Do naps really have to be regular?

[roadtripper]

I am in and out of the house and car all day long, and doing different things each day because of my older DC.

It is impossible for my poor DD (13 months) to have naps at the same time every day. She sleeps 7 to 7 at night but will have, for example, a long morning and afternoon nap on a Monday and then we'll be so busy the next two days she'll only have a half hour all day. Am I causing horrible damage to her development?!

I think naps are important. The same time every day isn't as important, but I do think you need to find time in day that she can nap 2 hours.

Can you walk to do school pick up? So can put baby down for nap at say 1pm in pram, then anytime after you need to go out, then push in pram whilst she sleeps

Do you have to do everything between 9-3pm? Surely you can just slow pace a little so she can either nap in pram or at home. When do you stop and have lunch?

roadtripper I honestly wouldn't worry ... I have two older DCs and a baby so am in the same boat as you, and little DD sleeps when she can! I find it hard to have a routine with her in the way that I did with the others, as I can't organise everything around her. She has to fit in with school drop offs and pick ups and their activities ... having said that she still gets a decent morning sleep and often a good one after lunch so it's certainly possible to fit them in. I try to have a couple of peaceful days at home each week so that she can get some good rest. But I think fitting in with family life is one of those things subsequent children just get on with, and in a way that's one of the great joys of child number 3 and 4 and 5 and more!

Thanks that's very reassuring. The problem is between working part time and school and nursery and pre school I do 'school' runs at 8.30, 9, 11.30, 12.30, 1, 3.30, and 6 depending on the day. So no, it's really not possible or I'd do it!
I've racked my brains to come up with a solution. For a while I tried to force her to sleep at 10 but she's just not ready by then. Equally she can't last till 1 (and if she has a sleep before she's not ready agin at 1).
I do try to keep thinking that 4th and 5th children must have it even worse

Can she not sleep at say 11am on school run?

Leave house at 11.15, 15 minute drive to nursery (not long enough to fall asleep), obvs can't leave her in car when I go in. 15 min drive back.

Anyhoo the point is it's something I know isn't solvable in the short term, so I'm really looking for stories of people whose babies have napped at erratic times and lengths and lived to tell the tale.

My first never had a routine nap schedule and would just cat nap as and when he wanted. He's now 3 and seems none the worse for it :) unfortunately dd, five months, is going the same way it seems. My children obviously just don't like daytime sleep! I wouldn't worry, she'd fall asleep if she really needed to.

Mine sometimes has his nap at 11 and sometimes as late as 1pm. Never occurred to me to see it as a problem! As long as they're getting the right amount of sleep and are not showing signs of overtiredness, the timing is more for the parent's benefit than the child's.

DS2 (20m) tends to nap at different times according to whats going on too. He isn't a great buggy sleeper so I either put him down late morning or early afternoon in his cot and he goes to sleep whatever time that is, anywhere between about 10.30 (this morning) and 2.30 (sunday). Doesn't seem to do him any harm as long as over a week he gets the right amount of sleep over the days.

Thank you

If she seems generally happy and isn't screaming with over tiredness by the evenings I would say you're getting it right for your baby :) Enjoy the flexibility!!