Poll Results: What was the average length of naps for baby ages 3-4 months (13-16 weeks)? (approximate)

Results:

45 minutes: 44 votes (26%)
1 hour: 16 votes (9%)
1 hour 15 minutes: 11 votes (6%)
1.5 hours: 44 votes (26%)
1 hour 45 minutes: 13 votes (7%)
2 hours: 27 votes (16%)
2 hours or more: 9 votes (5%)

Total of 164 votes

11 thoughts on “Poll Results: What was the average length of naps for baby ages 3-4 months (13-16 weeks)? (approximate)”

  1. Hi there! My issue is getting my 6mo old to nap longer than 1hr. 30% of his morning naps, he was consistently sleeping 2hrs; the majority of the time he’d wake after an hour; ½ that time he’d fall back asleep after 20mins, the other ½ I get him up when he doesn’t fall back asleep. He rarely takes a 2hr afternoon nap. This has been the norm since we started BW/CIO at 14wks. The CIO part was effective in that I can put him down for a nap easily. He just won’t sleep beyond 1hr. HIS SCHEDULE: (optimal wake time of 1.5hrs between naps)Bedtime – 6:30-7pmWakes in the morning – 6:30-7amAM Nap – 8:30am falls asleep 8:45 (1 hour)2nd AM Nap – 11:15am falls asleep 11:30 (1 hour)1st Afternoon Nap – 1:00pm falls asleep 1:15 (1 hour)2nd Afternoon Nap – 3:45pm falls asleep 4pm (1 hour)This, of course, varies, depending on when he starts the day and other variables where he might take longer to fall asleep, etc. How can I help my baby take 2hr naps? I try letting him babble/fuss back to sleep. I try rocking him back to sleep. I’ve let him lie there for 1+hrs several times before finally getting him up. Awhile back, you recommended I drop his late afternoon nap. For most days he’s awake from 4-4:30pm until bedtime. Because he’s only napping an hour and has an OWT of 1.5hrs, he’s essentially remaining on a 4 nap a day schedule and I can never plan my day because I never know what kind of morning nap he’s going to have. I can only see this being the case for the next 6 months to a year if his naps never consistently go beyond an hour. Please help.

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  2. I have a friend who has a boy who will be three in April and a girl who is 17 months old. She has asked for my help in parenting and I have told her about the “-wise” books. Do you think it will be possible for her to get them on a sleeping/eating schedule this late in the game? They neither sleep through the night, and I really want to help her and let her see what a blessing the Babywise series has been to us!

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  3. Valerie,Thank you for your advice with my 3 month old and early morning waketimes! I am going to first try the bigger diaper at night and see what happens. Maybe that’s why he’s waking up! Next, I’ll slowly work on getting him off the paci, like you suggested. I will not go in and give it to him again when it falls out and he’s crying. Do you suggest doing it during the day only or do the day and night at the same time? Thank you! I hope this works!Amy

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  4. Hello, I have a 3 1/2 month old baby (my third child, first boy)named Isaac and have just done the CIO thing, but have been working on the eat wake sleep cycle the whole time. I did BW and CIO with both my girls at different ages, 2 months and 5 months, b/c of their personalities. Well, Isaac is a good sleeper and has been since the start but i was rocking him to sleep when needed until last week. He gradually got worse and worse about waking after I put him back down at the dream feed and if he ever nursed at night. I would have to rock him back to sleep sometimes three times if he didn’t settle down within 10 mins or so. Anyways, he is doing great and after three days isn’t crying at all most of the time when I put him down awake. However, I was wondering about logistics for getting him to bed between 7:30 and 8:30pm with allowing for 4 naps. I can’t seem to do it most days. It ends up being 9 or 9:30pm because he’s ready for his fourth nap at 6:30pm. I only let him sleep half an hour then so that I can get him to bed at 9 ish, b/c I think 6:30 is too early. I am waking him up at 7am b/c he’s never awake on his own. His routine:7am wake up and feed9am nap10:30am wake up and feed12:30 nap2pm wake up and feed4pm nap5pm wake up and feed6:30pm nap 7pm wake up and feed9pm bed time10:30/11pm dream feed4 or 5am -occasional feed He is a really big guy, almost 19lbs at 3 1/2 months. I think he needs that extra feeding and nap anyways, but was thinking since I am waking him up in the morning (even if he STTN) that he needs an earlier bed time. What do you suggest?

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  5. Christie, I don’t think it is ever too late to start, but it will be a bumpy road, especially in the sleeping at night thing. They probably don’t really know how to self-soothe. She should look into perhaps Baby Whisperer also or techniques like the Super Nanny uses to teach older children to stay in bed and sleep on their own.

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  6. Amy, I would start with day, then move on to night. I think it is usually easier to work on stuff in the day because you are less emotional and less desparate for sleep. The night usually follows suit after the day is fixed. If not, you will at least have confidence in her ability.

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  7. CAM,He is at an age where you could try to drop that third nap. Then you could feed at 7 and put to bed right after, which should end up being around 7:30 ish. I would think he could handle that since he has 2 hour wake times the rest of the day and that waketime is only 1.5 hours. Taking him to 7 to feed would put him at 2 hour waketime.

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  8. My daughter is 14 weeks and we’ve been doing BW since birth. She’s never had trouble going down for naps and slept 8 hours at night by 10 weeks. Recently she’s been waking early from naps and the last 5 nights she’s waking once in the middle of the night. I’m wondering if I need to change to a 3.5 routine or drop the dreamfeed. Her schedule is6:30 wake and feed7:30 nap – usually a very good nap9:30 feed10:30 nap – noisy for 15 minutes before sleeping12:30 feed1:30 nap (wakes at 2:45, cries, then sucks thumb until I get her at 3:30)3:30 feed4:45 or 5:00 nap (30 minutes)6:00 feed7:30 feed then bed10:00 dreamfeedAny suggestions?

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  9. I have a question about nap lengths. My understanding is that on a 3 hour schedule, with an optimal wake-time of 1 hour, the baby should be sleeping for 2 hours. My son is 13 weeks and he has never followed this. I have tried and tried but he won't sleep longer than 1 hour for his naps. (there are some exceptions, but usually it is around an hour) From looking at this poll, it doesn't seem to be that out of the ordinary, but the book makes it sound like they should sleep all the way up to the next feeding. When he wakes up, I've tried soothing him back to sleep, but I usually end up rocking him for another 30 minutes or so until I just get him up. But then it messes up the rest of the daily scheudle. Do you go ahead and feed him at that point? Or do you wait for the correct feeding time? If you wait for the next feeding time, then he is ready for a nap right after he eats because he has been awake for his one hour already. I guess I just don't know when to keep trying to make him sleep longer or when to simply say "my baby takes 1 hour naps." Thanks!

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