Help what am I doing wrong?!(re: 9 month old schedule)

[happymom]

An 8 month old baby needs 2 naps, right??

I'm losing my mind trying to get DS to take his second nap. We were a bit late in transitioning DS to a crib and to a real schedule. Until recently, he basically slept with me at night and napped in his stroller whenever he was tired. In the last month, we transitioned him to a crib in his own room and he is basically sleeping well at night. He also naps easily in the morning. The afternoon is a whole different story though! Here's his schedule- tell me what we're doing wrong please!

DS goes to sleep between 7:30-8:30pm and sleeps about 11-12 hours. He wakes up very happy and refreshed and then goes back in for a nap between 9:30-10:30am and sleeps for around 1.5-2 hours. He is definitely awake from his nap by 12:30pm every day. I come home from work at 12:30 and usually take DS out with me to run errands. I have to be home by 3 every day for DD, so I was hoping that DS would nap from 3-4:30/5 every day. But, DS is always tired at about 2:15 and starts rubbing his eyes, but since we're out running errands, I have been trying to keep him awake so he would nap at 3. I figured that after a few days of doing this, he would get used to the schedule and be ready for a nap at 3 every day. This has NOT been working. I try and try to get him to sleep and finally give up and take him out after about an hour. So he has been going without a second nap altogether.

Am I just missing the window? Do I have to just suck it up and be home by 2 so he can nap then? That would really make my week much harder because 1-3 is my only time to get any errands done.

I'm not sure if he's falling asleep at 2:15 because we're out in the car which is soothing to him, or because that's the time he wants to sleep. I guess I can stay home tomorrow and see what happens.

Hope this made sense- I am so exasperated right now I can't even express myself normally!

What do you all think? Thanks.

ETA: DH thinks he just doesn't need a second nap, but I can't imagine that's the case at such a young age. Am I wrong? Also, I did try an earlier bedtime (6:30pm) for a few nights, but he woke up several times during the night and seems to sleep better at night with a later bedtime.

[BDKmom]

I definitely think he still needs two naps, and, I hate to say, sounds like it needs to be around 2-2:15. At that age, my DC usually woke up around 7-7:30, first nap around 9:30-10, second nap around 1:30-2. Bedtime 7-7:30.

[Philly Mom]

A couple things: I think you need to pick a bedtime. A 1 hour range sounds too large. At that age I would pick between 7-7:30. Then I would pick a time 2 hours after he gets up and put him back down. Then I would pick 2 hours after that for the second nap. Regardless, it sounds like you are missing your window.

For both my kids however, by 9/10 months they only wanted to nap for a total of 2 hours all day. I moved them both to an afternoon nap schedule by 10 months. 1-3 every day.


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[llama8]

My DD1 stopped all naps at 7 months old and never looked back. She wound up being fine without naps at all. Some kids need less sleep than others. Don't force it. She was up from 6:00 am to 6:30 pm and slept the entire night. She is now an energetic 4 year old.

My DD2 did keep 1 nap until 15 months old. She needed more sleep.

[DualvansMommy]

dS2 will be 9 months in 2 weeks time and his schedule is quite similar to yours.

And he does get tired by 1pm so maybe that's your answer; move up his afternoon nap to 130? I know it's your errands time. Can you do a whole block of errands 2x a week instead of daily from 1-3pm?

My schedule with DS2 goes usually like this:

7:15-7:30am; wake up time, I usually drop off DS1 to preschool by 830, come home or run couple quick errands and be home by 930 for his first nap of day. He wakes up by 10:30-11am and goes down again by 12:30 to 1pm.

From that time; he takes his longest nap for 2.5 hours and wakes up by 4 but usually gets tired by 5 and wants another catnap. He wakes up at 6pm to eat dinner with us and is usually in bed after dinner and bath by 7:30pm to 7:45pm.

He is now sleeping through the night too.

[happymom]

dS2 will be 9 months in 2 weeks time and his schedule is quite similar to yours.

And he does get tired by 1pm so maybe that's your answer; move up his afternoon nap to 130? I know it's your errands time. Can you do a whole block of errands 2x a week instead of daily from 1-3pm?

My schedule with DS2 goes usually like this:

7:15-7:30am; wake up time, I usually drop off DS1 to preschool by 830, come home or run couple quick errands and be home by 930 for his first nap of day. He wakes up by 10:30-11am and goes down again by 12:30 to 1pm.

From that time; he takes his longest nap for 2.5 hours and wakes up by 4 but usually gets tired by 5 and wants another catnap. He wakes up at 6pm to eat dinner with us and is usually in bed after dinner and bath by 7:30pm to 7:45pm.

He is now sleeping through the night too.

Wow, that's a nice schedule!

So basically it sounds like I need to put him in for a nap earlier. This is going to be so so hard for me! I specifically cut my work hours last year (I used to work until 3)- which wasn't easy to do at all- because I needed time for errands. Life was very stressful before I cut my hours and DH and I felt it was necessary. It is literally my only time to get out of the house during the week and it has been my sanity. I am so grateful for this little guy, don't get me wrong! It's just going to be hard to manage without that time to get out.

[petesgirl]

Wow, that's a nice schedule!

So basically it sounds like I need to put him in for a nap earlier. This is going to be so so hard for me! I specifically cut my work hours last year (I used to work until 3)- which wasn't easy to do at all- because I needed time for errands. Life was very stressful before I cut my hours and DH and I felt it was necessary. It is literally my only time to get out of the house during the week and it has been my sanity. I am so grateful for this little guy, don't get me wrong! It's just going to be hard to manage without that time to get out.

I know how you feel! I go stir crazy in the house all day but with a 3 yr old who naps after lunch and a baby who takes 3 naps a day, I have a hard time going anywhere! Sometimes I cant help but think how nice it will be to leave the days of napping behind.

[flashy09]

I have an 8 month old and she has a similar schedule. First nap usually something like 930 until 1130. She definitely needs another nap within 3 hrs, sometimes earlier. So I think he does want that 215 nap.

But I get your errands running time. What if you moved up his morning nap? Like 11 -1, then you run errands and the afternoon nap is 3 -430/5 and then back to bed at 830?

[Philly Mom]

Wow, that's a nice schedule!

So basically it sounds like I need to put him in for a nap earlier. This is going to be so so hard for me! I specifically cut my work hours last year (I used to work until 3)- which wasn't easy to do at all- because I needed time for errands. Life was very stressful before I cut my hours and DH and I felt it was necessary. It is literally my only time to get out of the house during the week and it has been my sanity. I am so grateful for this little guy, don't get me wrong! It's just going to be hard to manage without that time to get out.

Unfortunately, I think it will be a long time before you get that time back unless you hire a sitter. Most toddlers I know nap from 1-3.


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[happymom]

I have an 8 month old and she has a similar schedule. First nap usually something like 930 until 1130. She definitely needs another nap within 3 hrs, sometimes earlier. So I think he does want that 215 nap.

But I get your errands running time. What if you moved up his morning nap? Like 11 -1, then you run errands and the afternoon nap is 3 -430/5 and then back to bed at 830?

Interesting idea. DH watches DS in the mornings, so I will talk to him and see if he thinks he can try that. Thanks.

Unfortunately, I think it will be a long time before you get that time back unless you hire a sitter. Most toddlers I know nap from 1-3.



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Oh boy. Well, in September 2016 (when DS is 2.5) I hope to send him to a playgroup from 9-3 and he will nap there. But that's 2 years away...

I don't know how we are going to work this out. It's not just that I NEED to get out every day for my sanity, it's also just the practicality of it. We need groceries and clothing etc and as much as I do online, some things need to be done in person. Ah well, we'll figure something out I know.