040 Mon, 13 Nov 2017 10:59:56 +0000 MsBAM 2786040@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@SweetiePie: @bluebonnett: Yes he did fall asleep quick for the first nap. He’s already on his second nap. He started to yawn at 10:30, only an hour and 15 minutes after being awake from his first nap. He fell asleep at 10:50am. He had a 45minute nap. I didn’t realize how tired he must have been until now because he would always fall asleep so easily at the 2hr mark and that’s when he was fussy (like you said must have been overtired by then). I will definitely keep watching his cues more. I’m assuming he’s going to need two more afternoon naps based on his awake times today? Unless he takes one longer nap. Also I will see if I can check out the Sleep Lady’s book online. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nap-three-is-longer#post-2786022 Mon, 13 Nov 2017 10:06:24 +0000 Bluebonnet 2786022@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MsBAM: I agree with @SweetiePie: With LO1, she wasn't napping or taking 30 min naps (but sleeping well at night). I read the sleep lady's book, which REALLY helped me understand sleep cues. Once I started following sleep cues (and adjusting LO's nap times based on sleep cues, she started napping longer stretches and sleeping better at night. She became the happiest baby and I felt like a new person because I was consistently getting breaks during nap time. </p> <p>Keep watching the cues and LO's naps will stretch out. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nap-three-is-longer#post-2786014 Mon, 13 Nov 2017 09:55:06 +0000 SweetiePie 2786014@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MsBAM: always follow cues! After following cues for a week or so you’ll begin to see a pattern of how long he can stay awake. Definitely don’t use amount of time awake until you know what your baby can handle by watching cues for a while.<br /> And if your baby is chronically overtired it might be a few days or a week before you see improvement. Like you said this morning was still only 30 mins but that could be because he needs to get caught up OR that a habit has already been created for him to wake at 30 min mark. That’s where I would try very hard to extend the nap, when you’re ready.<br /> Also possible that he can do even LESS than 1.5 hours of wake time. Like @Ina85: said, some can only do an hour awake in the AM. For sure my son was in the camp for a while (my sample schedule that I gave above was very approximate and just an example. He definitely could go down after only an hour awake some/most days, I just paid attention to cues and also considered what the night before was like. If he slept pretty well he could maybe do 1.5 hours TOPS. If he slept pretty crappy I’d do an hour for sure.<br /> It DOES sound like maybe he went down easier for that first nap? But I am just assuming maybe I’m wrong. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nap-three-is-longer#post-2785991 Mon, 13 Nov 2017 09:00:42 +0000 MsBAM 2785991@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@SweetiePie: @Ina85: @Erinbaderin: Thank you for all the suggestions. LO woke up at 725am today. He started showing cues around 830am by yawning. I nursed him for a nap and he fell asleep at 845 and woke up at 9:15am. We’ll see how it impacts the rest of the day. Should I continue to keep him awake for two hours in between naps the rest of the day as usual and/or put him to sleep whenever he starts showing cues?</p> <p>@dahlia: I’m going to find out soon if I’m in the same boat! I just thought it was odd because he’s never done that before so I thought maybe it was a new thing for him. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nap-three-is-longer#post-2785980 Mon, 13 Nov 2017 07:44:35 +0000 erinbaderin 2785980@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I’m going to third the comments from others - too much wake time, especially before the first nap. Three half hour naps at five months, he must be exhausted. Try a first nap after 90 minutes and see how that affects the rest of the day. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nap-three-is-longer#post-2785963 Mon, 13 Nov 2017 00:18:28 +0000 Dahlia 2785963@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>No advice, but wanted to say that DD's last nap was always her longest. It's the opposite of what I was told was normal, but it worked for her. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nap-three-is-longer#post-2785947 Sun, 12 Nov 2017 22:38:12 +0000 Ina85 2785947@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MsBam: I agree with @Sweetiepie here too. When I saw your schedule, my initial thought was that the wake time seems too long for his age and he's taking crap naps due to being overtired. At that age, dd could be up for an hour or an 1 1/2 hours after wake up and she was ready for first nap. It depended on how her sleep was the previous night, if it wasn't that great she'd be ready for a nap after an hour ish of being awake and I'd follow her signs and put her down for nap if that was the case, I didn't care if someone was like, Oh she's only been awake an hour! Ok, we'll she's ready to sleep again so whatever. She'd have wake times of 1 1/2 hours and nap was 1-1 1/2 hours. And I agree that the wake time is too long from the last nap until bedtime.<br /> I also want to say I'm super passionate about my baby's sleep, it's so important and I've done so much research on it because honestly I was obsessed for some time to try and get it right and improve quality of life! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nap-three-is-longer#post-2785944 Sun, 12 Nov 2017 22:07:15 +0000 SweetiePie 2785944@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MsBAM: So my opinion is that he's spending wayyyyy too much time awake between AM wakeup and first nap. The first nap is the most important nap of the day, as it sets the tone for the rest of the day, and most sleep experts say its almost a continuation of the night time sleep. Its the most restorative nap of the day.<br /> I think you'd be very surprised if you tried to do that first nap only 1.5 hours after wakeup. Remember, if they are overtired they are 1) harder to put down and 2) harder to keep asleep. The reason he may be sleeping longer for the 3rd nap is because he's just so exhausted...like beyond overtired. Which isn't a good thing. Its a vicious cycle. He's overtired because first nap happens too late. So then his nap is short. And then he's still overtired because first nap was short and 2nd nap is too far away. Then its short and he's still so tired and by then he's just beyond exhausted and conks out for 3rd nap. </p> <p>And I also think there's too much time between last nap and bedtime. If the first two naps end up extending then the problem might fix itself as the last nap will be later and therefore less time between wakeup and bedtime. </p> <p>Here is an example of my son's schedule at 5 months:</p> <p>6:30am wakeup<br /> 8am - 9:30am nap<br /> 11:30am - 1pm nap<br /> 3pm - 4:30pm nap<br /> 6/6:30pm bedtime (note that sleep experts usually say bedtime should be between 5-7pm for a long time in a child's life). </p> <p>I would also do some research on sleepy signals that a baby gives off. If you're waiting till he's fussy to determine "this means he's tired", that's too long. Ideal sleepy signals are pretty calm and subtle - yawning, staring off into space/glazing over, averting their eyes. Usually crying or fussing means you've already passed the ideal window and are in the overtired zone.</p> <p>I hope you know I'm not trying to come off as judgey or preachy. I just am super passionate about baby sleep and its the one thing I've done the most research on and worked the hardest at with my son. And my life was majorly improved when I learned all of the above and he started taking long naps and STTN :-) So I want to share the love. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nap-three-is-longer#post-2785936 Sun, 12 Nov 2017 21:40:53 +0000 MsBAM 2785936@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@SweetiePie: He gets up between 7-730.</p> <p>Let’s say he gets up at 730.</p> <p>First nap is 10-1030<br /> Second nap 1230-1<br /> Third nap is 3-430/445 (used to only be a half hour nap).</p> <p>I typically give him two hours of wake time between naps because that’s when he gets tired.<br /> Sometimes 2.5. </p> <p>Bedtime is usually around 8. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nap-three-is-longer#post-2785935 Sun, 12 Nov 2017 21:34:32 +0000 MsBAM 2785935@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Toad: I don’t think so because he takes his third nap around 3. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nap-three-is-longer#post-2785933 Sun, 12 Nov 2017 21:34:08 +0000 SweetiePie 2785933@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MsBAM: Can you give a sample schedule?<br /> When is AM wakeup?<br /> When is first nap?<br /> When is 2nd nap?<br /> When is 3rd nap?<br /> When is bedtime?</p> <p>Mostly looking to find out how long he's awake between morning wake up, each nap, and bedtime. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nap-three-is-longer#post-2785932 Sun, 12 Nov 2017 21:31:24 +0000 Mrs. Toad 2785932@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Is he trying to go to bed this early and only take two naps a day? I only ask because my kids give up naps early. Both kids were on two naps by 5 months. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nap-three-is-longer#post-2785923 Sun, 12 Nov 2017 21:13:15 +0000 MsBAM 2785923@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Hi all! </p> <p>Typically my 5mo takes three cat naps a day (30mins each). The last three days, his last nap of the day has been approx 1.5hrs. Is this him learning to connect sleep cycles or a growth spurt? I’ve also been sleep training at bedtime so not sure if that has any bearing on his last nap being longer than usual. </p>