Naps & Juggling Multiple Schedules
How are you? Has school officially started again for your kids?
We are in full school mode over here and as much as I love the structure, I sometimes dread having to wake my baby up from naps for carpool and other activities. Can't we all just stay home for 3 years until our babies are done with naps!?
Just kidding, that is not real life!
If you have more than one child, chances are you are going to have to adjust your baby's schedule to work around school drop-off, carpool pick-up, soccer or piano lessons. It can feel overwhelming at first, but I'm here to tell you not only is it totally possible, but it's really not a big deal in the long run 😊 If you’re in the thick of sleep training, do your best to be consistent in the evenings but know that flexibility throughout the day is okay. I taught my 3 youngest how to sleep 12 hours while chauffeuring around my oldest most days:) Schedules can be adjusted as needed, and it gets even easier when your baby knows how to sleep!
Here are a five ways you can adjust your baby’s schedule to accommodate a toddler schedule:
Move nap time earlier or later so it doesn’t interfere with school pickup.
Offer the nap in the car that day, even if it’s just a cat nap.
Wake your baby from their nap early to get to where you need to be. This will keep nap times the same, keep you on schedule, and still make sure your baby doesn’t miss the nap altogehter.
When possible, aim for at least one nap to be at home, in the crib, knowing the other one will get interrupted. This can help prevent overtiredness, knowing your baby at least got one long, restorative nap.
Plan for an early bedtime on the days naps will be short and sporadic. You can offer bedtime 30-60 minutes earlier than normal to make up for the lack of day sleep:)
I want you to know that even with the craziness of multiple schedules, you can still have an amazing sleeper.
Adjust when and where you need to. Do your best and don’t give up❤️
YOU GOT THIS!
Jessalyn