8.5 months and naps shortening.. confused

[beappleman]

Last month I was doing a 3:30  A and laying her down and falling asleep on her own and sleep for 1:30..Her naps shortened to 1:10-15 so I bumped it to 3:45A but she still gave me 1:10-15 and no longer going to sleep on her own.

I lay her down and she stands up, so I continue to lay her down but I get sick of it so I just hold her until her eyes close then lay her down. Should I bump the A even more? The other day she had had a short night of 9.5 hrs and she was fussy so my husband held her and she fell asleep at 2:45 A and then laid her down when she started stirring at about 25/30 minutes but she then slept for 1:45. Part of it I think was the WTS but I'm confused as to why she slept so long? I ended up trying the A time for a couple mornings last week to see if I was just putting her down too late but I didn't hold her or do WTS and she slept for 45 minutes. Also, I can't figure out what to do for the second A when she does a short morning nap.


Is it too early for the 2-1 transition? I feel like some days she wants a long nap and catnap. 

How long is too long 'A' for an 8.5/9 mo old?

[Layla]

Hi,

She's probably at the start of the 2-1 and won't be able to do 2 long sleeps anymore. A lot of babies do 1 short/1 long nap and it will take some trial and error to work out which option is best for her (long morning/short afternoon or the other way around). I don't think you should keep bumping up the A's to get 2 good naps.

Our routine at that age was
6am - wake
9-9:45 - morning nap
1-2.30/3 - afternoon nap
6.30 - bedtime

And this was our routine for a very long time until we were down to 1 nap

I wouldn't be playing the game of laying her down when she stands up. Put her in the cot after your naptime routine and leave the room. Try and teach her during the day how to sit herself down (I used to gently guide my LOs hands down the cot bars and bend her knees and after a few days of doing that she learned to do it on her own).