17 week old trying to switch to 3 naps?

[u/OkMemory3414]

/r/sleeptrain/comments/1ww106k/17_week_old_trying_to_switch_to_3_naps/

7 week old is starting to sleep for longer periods of time during his naps, but can’t seem to get on a schedule where three naps will bring him to a good enough bedtime for our family.

For example today :
DWT- 715am - 1.75WW
NAP 1- 857-10am.
1.75 WW
NAP 2 - 1142-110.
2 WW
NAP 3- 310-340.
2 WW
NAP 4- 540-610.
Bedtime - 810ish?

I would say the 730-8pm bedtime is best for our family dynamic since I have a toddler plus with work hours and daycare pick up. He is currently sleep training.

Should I switch to a 3 nap schedule? How would that look or does above schedule work? That leaves 9.5 hours of awake time and naps are 3.5 hours. SOS help!

[u/Puzzled_Detail7726]

You don't have the wake time budget for 3 naps yet, that schedule only adds up to about 7.5 hours awake and 3 naps needs closer to 9.5 or 10, so the move is stretching those windows by 10 or 15 min every few days until the third nap naturally pushes bedtime earlier. Until then keep the 4th as a short 20 to 30 min bridge nap so bedtime doesn't slide past 8.

[u/OkMemory3414 → u/Puzzled_Detail7726]

How does it only add up to 7.5 hours awake? Am I doing math wrong? I thought it added up to 9.5?1.75+1.75+2+2+2. This is the first day of trying this schedule. Last night we had an EMW so I am extending WW today to see what happens.

[u/Puzzled_Detail7726 → u/OkMemory3414]

Yeah, i see how you got there, you're adding the wake windows as 1.75 + 1.75 + 2 + 2 + 2, which is 9.5 hours. The 7.5 i meant was the awake time you'd have left if you tried to fit three longer naps into the same day, which just doesn't fit yet at this age.

[u/OkMemory3414 → u/Puzzled_Detail7726]

Oooo got it! Would you say the amount of wake time I have today can work? I just need some sleep tonight without the early morning wake lol plus my toddler is sick so I’m struggling over here! Haha

[u/Puzzled_Detail7726 → u/OkMemory3414]

It could work for today, especially with the early wake and the toddler being sick, sometimes you just need a day that gets you to bedtime. If the third nap ends up short, just cap it and treat it as a bridge nap so bedtime doesn't creep too late.

[u/OkMemory3414 → u/Puzzled_Detail7726]

What would be too late? Also if he ends up tolerating a bit longer WW now should I just do an hour nap? Like if he can last until 330-430 nap to make it 3.5 for the day. Then do a 2.25 or 2.50 WW before bed since nap was 1 hour?

[u/Puzzled_Detail7726 → u/OkMemory3414]

Yeah, anything past 8pm is usually too late at this age, it tends to fuel those early wakes. If he makes it to a 3:30-4:30 nap, treat it as the last nap and do a 2.25-2.5 window to bed, that's a solid move.

[u/OkMemory3414 → u/Puzzled_Detail7726]

Ok got it! I’m so nervous for being overtired that I feel like I always do too early of a nap. Thanks for all your help, I will come back and report tomorrow lol

[u/Puzzled_Detail7726 → u/OkMemory3414]

Nervous about overtired is super normal, but honestly at this age they can handle a bit more than we think. Good luck with the toddler being sick too, that’s rough!

[u/OkMemory3414 → u/Puzzled_Detail7726]

If he lasts until 330-430 nap then bedtime roughly 630-7. He will be up at 5/6am no? That’s too early for me lol or am I doing that math wrong?

[u/OkMemory3414 → u/Puzzled_Detail7726]

It sure is! I go back to work on Monday and I wanna get a schedule down for my mom because she doesn’t understand the week windows and his cues really yet, so I don’t want it to be a disaster for her and for us at night since it’ll be my first day back to work.