Is it better to protect the morning or afternoon nap

[Conniesmummy]

Me again with another question!
Dd seems to be coping well with at home naps, will usually go down about an hour and a half after morning wake up and feed so wake up 7, fed by half past ish, back doen for a nap by 8:30, she will usually do a good 2 hour nap, sometimes 2 and a half. Then we have 11 feed and go out and about. This is where it goes wrong cos she will only snatch a few cat naps while out, maybe in the car or if I'm lucky in the buggy. She's a bit wired by the 3 feed so will usually go down for a last nap quite quickly after that. I think she'd sleep an age then but I like to protect her bedtime so will not let her sleep past 6!
Should I be going out in the mornings and in for afternoon nap? Some people say the afternoon nap is more important. I really don't know.
Some groups I want to go to in the new year and also our swimming lesson is in an afternoon. So the nap will be missed then anyway??!!

[michaeljacknnugg]

Babies tend to regulate their own sleep so I'd go ahead and do the activities you want to do. Sod's law she wouldn't sleep if you stayed in especially, yk?

[Conniesmummy]

That's what I was thinking too.
She's generally a good baby but gets grumpy when tired as lots do,  it affects her feeding too 
Today she had a good morning nap. 2 half hour naps in the car to and from the supermarket. She was tired then and didn't finish her milk, then conked out about half 4. I admit I woke her at 5:45 to try and protect bedtime. I felt really bad, lights were on,  I'd under her gro bag and was putting laundry away in her room and she still slept. Oh went up a few mins later and she was awake then. She was pleasant enough, played for about 40 mins then went for her bath, bottle and is now in bed, hopefully for her normal sleep, fingers crossed.
She seems to be a baby that likes her bed, but is nosey when we are out. We have had a day out were she only slept on and off for very short periods and bedtime went ok. Not that I'd like to do that every day lol.
I want to do more with her in the new year as she is getting older and more able, but don't want to overdo it and fry her brain. I have a friend who does loads of groups and her daughter who is 6 weeks older than mine, always looks wired!!

[Katet]

I think the rule of thumb as a parent (not just with naps) is to go with what works best for the child & the parents not what the 'noise' around you says. I'm much further down the track, but honestly some of the things that were said by Mum's in the mothers' group & I look at where our children are at 12yo... well my poor sleeping boy happily goes off to bed as a 12yo when he is ready... he isn't like the "good sleeper" as a baby who wants to stay up all night as a 12y... there is no 'right or wrong' it's what works best in terms of the big picture of Mum getting out of the house & baby getting sleep.