My baby is 9 very soon to be 10 months old. For the last few weeks she transitioned from needing three naps, to two. I never managed to get her onto a proper strict schedule, but tried to go by wake windows instead. I don't know what's going on but, im really struggling with that second nap this past week.
She would wake up 7-8am, then will get sleepy needing a nap 3 hours after wake time. Normally, she would need her second nap again roughly 3-4 hours after being awake Sometimes it is a challenge getting her to sleep, so if she doesn't fall asleep right away, i still resort to rocking her to sleep as i know she is tired.
This past week, i have learnt if she has her second nap then she will not sleep at her usual time of 7-8pm. I tried everything, but she was wide awake til 10pm, sometimes 11pm! I thought maybe her second nap is too late in the day, so id made sure she was awake by 3pm, but same thing happened. She only has 45 minute nap, and was awake from 3pm but again refused to sleep til very late til about 10pm.
I can't start her nap earlier than 2.15pm because the awake window would not be longer enough between her first nap, and second.
I also tried not letting her have that second nap thinking maybe she doesn't need it, but disaster. She did fall asleep right away at 7pm, but was starting to get grumpy at 5pm (after waking up at 1pm), and then proper crying by 6pm as she was exhausted. She clearly needs that second nap, but then why the huge wake window between second nap, and bedtime. 10pm is far too late of a bedtime. How can i improve her sleep?