Nap advice please: To drop nap or not that is the question

[Ahblahblablahumbug]

Almost 8mo tends to wake between 5&6am, naps 2hrs after waking, usually around 7.30/8am for an hour sometimes 1.5hrs. They nap around midday (timings fluctuate due to baby groups/life etc) but will only sleep 30-45 mins, but can do longer if held for the nap. They're still having a third nap around 3.30/4pm for 30-45 minutes...I keep reading about dropping the third nap but because they don't sleep long in the middle of the day I don't think they'll get through to they're 7pm bedtime without a few major meltdowns?!

Or will dropping the third nap help them sleep longer in the middle of the day and later into the morning?

I guess I'd have to move bedtime to 6 if the third nap drops?

Just bumping

For the 5am wake ups -
Stay in lo room and do whatever you can to get them to sleep. Offer water only. I did the whole holding my lo to sleep as it worked and helped later mornings that's 5am wasn't acceptable in my eyes 😂 even if she wakes at 6am. I ignore lo until they getting upset.
Don't put lo down until 9/930am. Then only let them sleep an hour. That brings it to 10/1030 awake
Next nap 1/130pm. Get 2 hours sleep on this one. Easier said then done I know. I had to perch in her room at 30-55 minutes to resettle immediately to encourage longer sleep.
If they wake before 3pm. 10min cat nap about 430/5. Then bed about 730/8.
Similiar to 234 routine.
Personally my lo couldn't cope with 4 hours and just managing now at almost 10 months every lo is different.

I found this was worse stage of encouraging lo 2 naps as she refused the 3rd and was ending up being 530pm 3rd nap. It transitioning in these months.
So you could do-

9am till 10am nap
1pm till 3pm nap it how long lo sleep for. No later then 4pm for my lo
Bedtime 3.5/4 hours after last nap ended.

And aim for something in later months -
945am/10am till 11am nap.
2/230pm till 4pm nap.

Apologies my message is brisk and short. Hope it helps.

Personally I would do it all in one move. And have a busy morning, as they say your allowing lo to catch up on sleep putting them down at 7/730am. Get as close to 9am/930am as you can.
It will be a hard slug for a few days but gets easier x

Thank you @Fancyties

Think we'll try something like that in the new year,at least they're sleeping most of the night with few wake ups.