afternoon timings...any suggestions?

[charlotte4161]

Hi
so I have a nearly 7 month old and struggle with the afternoon / early evening part of my routine.

All his naps can vary from half hour to 2 hours so it's really hard to sort out his last nap before bedtime.

Take today, up at 730 sleep by 930 till 1030, 1230 till 1415. So his next nap should be 1615 but I then sometimes find that's too early for his bedtime which is normally 1930 / 2000 as he'll nap normally for half hour at this nap. If I bring bedtime forward we struggle to fit in solids and daddy time. (Solids and milk need to be staggered otherwise he won't take one or the other)

He generally only last 2 hours awake, 2.5 at most.

We had a good routine which meant he would nap 1730 and we'd wake him at 1800 (his last nap is the only nap I will wake him from). He started sleeping through the night and waking at 7 / 730 rather than 8/830 and being unpredictable with naps. Used to only be half hour on the dot!

Any suggestions or ideas would be much appreciated....from anyone!
Thanks
Charlotte

I would be expecting baby to be able to be awake for longer than 2 to 2.5 hours at this age, especially between afternoon naptime and bedtime.

But then if my DD (8 months) was up from her afternoon nap at 1415, she wouldn't go through to bedtime without a powernap.

I would try to push the afternoon nap later - more 1330 to 1430 start time, making wake up time closer to 1600 ish. Then bedtime some point between 1900-2000

Mine had dropped her afternoon nap completely by 8 months, so she would have her lunchtime nap until about 2.30pm then bedtime at 7.30pm. If she slept any later than 4 we couldn't get her to bed until 9pm! If I were you id try pushing them all back slightly (10 mins at a time).

At 8 months, only two naps a day are needed.
One in the morning around 9-10 for 45 mins, and then a longer lunchtime nap at 12.15-12.30 for 2 to 2.5 hrs.
Then your LO should be able to stay up until 7pm for bedtime.