Nap too close to bedtime?

[thethirdbiscuiteer]

My 7-month old DD currently does 3 naps a day. Her schedule isn't rigid but usually goes like:

7am - wakes up
8.45am - nap 1 (30 mins)
11.30am- nap 2 (30-90 mins)
3.30pm - nap 3 (30 mins)
6pm - bedtime

6pm works as her bedtime for our family and I'm keen to stick to it. Plus she gets very screechy and unpleasant after 5pm.

My question is, is having her final nap at 3.30pm - or sometimes 4pm - too close to bedtime? DD is a TERRIBLE sleeper and we're systematically working through possible reasons!

Also, do other parents wake up their babies at a fixed time in the morning? DD wakes up between 6am and 7am and we just let her wake up naturally when she does.

Thank you! 💤

When my little ones were about 7 months they napped around 9-9.45/10 afternoon nap was 12.30 - 2ish. I would then keep them awake until bedtime.

They wanted a later afternoon nap, but bedtime was always difficult if they had one. Bedtime was between 6 and 7 depending if they were very tired.

Mine are early risers - anytime after 4.30 so I never really had chance to wake them.

I think it it is, yes.

Mine at that age would sleep 3-330, absolutely no later, and went to bed after bottle at 7.

Mine were pretty much always awake before 7 but if not I woke them otherwise the whole day was out of whack. I had twins so needed a very rigid routine.

Have you tried 2 longer naps like the above poster? DD used to go down at 6 too but I would make sure she was awake by 3pm

At that age I didn’t let mine nap past 3pm (ideally 2.30pm) for a 7pm bedtime.

(They were having 2 naps at that age rather than 3. 9.30-10ish then 12.30-2.30ish)

Thanks everyone, got it, no nap past 3pm!

How long could your 7-month old babies last between naps? Mine manages being awake for two hours in the morning and a bit longer as the day goes on. This is what makes having only two naps tricky, but let me try again and see if it makes a difference to nighttime sleep!

Could I possibly ask what your day schedules were/are if you're happy to share? Just to see for comparison! Thank you.

Ours was up at 7ish, breakfast/play around the house until a nap at 9.30-10, then we usually went out to a group or something, home for lunch at 12 then nap 12.30- 3ish (on a good day), then bath at 6 and bed at 7.