What is a good nap schedule for a 4-5 month old?

Question

My little one likes to cat nap during the day, about 5 naps of 30 minutes or so. I would like for him to adjust to a different nap routine so he can sleep better at night. Any suggestions? Thanks, Millie

Answer 1

Schedules are important to children of all ages, especially infants. My boys, at this age, napped from 10-12 in the a.m. and 2-4 in the p.m. I would do my best to keep them active in the evening so that they would sleep longer at night. You should be getting at least 4 hours at a stretch in the night. Around 5-6 months you should be getting more than that. Every baby is different and every family is different so you have to do what works for you and yours. One question, when your baby stirs a little do you immediately go and pick them up? It is okay to let them play for a little while by themselves in a crib. (never leave a child this age on a couch- they move too much and will fall) Sometimes we moms think they are awake but really they are just moving a little and will fall back to sleep.

My suggestion for the 30 minutes at a time problem.-In the morning, play with them alot , have stimulating things to look at and hold, when you are in a certain room in the house bring the baby in there too and let them watch while you work and talk to them about what you are doing. Right before nap time, feed them, change them, and put them in their bed for a nap. It's okay to let them cry for a little bit. If you get worried, peak in at them without them seeing you. If they cry too long for you, go in and reassure them but don't pick them up. Rub their back, sing quietly, tell them moms here, etc. and then leave the room again. The food will help them sleep longer, being dry will help them sleep longer, crying for a few minutes will make them tired too (at this age maybe max of 10 min or so), and not being picked up as soon as they move or fuss will help train them that nap time is nap time and play time is over for now. at this early age, babies are learning with every single thing they do. Their little brains are working non-stop to gain the knowledge they need to grow. They know they have to get your attention to get what they want. But it's our job as parents to love them enough to train them. You can do it! You sound like a very reasonable person who is a very good mom. If at first you don't succeed, don't give up just try and try again!

Answer 2

After meals, have a little play/cuddle time with the little one, then put down for a nap. Schedules are beneficial to both infant and parent, sets up for stable consistency further down the road which is important.

Good luck Millie

Answer 3

Its kinda hard to schedule a infant for naps. I let my little guy do what he wants during the day. (hes 12 weeks) Sleep when he wants to sleep for as long as he wants to sleep. I do not but him in his bed during the day. I will put him on the couch or leave him in his bouncy seat! I do not dim lights for nap time and I do not tip toe. At night, I dim lights, I feed him in his room and change him in his room, than I feed him and put him to bed. He gives me 5-7 hours stretch at night!

Answer 4

You are lucky, my little man is 5 months today, and he will not sleep at all during the day. There is nothing we can do to get him to sleep during the day. He sleeps 14 hours at night though. My advice is to let him set his own schedule. He will figure it out.

Answer 5

while we've been given bedtime all the way down to the comparable tough time each night, my boys naps in basic terms appeared to evidently fall into the comparable timeframe on a daily basis. Up at 8, sleep lower back sometime after 10am then yet another nap around 3 and then mattress at 8pm. in spite of the undeniable fact that this purely works while we are consistent with it, meaning if I ought to pass out and take him with me, I ought to time my journeys to be abode by way of 10am and 3pm for this to artwork, wait too long and forget approximately schedule, he sleeps while he's waiting. which includes right this moment, we've been out this morning yet have been given abode in time for him to have a morning nap. This morning grow to be a protracted nap so I knew he might purely take a short afternoon nap, yet we've been given held up and did no longer get abode until eventually after 4 and there grow to be no way he grow to be drowsing. He had a a million/2 hour skill nap after dinner nevertheless and then we caught to the 8pm bedtime yet he fussed and Daddy had to rock him to sleep. On days we don't screw up the nap schedule there is oftentimes no themes getting him to sleep at any of those situations. So until eventually you have a pair weeks the place you will possibly be certainly consistent and then get used to scheduling your existence around toddler, i might in basic terms enable her sleep while she is waiting.

Answer 6

I had all mine "trained" for a nap in the morning around 10:30ish and another one after lunch around 1ish and another around 4. Just try really hard to keep your little one up by playing with her and occupying her. Good luck!!

Answer 7

Don't let him sleep after 6 PM. that way he will fall asleep for a longer time during night.

Answer 8

I HATE schedules for intants and babies. I always let my children sleep when they wanted to and eat when they wanted to when they were infants. I mean, really...what's the sense of a schedule? It just makes things convenient for the parent but puts stress on the baby.

Answer 9

usually at this age they take several long naps a day, is he being disturbed during nap time??