Nap extension - Set S times or set A lengths?

[dsavcom]

I was reading the FAQ's for sleep training by age and noticed recommendations to have set nap times when trying to extend naps (9:30 and 2 were an example).  My ds is 7 mo and we're trying to get him to take longer naps.  His nap times vary, but he commonly wakes up after 25, 25 or 45 mins.  The odd time we'll get 1 hr out of him, and have had only a couple naps longer than that.

If I have set nap times, but ds is only taking 45 min naps, how do I keep him from getting overtired?  The less he sleeps, the shorter he can stay awake....

Today's morning nap was only 45 min...and I kep him awake til the next nap time, and he only slept 25 min.  I'm going to kill him if I keep this up.  I sat in at the second nap to hold him through the jolts, and tried to shh/pat back to sleep, but no luck.

So, should the nap times be set, or should it be a consistent amount of A time?

Thanks,
d

[AnnaBenwell]

Not any help and im hoping someone will give some questions. I have always battled naps. This is a really good question Well put! Hugs Sorry not of any help

[*Natasha*]

Could you post your routine?

[dsavcom]

AnnaBenwell - thanks for your words of support...nice to know I'm not alone

Our routine is fairly new as we're on week 4 of sleep training.  He was rocked for naps, nursed for night.  We took away all props, including soother.  Basically, this is what we aim for...

Wake up 7am - 7:30 - BF (has started waking earlier than this though - 5:45 the last few days.  We leave him til 7 unless he cries for 10 min.  This morning he put himself back to sleep at 6:25 until 6:50)

Breaky - 8am - BF after (we aim for 1 hr after wake)

Nap 1 - 10am

Wake 11:30 (don't think that's ever actually happened, but sometimes he's slept for an hour, or a bit more)
BF when wake

Lunch 12:30 - BF after (this is a tough one...I BF when he wakes from nap, and ideally lunch would be 1hr later, but since his naps are short, there's sometimes a long time between BF and lunch)

Nap 2 - 2ish

Wake 3:30ish (again...this is the target, not the actual)
BF when wake

Dinner 5pm

Bath 5:50

Books 6:00

Bottle 6:10 (started this b/c I always felt like I didn't have enough milk and it was a lot of stress for me and my ds)

Asleep 6:30 (falls asleep awake in crib)

Doesn't wake til morning (this is new since sleep training - about 1.5 weeks).  We don't do a dream feed. 

I'm still sitting beside the crib til he falls asleep for naps and bed.  I hide behind a pillow, but keep a hand on him.  If I don't keep a hand on him, and if I leave before he's asleep, he just rolls over and starts playing.  I've left him a few times for 20 plus minutes, and he just plays and won't fall asleep.  Naps were going fairly well before I tried leaving.  I want to change this too, but kept saying I'd do it when his naps got better...but they're not.  I've tried the "hold down during jolts" wake to sleep method, and doesn't usually work.  I can't usually shh/pat back to sleep either.  Once he wakes, he's awake.  I'm at a loss.

Hope that helps, thanks.  Let me know if you need anything else. 

d