9mo still on 3 naps

[ASomers]

My 9mo DD is still usually having 3 naps a day...I feel like we should surely be down to 2 naps by now?

We've only been able to put her down for naps in her cot for the last month. Prior to this naps were contact or in the pram. Her night sleep has also vastly improved from waking hourly to once or twice and sometimes sleeping through. She wakes at roughly 6am every day and I put her down for naps based on her awake windows and going off her sleep queues. This is usually around 3 hours. However, her naps vary massively in length. Sometimes she'll sleep 30 mins, sometimes 2 hours. I also find that her ideal bed time is 8pm. Earlier than this and she tends to wake more frequently or be awake for an hour at some point in the night.

Sometimes she will only have 2 naps if they have been long enough and late enough but if she wakes from her last nap any earlier than 3, it's impossible to keep her going until 7 which is the earliest I'd like to put her to bed.

This all means that her bedtime varies a bit between 7-9pm, with ideal bedtime being 8. In order to get her to have a later bedtime, I usually end up giving her a 3rd nap...

I don't know if this is a problem? I don't know how I can be more consistent when her naps vary in length so much...

Sounds just like my DS, he’s 7m though, he’s exactly how you describe with naps! Just go with what works I say, I don’t think there needs to be a strict routine, as long as it’s working for u and baby stick with it. Not really much help what I’ve said but just wanted to say we are the same

It's not a problem, they're all different. Mine used to also typically have 3 naps at that age, all of different random lengths at different random times. I did try not to let her nap after about 5ish I think though so I could get her to bed 8 so we did have a more consistent bed time routine, but there's nothing wrong with what you are doing. As she grows she will nap less, don't wish away the nap times

Thank you both! That makes me feel a little better. I just wasn't sure if it was unusual!

Same here, except our night time sleep is TERRIBLE. If your nights are ok then I'd go with it.

You can also experiment with "power naps" (waking after 10 mins, then bed a couple of hours after), but again, if nights are decent I'd stay as you are.

If Your baby is going down happily at night, sleeping well, is happy and content, then it's not a problem. Everyone's sleep needs are different!

I wouldn’t worry as all babies are different. My 14 month old still has two naps around an hour each and sleeps 12 hours at night. Some just need more than others.