How many hours between naps for your 9-10 m.o.?

[aphel]

We tried the 2, 3, 4 schedule. It did not work for us. There just weren't enough hours in the day!

Our ped says a 9 month old shouldn't be up for more than 2 hours at a time. But that seems very short to me . . . . If I try to put S down for her afternoon nap 2 hours after waking, it takes a ridiculously long time to get her to sleep. Actually, it takes a ridiculously long time to get her down these past few weeks, unless she is beyond exhausted, but that's a whole 'nother post!

What are your babies schedules like? How many hours in between naps? And how many naps?

Thanks in advance ladies, we're floundering over here . . . .

[ShanaV]

My boys are 9 months corrected (11 mos actual), and they go 2 to 4 hours between naps. Usually the morning nap comes about 2-2.5 hours after waking up. This is usually the shortest wakeful period of the day. Then, depending on how long that nap is (anywhere from 20 mins to 3 hours), they stay awake for another few hours, then nap again in the afternoon. Depending on how long that goes, they're up for another 2-4 hours. So yeah, sometimes they're up for only 2 hrs, but often it's more. I mean, this depends on how much fun they're having! If we're socializing and having fun, then they'll stay up longer. The "shouldn't be awake for more than 2 hours" sounds a little too short to me. After 2 hours they MAY be ready for sleep, and you can try, but if the kid's awake, then I don't fight it, I just let em play for a while longer.

[somegirl99]

Usually 2-2.5 hours in the morning between first waking up and the first nap.  Then if there is another nap, 3-4 hours in between (depends how long the first nap was). We try to not to let him sleep too long in the afternoon because it is often ~5 hours or so (or even longer sometimes) between the last nap and bedtime.  We've tried to get him to sleep sooner after waking but it just doesn't happen.

[expat-mama]

Yep, DS goes down 2-3.5 hours after waking in the morning. This nap lasts anywhere from 20mins-1.5 hr. Then he goes down again 3-4 hours after that, usually for 1-2 hours. If the first nap was short the second one is usually a bit longer. And if the first nap was short and the second nap wasn't any longer then he usually takes a catnap (30 mins or so) 2 hrs before bedtime. With this routine he usually goes down really easily for naps and (unless he had an especially awful night) he is always very rested.

I stopped putting him down every 2 hours a while ago. He is pretty consistent with only needing the 2 naps these days.

Ugh, I can't imagine the nap wars we would have have if I was trying to put him down after every 2 wakeful hours. Yikes.

[BetsyS]

I have a 10 month old that seems on the low end  for sleep.  He gave up his 3rd nap at 7 months old, for instance.

So, he takes 2 naps, the first about 2-2.5 hours after awakening, the second about 3 hours after waking.  He's then awake about 4 hours before bed.  So, the classic 2-3-4 schedule.

My first baby?  He took 3 naps until 11 months old, and he was still at 2 hours wake time at 9-10 months old.  He's on the opposite end of sleep needs.

[aphel]

Thanks for the replies ladies . . . . Your answers have been very reassuring. I'm way over thinking this. Clearly, every babe really is different. We're going to relax and try more to go with flow!

[Burnindinner]

At 10 months, DS2 gets up around 6:30 am, plays happily until about 10:30 am, naps for an hour.  Plays til 2 pm, naps about 2 hours.  Goes to bed for the night around 7:45 pm.  So 2, 3, 4 didn't really work for him either, and he's really committed to those times.  If one of the naps is "off", the other is still at regular time!  It's like he can read a clock.

DS1 would NOT NAP consistently.  At 10 months sometimes his only nap was 20 minutes in the car.  I would try EVERYTHING, rocking, nursing, lying down, walking around, stuff I've forgotten.  The one thing I think I've learned is that kids ARE different and you just have to figure out what works for your kid.

[angelinamerica]

My son is 8 months and his schedule is as follows:

Usually wakes up anywhere between 6:15-6:45 and as long as he's content by himself I try to leave him in the crib until 7 am. Then at 7 he's up and out for his first feeding and to start the day.

His first nap starts at 9:00 and 'should' go to 10:30---but mileage varies.  Sometimes he only sleeps 40-45 minutes, sometimes I end up waking him up at 10:30.

Then his next 'official' nap isn't until 2:00, but we encourage a cat nap in between 12-1 pm if he'll do it...usually if we're running errands or taking a walk in the stroller he may fall asleep for 15-20 minutes which is good.  But, if he doesn't get this nap, I often end up moving up the 2 pm nap to 1:45 or so as he starts melting down a bit early. 

So, afternoon nap is 2-4:30.  Again, mileage varies. It's rare for him to go the full 2.5 hours so I'm thrilled if he does a full 2 hours.

Then, bedtime is 7 pm and he always falls asleep very easily and stays asleep for at least 11 hours.

It took us a GREAT deal of trial and error to get here, though.  The one thing I've learned through all of our sleep/nap traumas over the last  8 months is that there is no 'right' schedule--find what seems to work well for your family/child. 

[reneeisorym]

at 8 months she has to stay awake longer than 2 hours. When she first got away from two hours, it was impossible to get her to cooperate with naptime. I relaxed and let her go to sleep when she started rubbing her eyes and she is awake 2.5 hours / nap / 2.5 hours / nap / 3.5 hours.