19 months - how much daytime sleep?

[omama]

My turn to ask for some help!

DS is 19 months & for the last few months has been on a lovely routine of

Wake: 7am
Nap: 12.30-2.30 (I had to wake him at 2hrs every single day or he's have slept more. But if he slept more then he would wake early the following day)
Bed: 7.30

Suddenly he started taking ages to settle at bedtime, asleep around 8pm & then he would wake at 6am. Then he was struggling with staying awake to naptime. I have tried shortening his nap to 1.75hrs which seemed to help then after a few days we got the same again, so I've tried cutting to 1.5hrs & we're now on day 6 of that & his nights have gradually shortened again. Since cutting the nap I've brought bedtime earlier to 7pm, to make sure he doesn't get overtired, but he just isn't settling until 7.15-7.30 & he's still waking at 6-6.30 latest. Whilst its not so terrible, I do find that its quite a long day for him if he's getting up at 6 & going to bed at 7.30 & whilst he's waking happy in the mornings, he has big bags under his eyes so it seems to me he needs more sleep somewhere.

I'm still not convinced cutting his nap is the right thing to do since he's usually soundly asleep. Doesn't that suggest he needs more day sleep? And if so do I have to just accept that he needs a much later bedtime & is going to wake much earlier? [selfishly thinking of my evening time for myself & my sleep time here]

Just wondered what you mamas of 19 month olds are doing right now - do you let them sleep as long as they want & how long is that typically? Or do you cap the nap & if so why?

Any thoughts for our situation & whether I should persevere with capping, do earlier/later bedtime or let him nap whatever he wants is much appreciated.

I would say cut the nap (although I'll probably be the only one!). At this age, my daughter was on 1hour at lunchtime. Anymore and we had problems settling and waking.

Thanks love

I absolutely hate waking him from his nap already & I really can't bear the thought of trimming it shorter. But I have to say my gut feeling is that if I want him to settle at bedtime then he either needs a later bedtime or a shorter nap.

We've decided to try a slightly later bedtime for a week or so & see if that puts off capping shorter for a wee while longer. So we're doing nap 12.30-2.00 & bedtime at 7.30 & am hoping that we might get a 7am wakeup. I've a funny feeling I'll be asking for too much though!