When/Why cut the AM nap short?

[blessedbear]

I have got conflicting advice regarding the first AM nap.  My LO is about to 8 months (7 months adjusted) and we were in a vicious cycle of short naps so have been pushing A time with good results.  My question is regarding the AM nap.  Last night she slept form 5:30 pm -6:30 am but yesterdays AM nap was good at 1.5 hour butI have been advised to cut this nap to an hour also to let her go as long as she needs (not pst 2 hrs though)  I understand the benefit of only doing an hour since she has the loong stretch at night then can do 3 hr 15 mins A to get the 1.5 hour nap but we are now struggling with the PM nap being only 30-40 mins.  Will cutting the AMM nap really help the PM nap be longer?  Also if only 1 hr nap her next A time would be on the short side right?  I am thinking only 3 hrs or maybe 2 hr 45 mins?  I really need help as she wakes up from this PM nap waay to early then fighting to get a CN which is gettign harder and harder (mI know time to drop) Blessedly last night I gave up and did bath, bottle and bed at 5:30 pm and was very lucky she slept till 6:30 am but I am sure there was sleep she was making up after that loong stretch after the not so great 30 minute PM nap.  I also want to mention I know I missed her window we were out and didnt get her to crib till 3hr 15 mins and it takes her about 10-15 mins to settle so she wass waay OT.  Today is a fresh day so I would LOVE to get some advice on the best nap lenght for the AM nap.
Thanks!

[~Sara~]

I think the best thing to do is just to try out the shorter AM nap and see how your day goes.  It's the first nap of the day and if it's short, then you have all day to adjust.  I'd give the shorter AM nap a fair shot by allowing her 2-3 days to adjust to it.

I'm assuming at her age that you've dropped the catnap?  If so, having the longer nap in the pm will help see her through until bedtime.

[blessedbear]

Hi,
She is 7 months adjusted and No we have not dropped it CN yet...We are actually battling it out right now as I type.  After the 40 minute PM nap I got her out at 3:10 pm.  We had some mellow floor time 2 gether, about 4 oz bottle then back in at 4:05 pm to attempt CN.  Sounds like she is having a party in there and smiling in the monitor camera.  Little monkeypants.  I will give her till 4:30 pm to fall asleep if not I will get her up, do quick bath, bottle then bed early.  We are at a very tricky place this dropping the CN phase but I definitely will try to cut that AM nap tomorrow to one hour.  It can't hurt...Plus she slept 13 hours straight last night so Lord willing it will go like that again tonight we can start fresh tomorrow and give the shorter AM naps by wakeup a shot.  

[~Sara~]

Wowzers!!  What I wouldn't do for a 13 hour night...let alone a 12 hour one!  Lucky you!

Re: the catnap...most LOs drop it between 6 and 8 months, so she very well could be ready for it switch, adjusted age considered.  It really might be touch and go for a bit until she drops it completely.  We're already starting to experience that and it's no fun (especially since early bedtimes just mean earlier awake times for DS).  That said, and knowing that you're still giving it to her, have you noticed whether or not she fights the catnap after a good pm nap??  If you can get two good naps in her by the early evening, then maybe she'll be able to make it to bedtime w/o the catnap?

Also, just looking at the length of her 2nd nap, it looks like a UT nap....especially if she was smiling and happy   I was looking at your post on the http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=159090.0 thread, and saw that your LO did 3h15 the first A time and 3h the second.  I'm thinking that was the culprit here.  I'd try to keep that second A time as long as the first--if not longer--and see what kind of day you have.

I will say this: it may be that your LO's naps are even in their time length, e.g. 1.5h both times.  I think that's okay, too.  I would just make sure to have the second nap your main rest goal so that eventually, as your LO drops to just 1 nap, she'll have that already in place

HTH a bit! *hugs*

[blessedbear]

Ok thank you.  Yes ideally we would have a 1.5 hr AM nap and 1.5 hour PM nap but maybe I should aim for 1 hr AM followed by 2 hr PM and I will try to push out A time before PM nap.  I did that yesterday and got a 30 minute nap too.  She was at about 3 hrs 30 minutes A time so I really don't know...Yes I am so blessed that she slept till 6:30 am this morning after going to bed at 5:30 pm yesterday but I know this will not be a permanent thing and am truly grateful I didn't have a EW.  Quick update she fought the CN again and so I did fast forward bedtime routine in bed by 6 pm but that was still 3 hr 20 minute A time before bed...

Also it was suggested that after a AM nap of only 1 hour or less than 1.5 hour to adjust the next A time due to a short (er) nap.  That is why I did a shorter A time then the morning.  Do you think I should still try to push it if I wake her after an hour?
Thanks!