Babies On Opposite Nap Schedules

[AfterSchoolMom]

My two new littles are on completely opposite napping schedules. One wants to go down just as the other is getting up. Between that and feeding them both, I haven't had a chance to eat lunch or have any kind of a break this week!

Any tips on how to move them toward napping even close to the same time? They're 3 months and almost 5 months.

[SilverSabre25]

Why don't you just...put them on the floor with some toys and go do your thing? Or in a swing for awhile. Or on the floor on a playmat/baby gym?

That's a great immobile age. There's no reason to hold them all the time!

[AfterSchoolMom]

I'm not holding them all the time, but it goes something like this:

8am - one arrives asleep

8:15 - the other arrives awake, so I play with them for awhile and notice they need a diaper change, so I do that.

9am - The other one wakes up and wants to eat. While I'm feeding the second baby, the first baby starts fussing for nap. I put baby #2 down for a couple of minutes, put baby #1 down for a nap, and finish feeding baby #2. Baby #2 is a slow eater and takes 40 minutes to eat a 5 ounce bottle. I then play with that one for a little while (since they just got up) and then change that one's diaper.

10am - Baby #1 wakes up. They want to eat because they haven't eaten since before they were dropped off.

Lather, rinse, repeat. All day long.

[cheerfuldom]

That slow eater may need a bottle with a faster flow....

If they are honestly happy on their existing schedules, I would leave it for now. I wouldn't change anything, especially for the 3 month old because they will probably be changing it up themselves by 6 months. If you really want to change it though, I would go to three naps a day for both at 9, 12, and 3. That schedule works great for my kids! Wake the sleepers up as soon as they arrive and figure out how to speed up feedings. There's no reason you should be holding and feeding for 40 minutes each bottle.

[Breezy]

I have my 10 month old DS and 4 month old DCG.

7:30am: DCG arrives asleep and mom wakes her up before leaving. DS is having a bottle.

8:30am: DCG will have a bottle and a diaper change if needed and then both babies will go down for a nap. I make sure to get them down for this nap because it puts them on the same schedule for the rest of the day.

11:30am: Both are usually waking at this time. Both get diapers changed. DS goes in his highchair and DCG goes in her bouncy seat waiting for her bottle. Cut up some lunchy stuff for DS while preparing DCG bottle. DS gets his highchair pulled into the living room so I can watch him eat while feeding DCG.

12:00: Both babies are ready to play. DS usually goes in his play pen with his toys and DCG goes on her play mat or in the swing in my view so I can get the kitchen cleaned up and bottles washed and ready for neext feed.

12:30: I bring them both into the living room so DS can crawl around and DCG kicks on her mat while I sing and make faces at her. .

1:30: Diapers changed. DS gets a bottle and I sit on the floor with him laying next to me and DCG in my arms drinking a bottle.

1:45: Babies are down for naps

3:30: DCG gets up and diaper changed. DS usually sleeps until 4-4:45.

3:45: DCG leaves. I clean up and get ready for DS to wake up and dinner to be made.

Not sure if this is helpful at all. When DCG first started it was all crazy and opposite nap schedules but then I found that if they are put down for the nap at the same time it helps tremdously.

[AfterSchoolMom]

So the 4 month old is content on the mat for an hour?


That's a great schedule. I have a LOT of work to do to get to that point, .

They're both as sweet as can be, with great temperaments and very minimal fussing. They also really enjoy lying on a blanket and looking at one another...but they're generally not awake at the same time.

I'll try waking the sleeping one up in the AM and putting them down together, and see if that helps.

[lil angels]

Everyone alway says never wake a sleeping baby but I due just to keep their schedules. I to would wait till mom leaves and then wake the one who comes in sleeping everyday move them alittle more and a little more so they sleep at the same time. But mom and dad have to keep them somewhat normal over the weekend or you will have to start over on Monday. Good luck it's doable. Just stick to a time for everything and make sure to do it weather they seem to need it or not. It will all fall into place.

[SilverSabre25]

Gotcha, I see where you're coming from then. Yeah, I'm going to be in the same boat starting Monday when I have my own 7 month old and new little soon-to-be 5 month old. DS is on a terrible (read no) schedule right now due to developmental and life craziness in the past five weeks (he went from rolling/scooting everywhere to crawling, sitting, pulling to stand, standing, and almost cruising in the space of three weeks ) and I've never done two littles at a time before.

I'm a bit scared.

Let me know if what you're doing works!

[christinaskids]

I would wake the first baby upon arrival and let them play for a bit. If the second wants a nap at 9-930 then the first one wont have to wait too long for a morning nap. This is almost always the schedule i have my babies on anyway. As the three month old gets a tad older, he or she will start gravitating towards that schedule naturally.