Yes UT for BT.
There are a few options here.
- When you get a day like this, UT first nap so not really long enough, followed by 2 good naps, the day is going to get longer, give 2hr A before BT (making 7.30pm), still get her up at 7am the next day. It's just pointless fighting BT with her if she is not tired.
or
- Work out from BT backwards if you want BT to preserve a 7pm BT. She needs 2hrs, so you must wake her from her last nap at 5pm and no later regardless of what time she began the nap or how her naps have been that day.
Longer term (rather than a one-off) you need to be making a decision about which nap will be a CN. Usually it is the last nap, so 2 good 1.5-2hr naps plus a CN (30-45 min) is standard. It is ok to adapt this though and go for the first nap as a CN instead followed by two good length naps. OR you have 3 long naps and shorten the night (I don't really advise this as nights seem to be going reasonably well but moving BT later is certainly an option and for some LOs they can't do a 12hr night anyway). But you do need to choose one of these, there will not be enough time in the day for three long naps plus the length of her A times plus a 12hr night.
The A time running up to the CN can be a little shorter (it does need to be long enough for her to agree to go to sleep) whether this is the first nap or the last nap. You may also find that after a CN she will accept a shorter A time before BT for instance:
WU 7
A 2hr
S 9-11
A 2hr
S 1-3
A 1hr 45
CN 4.45-5.15
A 1hr 45
BT 7.00
That's just a guide as to how you day might look. She's napping well now so it's just a case of tweaking the routine a little and you'll get into the rhythm of it.
DH ended up holding her to help her fall asleep. Is that ok? hope this wont become a prop
No problem at all. I'm sure in the future you'll find yourself (or DH) holding her quite a lot through painful teething or illnesses etc. The great thing about independent sleepers is they generally let you know when they need help (because they know they get it) and stop needing it just as soon as they can, or with very little encouragement. Don't worry about this holding but do listen to what she's telling you, 'not tired enough Mummy and Daddy'.
You've done brilliantly
