Long naps?

My dd has been taking some great naps this week. But should I be waking her up at some point? Yesterday one lasted over 3 hours! So that meant she went over 4 hours without eating. I just worry that because she's sleeping so well at night (8hr stretches) that she might not get enough to eat. I realize that these are both good problem to have, but I've got to worry about SOMETHING!

Also - kind of a different topic, but am I totally screwing myself if I let her nap mess with the pathetic excuse of a schedule we've got going on?

Thanks!!!

 

QUOTE(eechy @ Jul 26 2008, 01:28 PM) [snapback]897748[/snapback]
My dd has been taking some great naps this week. But should I be waking her up at some point? Yesterday one lasted over 3 hours! So that meant she went over 4 hours without eating. I just worry that because she's sleeping so well at night (8hr stretches) that she might not get enough to eat. I realize that these are both good problem to have, but I've got to worry about SOMETHING!

Also - kind of a different topic, but am I totally screwing myself if I let her nap mess with the pathetic excuse of a schedule we've got going on?

Thanks!!!


At that age, I'd let mine sleep long, but tried to go no longer than 3 1/2 to 4 hours between feedings. And we always kept them on the same schedule, so I'd wake the longer sleeper if necessary. Who knows if it was a good idea or not though? We have pretty good sleepers at night but are still struggling with naps.

 

If she wants to sleep I say let her sleep! I wouldn't let her sleep for longer than 3 hours or so...mine never did that! Usually if mine are taking really long naps it means they are having a growth spurt and I just enjoy it while it lasts!

 

I am a big scheduler, so I often would not let mine nap longer than 2 1/2 hrs. Now if they did not sleep well the night before or had shots that day or something I would make an exception.

 

I had long nappers too (and occassionally still do) but they were in the NICU and we left there with instructions for feed them every 3 hours. If you didn't have the NICU experience, I would let them sleep. We also kept them on the same schedule and I did wake the baby that was sleeping longer (and still do).

 

I remember being on maternity leave & the boys would nap 3-4 hrs! LUckily, BOTH of them did it, but it was ONLY when they napped on their tummies (before you say anything, I sat over them like a hawk!). I can't fathom a 3 hr nap on their back....even a 2 hr nap ! Not until they're much older & tire themselves out by crawling & playing. Then again, I had horrible nappers until around 8 mos-ish.

I agree with pps & I would always keep them on the same schedule, even if it meant waking the sleeping one. Mine were on a 4 hr eating schedule for quite a while....I forget when we went to 3 hrs & dropped a night feeding...around 4-5 mos maybe? I never rushed them.

 

Mine never took over a 3 hour nap under one year and if they did I probably would have woke them at about 3 hours. But now occasionally Tyler likes to take a 3 hour nap. I wont let him sleep past 3:30 or bedtime is a disaster.

 

At around 2 months mine would occasionally nap like 3hrs, I usually didn't let them go longer then 4hrs between feeds,because I was scared they would start to get day and night mixed up, as I always wanted the longer stretches of sleep at night and not during the day. So, I guess I didn't let them sleep longer then about 3.5hrs, and they only did that a few times.

 

As long as they are eating enough and your pedi isn't concerned with weight gain (or like a pp said, you were sent home from the hospital/NICU with specific instructions about feeding), I'd let them sleep. It might be a growth spurt and they need the extra sleep.