3.5 awake time + 2 long naps = 14 hour day and EW

[Fefekabob]

My LO is almost 7 months. He has been on a 3.5 hour awake time for a month now. He naps well, but because of his longer awake times, our schedule is weird.

Our EASY:

WU- 5:15 plays in crib for about 45 minutes, then starts to fuss
Eat- 6:00 bottle
Eat- 8:00 solids
Sleep- 9:15-11:15 (will sometimes do 2.5 hours)

Eat- 11:30 bottle
Eat- 1:30 solids
Sleep- 2:45-4:15

Eat- 4:15 bottle
Bath, book- 7:00
Eat- 7:15 bottle
Sleep- 7:30

Here is what I have tried:

Earlier Bedtime ---> usually leads to UT NW
I have tried putting him to bed earlier and here is what happens:
NW at 3 or 4 in the morning, awake for an hour sometimes 1.5 hours, then will sleep till 7:30.
Total sleep 12 hours, but interrupted by that ugly NW

Later Bedtime:
What I usually do. Wakes up at 5:45
Total sleep 10 hours


I feel like I have to cut down his naps in order to shorten the day a bit. But then that goes against my instinct to not wake a sleeping baby. Maybe he really needs the 2 hour nap... What if I am interrupting his restorative sleep.

Any suggestions?

[Erin M]

When you say later bedtime -- is that the 7:30 BT? 
I think you've got it pretty well figured out TBH -- looking at your schedule, maybe you might try cutting that first nap down to 1.5 hours and see if that helps at all?  Has he generally been one that needs a longer A time to bed, or is that generally shorter for him.  Sometimes getting that longer A time before bed will help with NWs. 

[Fefekabob]

Thanks for the reply, Erin.

To clarify...
Later bedtime meaning 7:30 or later (at least three hours after his second nap)
Early bedtime meaning 12-13 hours after morning WU, which can sometimes mean a very short awake time after his second nap.

He definitely needs the longer awake time otherwise he will be in his crib rolling and playing for an hour and he wakes up a few times at night.

[Erin M]

I'd say shorter nap then (probably the earlier one) so you get the longer 3.5 hour A time before bed.  Or you could try doing the whole 3.5 hours after that last nap, but I don't really think you need an even longer day!  Eventually, this is what the 2-1 takes care of, you're probable headed that way sooner rather than later (though you've got a few months, we usually say 9 months at the earliest for the transition - was he an early cat nap dropper?)

[Fefekabob]

Yes, he dropped the catnap by 5 months! I am happy that he does so well on A times and is developing so quickly, but it makes it sooo challenging to figure out his schedule. I feel like i am changing it every few weeks! I am going to miss that nice two hour Y time in the mornings but I think I am going to try cutting the AM nap to 1 1/2 tomorrow and see how the day goes. I'll let you know after a few days...

[Erin M]

Ok probably early on all the transitions then.  If capping the AM doesn't work, I'd do long AM, short PM -- but try capping the AM first.  Shortening the day should help.

[Straffles]

My LO also dropped the catnap early because he liked his long naps. But I have started capping at 2HRS - apparently this is not capping at all, since 2HRS is a great nap.

So, I would always allow the AM nap to be longer and cap the PM nap to allow that 3HRS (or whatever your AT is) before BT. I try to allow an hour for that PM nap, and he wakes happy from an hour's nap. Sometimes it's just less and he's happy. It's only if it's a 30min or 45min that he is crying and OT.