3 to 2 nap transition...

[Blueberrycheesecake1]

My 7.5mo started not sleeping for his third nap - I have always done this one in the pram and it ended up taking 45 minutes for him to fall asleep and that was starting to be way past 5pm... so I skipped the third nap and powered through to bedtime, bringing it forward to 6pm. No tears or grumpiness but a very tired baby at bedtime!

He has now started waking in the night for a feed again, I think because he is too tired to BF just before bed.

His routine used to be something like this (all times are ranges not the exact times!)

Early wake and BF: between 5.30-6.30
Wake up and small BF: 7.30-8
Breakfast: start between 8.30-9
Nap 1: start 9.15-10 (approx. 1.45-2 hours after wake up) for between 45min and 1h15min
BF: 10.30-11
Lunch: 11.30-12
Nap 2: start 11.45-12.30 (approx. 2.15-2.5hours after wake up) and if still asleep by 2.15 wake up (rare)
BF: 3ish
Nap 3: 4.30 to 5 (pram) - increasingly got shorted as I would wake at 5pm
Dinner: 5.30
Bath: 6
BF: 6.30
Bed: 7ish

Now it's looking more like this (I have also moved so that solids are before milk) over the last week:

2am - BF
6am - BF and resettle
7.30ish - wake up and breakfast
9 - BF
9.30 - Nap 1 (lasts approx. 1h 15)
11.30 - Lunch
12.30 - BF
1 - Nap 2 (lasts approx. 1h 15)
3 - BF
5 - Dinner
5.30 - Bath
5.45 - BF
6 - Bed

And he's just woken up (first time since this change).... Am I creating an overtired baby?? What's the solution - bring bedtime forward or back, wake from naps (I hate doing this!)??

Any advice very appreciated! TIA

Apologies for the essay! Hope that makes sense. Just settled him by taking his vest off so hopefully this wake up was heat related rather than overtiredness related...

Also realise we are very lucky with the little chap and his sleep but did go through a lot of sleepless nights in first few months! Just feels like I have undone it somehow...

Nap transitions are prime time for being a little unsettled/out of routine. Takes a little while to adjust.

Also, at 7.5 months is still be making sure milk comes before solids. At 7.5 milk should still be the main form of nutrition. Could try switching back and see if that makes any difference?

Thank you, yes I wasn't sure at what point to switch them around so will move back! Not that I am worried as he is a very large baby who has a good appetite - except maybe not for that last feed! Feels like he is already getting a bit more used to that long awake time in the afternoon.

Thanks for the time posting!