[Emma H]

Hi Aditi,

There could be a few reasons why bedtime is feeling a bit tricky right now:

1. Her sleep patterns may be maturing. Around this age, babies start to become more aware of their environment, including how they fall asleep. If she’s being rocked fully to sleep and then waking shortly after being placed in the bassinet, it could be because she’s noticing the change in environment—falling asleep in your arms but waking up somewhere different. This awareness can cause more resistance and frequent wake-ups.

2. She might not be quite ready for bed. If her body hasn’t built up enough sleep pressure, she may simply not be tired enough yet. This could explain why she’s taking a long time to fall asleep, is upset during the settling process, or wakes 5–10 minutes after being placed down.

To work out what’s going on and tailor some advice to suit your little one, I just have a few questions:

1. It sounds like she’s consistently waking between 7:00 and 7:30am—is that correct?
2. Have you been able to follow a wake–feed–play–sleep routine during the day?
3. Does she use a pacifier to fall asleep?
4. What does her nap routine look like—do you have any cues or wind-down rituals before naps?
5. What does her bedtime routine look like?
6. Are you rocking her to sleep for all her naps? And when you’re rocking her to sleep are you walking around or standing still?
7. Can you describe her sleep environment (e.g., is she in her own room or yours, is it cool, dark, and quiet)?
8. Where does she nap during the day?
9. How is her overnight sleep—does she wake for feeds, and if so, at what times?
10. Have you had a chance to try the settling pyramid with her?

One helpful thing to do over the next few days is to note down the time her final nap ends, and the time she finally falls into a deep sleep at bedtime (meaning she stays asleep and doesn’t wake soon after). This will help us identify if there’s a consistent pattern or give us clues about how long her final wake window needs to be.

I am sorry for all the questions.
Emma

[Emma H]

Hi Mary,

Congratulations on the arrival of your little one! Please don’t feel as though you’re “doing something wrong” or creating unbreakable habits at this stage. At around 7 weeks, babies often start staying awake longer during the day, making transfers from arms to cot a bit more challenging than they were in the early newborn days. She’s also around the peak of the Period of PURPLE Crying, which can bring extra fussiness and make settling tougher, especially in the late afternoons and evenings.

In order to give you the best possible advice, would you mind sharing a few details about your current routine?

• Does she have a consistent wake time in the morning? If so, what time?
• Have you started implementing a wake–feed–play–sleep routine?
• About how long does she typically stay awake between naps?
• Does she use a pacifier?
• Are you swaddling her for naps? If so, what type of swaddle are you using?
• What is her sleeping environment like? (e.g., lighting, noise level, temperature)
• How do you usually settle her to sleep for naps and bedtime?
• Do you have a nap time routine?
• How many naps does she take each day, and roughly when do they start?

I know that’s a lot of questions, but these details will help me tailor my suggestions to fit your little one’s needs.

Looking forward to hearing from you,

Emma

[Emma H]

Hi Stephanie,

I’m so glad you’re finding the live example videos helpful!

That’s a great idea to add a basic outline of the daily schedule under the videos to make it easier to follow along. I’ll look into adding that soon.

Sample Routine for a 3-Month-Old with 4 Naps

A typical schedule could look like this:

• 7:30 AM – Wake up & feed
• 9:00 – 9:45 AM – Nap 1
• 9:45 AM – Feed & play
• 11:30 – 12:15 PM – Nap 2
• 12:15 PM – Feed & play
• 2:15 – 3:00 PM – Nap 3
• 3:00 PM – Feed & play
• 4:45 – 5:30 PM – Nap 4
• 7:00 / 7:30 PM – Bedtime

This is just an example—usually, when babies are taking four naps a day, one nap tends to be a little longer than 45 minutes. If all naps are around 45 minutes, they may still need a fifth nap to get through the day.

Feeding After Short Naps

In general, I recommend offering a feed after each nap, even if it was a short one. If your baby isn’t interested, that’s completely fine—just continue on with your routine. What you should notice is as they get older and their wake windows extend, the time between feeds will naturally start to space out.

Managing Long Carrier Naps

It’s common for babies to sleep longer in a carrier because we naturally move around, pat or shush them as soon as they start to stir and this helps them connect sleep cycles.

But since we want to encourage longer stretches of sleep at night, I recommend waking them after 2 hours to:

• Ensure they don’t meet all their sleep needs during the day.
• Help them get most of their daily milk intake during the daytime rather than overnight.

Handling a Grumpy Wake-Up from a Short Nap

If your baby wakes up grumpy from a short nap, here’s what can help:

• Offer comfort first – A cuddle and a feed can help them reset.
• Shorten the next wake window – Sleep pressure builds faster after a short nap, so they may need less awake time before their next sleep.
• Use distraction – A change of scenery, going outside, or moving to another room can help shift their mood.

I hope this helps,
Emma

[Emma H]

Hi Emily,
Thank you so much for taking the time to answer my questions in such detail—I really appreciate it. It sounds like you’re doing an incredible job staying responsive to your little one’s needs, even through some very long and tiring nights.

From what you’ve described, you’re absolutely right that resettling and self-soothing are the biggest challenges right now. The fact that he’s waking every 50–60 minutes overnight and every 25 minutes for naps—especially with those patterns being so consistent—suggests he’s waking at the end of each sleep cycle and relying on you to help him fall back to sleep, usually by feeding or rocking. This is how he’s learned to fall asleep, so naturally, he needs those same conditions when he wakes again.

The key to reducing these frequent wakes (and getting you both more rest!) is to help him learn to fall asleep independently, without feeding or rocking. Once he develops this skill, he’ll be much more likely to link sleep cycles on his own.

I think one reason the settling pyramid hasn’t been as effective yet is that he may be having micro-sleeps while feeding—particularly during those long daytime feeds. Sucking is soothing, and many babies do drift off while nursing, even briefly. When this happens, he’s likely taking the edge off his sleep pressure—the natural drive to sleep—which then makes it harder for him to fall asleep when it’s actually time for a nap. He might either resist settling (because he’s not quite tired enough), or fall asleep briefly in your arms but wake shortly after being placed in the crib.

Here are a few things we can try to help increase the effectiveness of the settling pyramid:

1. Keep him fully awake during daytime feeds

This can be tricky, but it really helps. Try offering feeds 5–10 minutes after he wakes from a nap, and do them in a bright, stimulating environment (like a room with some background noise or gentle activity).

If he starts getting drowsy mid-feed—often indicated by slower or less frequent swallowing—pause the feed, sit him up, or change his diaper to help him wake up again. Then continue feeding if needed. If the feed has already been long enough, you can move straight into playtime.

How have the last few days gone with trying this?

2. Try extending his wake windows by 15 minutes

This might help build up just a little more sleep pressure, making it easier for him to settle and stay asleep during naps. Give it a try and see if he seems more ready to settle when he’s had a bit more awake time.

3. Pacifier use

It sounds like the pacifier may be contributing to shorter naps if it falls out and he wakes looking for it. How has it gone trying to remove the pacifier before he falls asleep? Has he been able to settle without it?

One last thing to consider: if either you or your husband snore loudly, that could also be causing your little one to rouse between sleep cycles overnight. Loud or sudden noises close to his sleep space can make it harder for him to settle or return to sleep on his own.

In terms of the white noise machine—yes, it’s perfectly safe to leave on all night, as long as the volume is kept at a safe level (ideally below 50 – 60 decibels and placed at least 1 meter from the crib). White noise can be really helpful in blocking out sudden environmental noises and masking the noises of you and your husband sleeping in the same room.

I hope this helps,
Emma

[Emma H]

Hi Aditi,

Thanks so much for taking the time to answer my questions—I really appreciate the detail you’ve shared.

From what you’ve described, it sounds like your little one’s sleep patterns are maturing. The longer time it’s taking her to fall asleep at bedtime, along with the increased need to “rescue” naps, suggests she’s becoming more aware of how she’s falling asleep—particularly in your arms—and is beginning to rely on that to stay asleep.

Your plan to start working on independent sleep is a fantastic next step. Bedtime is a great place to begin because her circadian rhythm and sleep pressure are both working in your favour, making it more likely that she’ll successfully settle with less assistance. Practicing the settling pyramid at bedtime is a smart move and a gentle way to support her in learning this skill.

It also sounds like shifting her final feed to between 6–7pm is working well—especially since she’s now sleeping a longer stretch rather than waking an hour later for another feed. That’s exactly what you want to see at this age, so I’d recommend continuing with that timing.

Bedtime routine:

In terms of her bedtime routine, you could try tweaking the order slightly so the more alerting or stimulating activities happen earlier, and the calming ones are closer to sleep. So it might look a little like this:

• Feed

• Diaper change

• Massage

• PJs on

• Sleep sack on (this can be alerting, so best to do this before the wind-down begins)

• Dim the lights

• Turn on the sound machine

• Read 1–2 books

• Say goodnight

• Gently bounce while singing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star (3x)

• Lay her in the bassinet and begin using the settling pyramid to support her to fall asleep in the bassinet.

For daytime naps:

If you have the energy, you could begin helping her learn to fall asleep without movement while still in your arms—this is a gentle bridge before moving to the settling pyramid for naps. So her nap routine might look like:

• Sleep sack on

• Close curtains

• Turn on sound machine

• Gently bounce and sing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star (3x)

• Then stop bouncing and simply hold and shush

• Gradually fade out the shushing, and allow her to drift off without movement

Something else you could try is slightly stretching her wake windows by 10–15 minutes. If she’s not quite tired enough, this can result in nap “false starts” or short naps. A small increase might help her build enough sleep pressure to fall asleep and stay asleep more easily.

Daytime Sleep Expectations:

At 14 weeks, the average total sleep in 24 hours is around 14–17 hours, so if she’s getting 11.5 hours overnight, she may need anywhere from 3.5 to 5.5 hours of naps during the day. That upper range is less common though, generally the lower end is more common.

Short naps (30–45 minutes) are still very typical at this age, which is why 4–5 naps per day is normal. Often, if one nap runs long, it pushes the next ones later, and you’ll only fit in four naps. The next day, all her naps might be short again and she’ll need five. That back-and-forth is completely normal at this stage.

One way to help encourage a more predictable nap routine is to keep waking her at 7:00–7:30am, and aim for that first nap to begin around 8:30–9:00am. Once that first nap becomes consistent, the second, third, and so on tend to naturally fall into place as well.

Does this sound possible?

Emma

[Emma H]

Hi Pav,

That’s great to hear—you’ve done an excellent job noticing how a small change in your routine has led to a longer second nap. Hopefully, that continues!

It’s also a great approach to leave him in the cot if he’s happy and to consistently start the day at 7am. If he begins waking more consistently around 6:30am, that may simply become his natural wake-up time. In that case, you could look at slightly stretching his wake windows or shifting his first nap to around 9:00–9:15am.

But honestly, it sounds like following his lead is working really well right now. So I would just keep doing that.
Emma

[Emma H]

Hi Pav,

It’s great to hear from you!

You’ve done such a great job navigating the 3-to-2 nap transition and moving!,

From everything you’ve described, Rohan’s sleep is actually in a really solid place—especially with those consistent 12-hour nights. Given the big changes he’s recently experienced (moving, teething, and developmental leaps like crawling), it’s completely normal for naps to be a bit unpredictable. During times of transition, babies often prioritise night sleep over naps, and it’s not uncommon for the second nap to be shorter, especially if he’s waking happy and handling his wake windows well.

Right now, the total amount of sleep he’s getting (around 14 hours in 24 hours) is within a great range, so if this current pattern is working for him and you, there’s no need to change anything. However, if you’d like to encourage a more balanced nap structure, there are a couple of things you could try.

Based on what you’ve shared, Rohan’s current nap schedule looks something like this:

• 7:00 AM – Wake-up
• 9:45/10:00 AM – First nap
• 11:30 AM – Wake
• 3:00 PM – Second nap
• 3:45 PM – Wake
• 7:00 PM – Bedtime

A more typical 2-nap schedule at this age often follows this pattern:

• 7:00 AM – Wake-up
• 9:00 AM – First nap
• 10:00/10:30 AM – Wake
• 1:00/1:30 PM – Second nap
• 2:30/3:00 PM – Wake
• 7:00 PM – Bedtime

On a two-nap schedule, wake windows typically lengthen throughout the day, often following a 2-3-4 pattern—a 2-hour wake window before the first nap, 3 hours before the second nap, and 4 hours before bedtime. You could try shifting his naps slightly to align with this rhythm and see how he responds. If you do, I’d recommend giving it at least 3 days to allow his body clock to adjust.

If you think he will struggle with these wake windows, you could try:

• Shifting his first nap slightly earlier (by about 15 minutes).
• Capping the first nap at ~45 minutes (one sleep cycle) to ensure there’s enough sleep pressure for a longer second nap.
• Scheduling the second nap around 1:00 PM, which aligns with the natural circadian dip in the early afternoon, making it easier for babies to fall asleep.
• Capping the second nap at 3:00 PM at the latest (if he sleeps that long).

If you try this approach, I’d recommend sticking with it for 3–4 days to see if it helps create a more balanced nap structure.

That said, if he’s waking happy, handling wake windows well, and continuing to sleep solidly overnight, this may simply be his natural rhythm for now. Some babies naturally prefer one long nap and one shorter one, and as long as he’s well-rested, there’s no need to force a change.

And if you’re wondering how this might affect his future transition to one nap, don’t worry! When the time comes, we’ll simply gradually shift the first nap later until it consolidates into one midday nap. His current pattern won’t make that transition any harder when the time comes.

I hope that helps!

Emma

[Emma H]

Hi Maria,

Thanks for sharing so much detail about your little one’s sleep. It sounds like you’re doing a great job tuning into her needs and creating a responsive routine.

Unfortunately at this age, there isn’t a set sleep schedule because sleep is largely driven by sleep pressure, which is influenced by factors like how long and restful the previous nap was, what activities she was engaged in during her wake periods, and a few other variables. The best approach right now is to combine your knowledge of her unique cues with age-appropriate wake windows and the general patterns that tend to emerge. In the module titled How to Read Your Baby’s Cues to Know Exactly When It’s Sleep Time, I walk you through this process step by step. Have you had a chance to watch this module?

One thing I will say is that at 7 weeks, you may notice that she doesn’t always follow the wake-feed-play-sleep cycle during the daytime. She might just wake up, feed, and then fall straight back to sleep. This is completely normal at this age. Over the coming weeks, you’ll likely see her gradually having more awake time after feeds, and that’s when you can start following the wake-feed-play-sleep routine more consistently during the day.

Although there’s no fixed nap schedule at this stage, you can encourage a more predictable rhythm by waking her at the same time each morning (within about a 30-minute window). Doing this helps reset her still-developing circadian rhythm, making that first nap of the day more consistent. Over time, as the first nap falls into place, the rest of the day’s naps will start to follow a more regular pattern as well.

Another benefit of a consistent morning wake time is that it supports the maturation of her circadian rhythm, which in turn helps bedtime become more predictable and encourages longer stretches of sleep overnight.

You mentioned that you’re not yet following a nap routine and that you’re currently helping her fall asleep in your arms as you walk around. Although it may seem like a small change, introducing a simple nap routine now can help make it easier to transition her to falling asleep in the crib over time. Would you be happy to tweak the way you’re currently helping her fall asleep slightly when you’re at home? A routine like this could help:

• Wrap her in her swaddle.
• Walk into your bedroom, dim the lights, and turn on the white noise machine.
• Hold her in your arms while gently walking around and singing a lullaby or song.
• Once the lullaby ends, continue holding her while walking, but add gentle bottom pats and shushing.
• As she starts to calm, gradually reduce your movements:
  • Stop walking and just continue patting and shushing.
  • Then stop patting while continuing to shush.
  • Finally, stop shushing—all before she falls asleep.




By gradually reducing the amount of movement and input she relies on to fall asleep, you’ll be helping her learn to settle more independently. This approach not only makes the transition to the settling pyramid smoother when you’re ready but can also make it easier to transfer her to the crib if she falls asleep in your arms.

If you feel ready to try the settling pyramid now, you can take the next step by placing her in the crib right after finishing the lullaby, rather than continuing to hold her.

Does this sound possible?

Emma

[Emma H]

Hi Yana,

Thank you for sharing all these details—I can see how much thought you’re putting into understanding your baby’s cues and making sleep as smooth as possible.

You’re doing a fantastic job observing patterns and adjusting based on what you see.

Let’s break everything down and see how we can fine-tune things.

1. Why Does He Fall Asleep Easily in Motion but Protest at Home?

It makes perfect sense that he falls asleep so easily while in motion (like in your arms at the mall). The combination of gentle movement, a snug and secure feeling, and a new but not overstimulating environment naturally lulls him to sleep—much like how adults often doze off on a moving train.

At home, however, sleep is more intentional, and he’s more aware of the transition. This can lead to:

• Protest crying – He wants to keep engaging and isn’t quite ready to wind down.
• A need to release tension before sleep – Some babies fuss as a way to let off steam before they’re able to fully relax, which explains why he may cry for a bit but then fall asleep within minutes.

Neither of these reactions necessarily means you’re missing his cues or that he’s overstimulated—it may just be his way of processing the shift to sleep.

2. Why Does He Sometimes Cry Before Sleep?

It sounds like his crying before sleep happens in two different ways:

1. He seems happy and alert, but cries once you start the sleep process and then takes a while to settle to sleep.

   • This may indicate that his wake window could be stretched slightly (by 5-10 minutes) to make him more naturally ready for sleep. At 14 weeks, they can start to stay awake for 1 and 1/2 hours at a time.

2. He fusses at first, then quickly falls asleep after a few minutes of crying.

   • This suggests that he’s actually ready for sleep, but crying is his way of winding down. Some babies need to release a bit of tension before sleep, even when they’re not overtired.

3. Pre-Sleep Relaxation Techniques to Try

If you suspect he needs a smoother transition from wake time to sleep, try adding a short wind-down period before starting the sleep routine.

Here are a few things to experiment with:

• Step outside or look out a window together for a couple of minutes before the sleep routine.
• Or try reducing the stimulation before sleep by dimming the lights, speaking softly, or using gentle movements about 10-15 minutes before putting him down.
• Hold him still in your arms for a few minutes before rocking or swaddling, letting him relax before transitioning to sleep.
• Sing a lullaby or hum rhythmically before starting the actual sleep process.

You could try one of these at a time to see if it makes a difference.

4. Adjusting Wake Windows & Activity Distribution

You mentioned his first nap happened after 1 hour and 3 minutes of awake time. That’s within a typical range for his age, but if he’s crying as soon as you start putting him to sleep, it could indicate that:

• He may need a slightly longer wake window—try extending it to 1 hour 10–15 minutes and see if he settles more easily.
• If he continues to protest when you begin the nap routine and takes a while to fall asleep, gradually extend his wake window up to 1 hour 30 minutes to see if that helps.

One useful strategy is to track the time he wakes up, the time he actually falls into deep sleep, and the length of his nap. This can help you identify patterns in how long he comfortably stays awake before becoming overtired or struggling to settle. Adjusting wake windows based on this data can make naps smoother over time.

In terms of wake window activities, what you’re doing sounds great! You might try:
– Structuring wake time so the most stimulating activities happen earlier (like tummy time and playmat) and calmer activities happen later (cuddling, looking out a window, a slow-paced book).

5. Why Has His Nighttime Sleep Changed?

Since you mentioned he is actually feeding longer during night wakings, it suggests:

• Genuine hunger rather than habit-based waking (so he may be going through a growth spurt or just needing extra calories overnight).

What You Can Do:

1. Make sure he’s getting full daytime feeds – To help him take in more during the day, try feeding in a bright, stimulating environment to keep him engaged. If you notice he’s sucking but not swallowing as frequently, it’s a sign he may be dozing off (which is completely normal).

   When this happens, gently break the seal and try changing his diaper or switching breasts to wake him up and encourage him to feed for longer.

   These small adjustments can help ensure he gets a fuller feed, which may also support longer sleep stretches at night.

2. Keep wake-up time and bedtime consistent – The more predictable bedtime is, the more likely his body will return to longer stretches naturally.
3. Wait before intervening overnight – If he wakes but isn’t crying intensely, give him a few minutes to see if he’ll resettle before immediately feeding.

6. Is Feeding Every 2 Hours Normal at 14 Weeks?

Yes! While some babies stretch to 3-hour feeds, many still eat every 2–2.5 hours, especially if they are breastfed. Breast milk digests quickly, and hunger can fluctuate during growth spurts. If he’s truly eating when offered (not just comfort sucking), then his feeding schedule is completely fine.

I hope this helps!

Emma

[Emma H]

Hi Emily,

I’m so sorry again for the delay in responding. For some reason, I didn’t receive a notification for your message on the 8th—only the one you sent today.

To ensure I don’t miss any future messages, would you mind replying directly to this message and see if that fixes the problem? I’ll also make sure to check it more regularly to avoid missing any of your replies.

Sleep & Feeding Observations

I completely understand why you’d be concerned about whether he’s getting enough sleep. However, it’s very likely that he’s sleeping quite a bit while feeding. At this age, we wouldn’t typically expect babies to feed for a full 60 minutes, so it’s possible he’s dozing off during those sessions.

Another key way to gauge whether he’s getting enough sleep is by observing his mood when he’s awake. If he’s generally content—aside from occasional gas discomfort—he’s likely getting sufficient sleep, even if it’s in shorter stretches. However, if he’s frequently inconsolable during wake times, it may be a sign that he needs more rest.

Also I did just want to mention that since he’s feeding for such long periods, it makes sense that he doesn’t have much wake time for play and books. What should happen is as he gets older and more efficient at feeding, the time required to feed should reduce and he will have more time to play.

Suggestions for Encouraging Crib Naps

1. Maintain a consistent morning wake-up time.

   • His wake-up time may be shifting earlier, which is normal at this stage. Try to keep it within a 30-minute window to help regulate his bedtime, encourage longer nighttime stretches, and eventually establish a more predictable nap schedule.

2. Encourage fuller feeds to reduce drowsy feeding.

   • When he wakes from a nap, let him play for 5–10 minutes to fully wake up (as long as he’s not crying from hunger).
   • Feed him in a bright, engaging environment to keep him alert. If he starts getting sleepy (e.g., sucking without swallowing), pause the feed, change his diaper, or switch positions to wake him up before resuming.

3. Watch for true tired cues.

   • After feeding, if he’s still awake, engage in a brief play session and watch for tired signs.
   • If you see early cues, try changing the activity or moving to a new room to rule out boredom (boredom cues can look similar to tired cues). If he continues fussing, he’s likely ready for sleep.

4. Adjust the nap routine slightly.

   • Before nap time, follow this sequence:
     1. Offer the pacifier.
     2. Swaddle him.
     3. Walk around the living room a couple of times to help him settle.
     4. Bring him to the bedroom, close the curtains, and turn on white noise.
     5. Hold and rock him gently while singing a lullaby.
     6. Lay him down in the crib and use the settling pyramid to help him fall asleep.
     7. Just before he drifts off, slide your finger between his mouth and the pacifier to break the seal and remove it. Since you mentioned he wakes when the pacifier falls out, removing it just before sleep may help lengthen naps. If he stirs, leave it in for now and try again later.

5. If he needs help settling to sleep, try minimising movement as he drifts off.

   • If he gets upset and needs to be held or rocked to fall asleep, start by rocking him gently, then gradually slow the movement until he drifts off while you’re standing still. Helping him learn to fall asleep without constant motion will make it easier to transition to the settling pyramid as he is ready.

6. Start small—focus on the first nap and bedtime.

   • Implementing these changes for every nap can be exhausting. Instead, try using this approach for just the first nap of the day and at bedtime.
   • The first nap is usually the easiest for babies to settle into, and at bedtime, their circadian rhythm and sleep pressure work together to naturally support sleep.

I have also answered your questions below:
1. Should you wake him up for “playtime” if he falls asleep while feeding?

Since his feeds are quite long, it’s not surprising that he dozes off—they often last as long as a typical wake window.

To reduce the chances of him falling asleep while feeding, try offering feeds in a bright, stimulating environment with plenty of distractions. You can also break the seal and pause the feed if you notice he’s sucking without swallowing, as this usually signals he’s about to drift off.

However, if he does fall asleep while feeding, it’s perfectly fine to let him sleep. As he gets older and becomes more alert, he’ll naturally spend more time awake after feeds. Right now, falling asleep at the breast isn’t a “bad habit”—it’s completely normal and something you can gradually adjust later if needed.

2. Earlier bedtime as he approaches 3 months?

Between 3 and 4 months, bedtime naturally starts to move earlier, and by 4 months, it often settles into a predictable time within a 30-minute window. It sounds like his bedtime is already fairly consistent, which is great!

If you’d like, you can gradually shift his bedtime earlier by 15 minutes every three nights and observe how he responds. If this leads to better nighttime sleep, you can stick with the earlier time. However, if he starts waking up frequently in the early part of the night before settling into deep sleep, it may be a sign that he’s not quite ready for the adjustment yet.

3. When he wakes after 25 minutes, how long should you wait before starting the “pyramid” (or another soothing method)?

If he’s only fussing lightly—moving around or crying out with pauses in between—give him a minute or two to see if he can settle himself back to sleep. However, if his fussing escalates into a full-blown cry with no breaks, it’s best to intervene sooner rather than later.

4. If he wakes up after 25 minutes, how do you know if he’s done napping or still needs more sleep?

Unfortunately, sleep pressure—the drive that helps babies fall and stay asleep for naps—naturally dissipates during sleep. This means that even after a short nap, he may no longer feel tired enough to fall back asleep.

When he wakes after a 25-minute nap, you can try settling him back to sleep. If he doesn’t fall asleep within 15 minutes, it’s best to get him up and start the next wake window.

Keep in mind that if his nap was short, he may become tired again sooner than usual, and he’ll likely need more naps throughout the day to make up for it.

Questions About Overnight Feeds & Wakings

You mentioned that he’s now fully waking after night feeds. I just have a few questions to help me understand what’s going on:

• Is he still waking every hour throughout the night?
• Are you still settling him to sleep in the crib from 9:30 PM to 1 AM, then feeding him at 1 AM, 4 AM, and 6 AM?
• When you feed him overnight, do you keep him swaddled and then lay him straight back in the crib? Or do you unswaddle him, feed him, hold him upright for burping, then re-swaddle before laying him back down?
• When you say he stays awake after a feed, does that mean:
  • He remains awake for the entire feed and then stays awake, requiring you to rock him in your arms to get him back to sleep?
  • Or do you continue feeding him until he falls asleep, then wait until he’s in deep sleep before transferring him to the crib?
• When he wakes during the night, what are you doing to help him fall back asleep?
• Are his overnight wakes happening at very predictable times (e.g., every x minutes or hours, almost on the dot)? If so, it’s likely he’s waking between sleep cycles and needing something to help him fall back asleep.
• Or are his wake-ups more random, without a clear pattern? If so, that could suggest discomfort or pain rather than a habitual sleep cycle wake-up.

Does these suggestions sound doable?

Emma

• This reply was modified 5 months, 3 weeks ago by  Emma H.

[Emma H]

Hi Emily,

I’m so sorry again for the delay in responding. For some reason, I didn’t receive a notification for your message on the 8th—only the one you sent today.

To ensure I don’t miss any future messages, would you mind replying directly to this message and see if that fixes the problem? I’ll also make sure to check it more regularly to avoid missing any of your replies.

Sleep & Feeding Observations

I completely understand why you’d be concerned about whether he’s getting enough sleep. However, it’s very likely that he’s sleeping quite a bit while feeding. At this age, we wouldn’t typically expect babies to feed for a full 60 minutes, so it’s possible he’s dozing off during those sessions.

Another key way to gauge whether he’s getting enough sleep is by observing his mood when he’s awake. If he’s generally content—aside from occasional gas discomfort—he’s likely getting sufficient sleep, even if it’s in shorter stretches. However, if he’s frequently inconsolable during wake times, it may be a sign that he needs more rest.

Also I did just want to mention that since he’s feeding for such long periods, it makes sense that he doesn’t have much wake time for play and books. What should happen is as he gets older and more efficient at feeding, the time required to feed should reduce and he will have more time to play.

Suggestions for Encouraging Crib Naps

1. Maintain a consistent morning wake-up time.

   • His wake-up time may be shifting earlier, which is normal at this stage. Try to keep it within a 30-minute window to help regulate his bedtime, encourage longer nighttime stretches, and eventually establish a more predictable nap schedule.

2. Encourage fuller feeds to reduce drowsy feeding.

   • When he wakes from a nap, let him play for 5–10 minutes to fully wake up (as long as he’s not crying from hunger).
   • Feed him in a bright, engaging environment to keep him alert. If he starts getting sleepy (e.g., sucking without swallowing), pause the feed, change his diaper, or switch positions to wake him up before resuming.

3. Watch for true tired cues.

   • After feeding, if he’s still awake, engage in a brief play session and watch for tired signs.
   • If you see early cues, try changing the activity or moving to a new room to rule out boredom (boredom cues can look similar to tired cues). If he continues fussing, he’s likely ready for sleep.

4. Adjust the nap routine slightly.

   • Before nap time, follow this sequence:
     1. Offer the pacifier.
     2. Swaddle him.
     3. Walk around the living room a couple of times to help him settle.
     4. Bring him to the bedroom, close the curtains, and turn on white noise.
     5. Hold and rock him gently while singing a lullaby.
     6. Lay him down in the crib and use the settling pyramid to help him fall asleep.
     7. Just before he drifts off, slide your finger between his mouth and the pacifier to break the seal and remove it. Since you mentioned he wakes when the pacifier falls out, removing it just before sleep may help lengthen naps. If he stirs, leave it in for now and try again later.

5. If he needs help settling to sleep, try minimising movement as he drifts off.

   • If he gets upset and needs to be held or rocked to fall asleep, start by rocking him gently, then gradually slow the movement until he drifts off while you’re standing still. Helping him learn to fall asleep without constant motion will make it easier to transition to the settling pyramid as he is ready.

6. Start small—focus on the first nap and bedtime.

   • Implementing these changes for every nap can be exhausting. Instead, try using this approach for just the first nap of the day and at bedtime.
   • The first nap is usually the easiest for babies to settle into, and at bedtime, their circadian rhythm and sleep pressure work together to naturally support sleep.

I have also answered your questions below:
1. Should you wake him up for “playtime” if he falls asleep while feeding?

Since his feeds are quite long, it’s not surprising that he dozes off—they often last as long as a typical wake window.

To reduce the chances of him falling asleep while feeding, try offering feeds in a bright, stimulating environment with plenty of distractions. You can also break the seal and pause the feed if you notice he’s sucking without swallowing, as this usually signals he’s about to drift off.

However, if he does fall asleep while feeding, it’s perfectly fine to let him sleep. As he gets older and becomes more alert, he’ll naturally spend more time awake after feeds. Right now, falling asleep at the breast isn’t a “bad habit”—it’s completely normal and something you can gradually adjust later if needed.

2. Earlier bedtime as he approaches 3 months?

Between 3 and 4 months, bedtime naturally starts to move earlier, and by 4 months, it often settles into a predictable time within a 30-minute window. It sounds like his bedtime is already fairly consistent, which is great!

If you’d like, you can gradually shift his bedtime earlier by 15 minutes every three nights and observe how he responds. If this leads to better nighttime sleep, you can stick with the earlier time. However, if he starts waking up frequently in the early part of the night before settling into deep sleep, it may be a sign that he’s not quite ready for the adjustment yet.

3. When he wakes after 25 minutes, how long should you wait before starting the “pyramid” (or another soothing method)?

If he’s only fussing lightly—moving around or crying out with pauses in between—give him a minute or two to see if he can settle himself back to sleep. However, if his fussing escalates into a full-blown cry with no breaks, it’s best to intervene sooner rather than later.

4. If he wakes up after 25 minutes, how do you know if he’s done napping or still needs more sleep?

Unfortunately, sleep pressure—the drive that helps babies fall and stay asleep for naps—naturally dissipates during sleep. This means that even after a short nap, he may no longer feel tired enough to fall back asleep.

When he wakes after a 25-minute nap, you can try settling him back to sleep. If he doesn’t fall asleep within 15 minutes, it’s best to get him up and start the next wake window.

Keep in mind that if his nap was short, he may become tired again sooner than usual, and he’ll likely need more naps throughout the day to make up for it.

Questions About Overnight Feeds & Wakings

You mentioned that he’s now fully waking after night feeds. I just have a few questions to help me understand what’s going on:

• Is he still waking every hour throughout the night?
• Are you still settling him to sleep in the crib from 9:30 PM to 1 AM, then feeding him at 1 AM, 4 AM, and 6 AM?
• When you feed him overnight, do you keep him swaddled and then lay him straight back in the crib? Or do you unswaddle him, feed him, hold him upright for burping, then re-swaddle before laying him back down?
• When you say he stays awake after a feed, does that mean:
  • He remains awake for the entire feed and then stays awake, requiring you to rock him in your arms to get him back to sleep?
  • Or do you continue feeding him until he falls asleep, then wait until he’s in deep sleep before transferring him to the crib?
• When he wakes during the night, what are you doing to help him fall back asleep?
• Are his overnight wakes happening at very predictable times (e.g., every x minutes or hours, almost on the dot)? If so, it’s likely he’s waking between sleep cycles and needing something to help him fall back asleep.
• Or are his wake-ups more random, without a clear pattern? If so, that could suggest discomfort or pain rather than a habitual sleep cycle wake-up.

Does these suggestions sound doable?

Emma

[Emma H]

Hi Rita,

No worries at all. Enjoy the rolling practice! And hopefully sleep settles down again soon.

Emma

[Emma H]

Hi Rita,

You’re absolutely right—this sounds developmental rather than teething or belly issues.

The big clue is that she’s suddenly rolling from back to belly. This is a huge milestone, and with it often comes a temporary disruption in sleep. It’s very common for babies to have a few rough nights while their brain is busy processing a new skill.

Helping Her Through This Phase Faster

To help her adjust and move through this phase as quickly as possible, here are a few things you can do:

1. Lots of Rolling Practice During the Day

Encourage her to practice rolling both ways (back-to-belly and belly-to-back) as much as possible while she’s awake. The more confident she becomes, the less likely she’ll wake up feeling stuck at night.

2. Let Her Sleep on Her Belly (If She Rolls There on Her Own)

Many babies prefer sleeping on their belly once they learn to roll, and there’s no way to keep them on their back once they can roll independently. The recommendation is to always place her on her back to sleep, but if she rolls onto her belly, it’s okay to let her find a comfortable position. You can help her settle in this position by gently patting or shushing. Just ensure her crib is clear of loose items (toys, blankets, etc.).

3. Stick to Your Usual Sleep Cues

Even though bedtime is trickier right now, try to keep her routine consistent—same wind-down, same cues. This prevents her from forming new habits that could linger beyond this phase.

4. Switch to a Sleeping Bag with Arms Free (If You Haven’t Already)

If she’s still in a swaddle or sleep sack with her arms in, now is the time to transition to one that allows full arm movement. This gives her the freedom to adjust her position safely.

How Long Will This Last?

This phase typically resolves within 1-2 weeks as she masters rolling and adjusts to her new sleep position. Hang in there—you’re doing great! 💛

Emma

[Emma H]

Hey Stephanie,

Do you mean that if they’re 3 months of age and they are only napping 4 times instead of 5, or 3 times instead of 4 then they would have one less feed?

I guess you’re right in that they would have one less feed but if they are doing 4 naps instead of 5 or 3 instead of 4. But what tends to happen is they automatically space out their feeds, because they’re having a bigger feed when they do feed and they’re napping for longer stretches in the day (which is why they can only fit 4 naps in, instead of 5 or 3 instead or 4).

As they get older, it’s expected that they’ll start stretching the time between feeds.

The other thing that tends to happen is that they end up getting 2 feeds in that last wake window before bedtime. Because they get a feed when they wake from the nap and then they get offered another feed as part of the bedtime routine.

Does that make sense?

Emma

[Emma H]

No worries at all Stephanie!

He does seem to be doing really well for his age!

Let me know how it goes!

Emma