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Post edited 7:10 pm – January 16, 2011 by mojobaby75
Post edited 7:50 am – January 17, 2011 by mojobaby75

I just started my almost 7 month old (next week) on a 6 month sleep schedule this week and he's been doing GREAT with it.  The schedule we're using is a 7AM -7PM with 3 naps and a 5PM catnap (which I can't get him to take).  The schedule calls for naps of the length specified below, but I've been waking him to keep to the schedule even though I know he would sleep longer.  Should I be letting him set the length of the naps or is waking him the things to do?

6 Month schedule 2

7:00 wake, breastmilk, breakfast

9:00 morning nap (at least 1 hour)

10:00 feeding

12:00 nap (30-45 minutes at this age)

1:00 feeding

2:30 nap (30-45 minutes at this age)

4:00 feeding

5:00 catnap (* I can't get him to take this one)

5:30 feeding then dinner

(6:00 we do a bath at our house)

6:30 begin bedtime routine

7:00 bedtime 

(my son usually eats 2 times a night)

At what point do you stop doing the "nap hour" where you wake them after they've been in bed for an hour and let them determine the length of the nap? My son is doing well with the three nap times (falls asleep quickest at the noon naptime, but doesn't take more than 15 minutes to fall asleep at the others). I'm sure he would sleep longer, probably at each nap. 

Also, if he were to sleep for 1.5-2 hours at the morning nap (9AM – says it should be AT LEAST an hour per Nicole's schedule), how do you adjust the rest of the day to account for the longer nap? Do you just shift the rest of the day however long he slept past an hour?

Since I can't get him to take the 5PM catnap, should I see if he'll take a longer third nap instead? (update: today I made sure to wake him at 45 mins for the 3rd nap. He did fight the 5PM catnap, but fell asleep for about 15 mins). If the third nap is too long I guess that blows the 5 PM catnap for him.

We're doing really well and I didn't think we needed to chat with Nicole directly – just need a little clarification if anyone else who has been through this process can help. I do have all of NIcole's Ebooks, but haven't found answers to these types of questions.

Thanks!