What's more important? Nap on schedule or a nap at all?

[Elphyrafire]

What are you opinions?
If I can't get that last catnap in at 4:00pm (on schedule) then do I try for 5:00 so close to bedtime?
Tracy says in the sleep interview that if you cant get him down and it comes time to the next feed then feed him and give him a 10 min A time and then put him to bed again. But the example she used is in the morning, not the evening. So what do you think? Is it acceptable to have DS go from 2:30 to 6:30 with no nap?
Here's a rough schedule:
4 hour EASY=

7:00-E
A
9-00- 11:00- S (doesn't always go the full 2 hours)
11:00- E
A
12:30-2:30- S (doesn't always go the full 2 hours)
3:00- E
A
---------------4:00- try for S- but might not get it until 5:00------------------
6:30pm- E and then S

Please tell me what is more important?
Thanks!

[FreddieEden]

DS has mercifully now dropped that last catnap but I always found it a very tricky one.  If you keep trying for it then you can end up making bedtime later, whereas if your DS hasn't taken it you really need an earlier bedtime.  I think the answer depends on your DS.  I used to do everything I could to get the catnap because my DS tends to be very unsettled at night if he goes to bed overtired.  And I found that a late catnap never affected how he settled at night.  Just before he dropped the catnap then he was taking it at 5.30, waking up at 6.15 and still settling fine at 7.15 or 7.30!  But all babies are different and it might be that if your DS's night sleep isn't affected by lack of a catnap or if he has problems settling if he takes a late nap then it's just  best to go on to bedtime.  Also, I don't know if your DS is a stroller sleeper or not but I found that it was worth going for a walk at the time of the catnap so if DS wanted to he could sleep and if he didn't then he would have some quiet time in the stroller.  We still for for that walk now to try to get him quiet before his bath.  Not sure it works as he shouts da da da to the squirrels and trees and then splashes madly in the bath and tries to drink the bath water!

Freddie

[brightside]

Looking at your routine, if he wakes at 2.30 from his nap, then 4pm would probably be too early for the catnap if he can go 2 hours between sleeps. You would be better trying for it at 4.30 and then having a bedtime more like 7pm. If he doesn't take the catnap though, then yes, go for an early bedtime. There is a good chance though that if your DS is getting 2 good 2 hour naps in the day, then he might start showing signs of dropping the catnap. Seems to me though that you have plenty of time to have a catnap though and a slightly later bedtime. Or did you particulalry want a 6.30 bedtime?

The most important thing is for your baby not to get overtired-don't worry about shedules, you just need to follow your baby's cues and if he's not tired at 4pm then you're not likely to get him to sleep.

[Elphyrafire]

Thanks for replying.
Brightside- I think I will try to put him down at 4 and if he doesn't go then put him to bed early. If he does go then I will try for a 7:00 bedtime.
The reason for the 6:30 bedtime is:
A) It avoids the fuss that comes with 7:00
b) Trying to catch up on all the missed sleep he's lost over the past 2 months due to short naps and nightwakes (I read the post called "One more reason why babies wake at night" in the NIghtwaking forum)

Still working on extending those daytime naps to more than 1 hour.