does extending A time mean shorter nap time?

[Nee]

Hello,

My LO's A time is 1H 45min to 2 hours, and she naps for 1 to 2 hours.  My question is, once that A time is extended, does that mean her nap time will be shorter?

Nee

[Erin M]

Not necessarily.  As your LO gets older, she might need shorter naps, but she also might not.  Your EASY may stretch out a bit past four hours as time goes on (especially as you add solids into the mix and regular meals).  Also,  you may end up with one shorter nap and one longer nap....and eventually just one nap all together.  Basically, if she's happy and you're reading her cues, don't worry about it. 

[debo620]

I guess it does in theory but not necessarily---you do eventually move to 2 naps and no catnap, also feeds may start spaceing out to 4.5hrs etc. Assuming you are on a 4hr easy---you daughter is probably taking 2 longer naps and a catnap? when my son was that age--his A times were 2.5hrs, so

wake 6:30
nap 9-10:30
bf 10:30
nap 1-2:30
bf 2:30
catnap 30min 4:30-5:00
bf, bed routine 7pm

as his A times got longer ie 3hours it got a bit tricky
wake 6:30
nap9:00-10:30
bf 10:30
nap 1:30-3:00
...then had 4hours until bedtime, but not quite enough to not have catnap---so we did the catnap in the stroller for 20-30min
....just wait until you have to fit in 3 solid meals....

[Nee]

But I thought that you had to feed every 4 hours or they would wake up at night for the missed feed, or does that change once solids are introduced?

[debo620]

you may end up with feeds at 4.5hrs during the day and then 3.5hrs apart near the end of the day.

[Erin M]

It does change a bit when you introduce solids -- what we ended up doing was something like this (it's been awhile, so I know this isn't exact):
7AM - wake/BF
8ish - solids
9:30ish - nap until 11ish
11ish - BF
12:30 - lunch
1ish - nap until 3 or so
3 - BF
5/6 PM - dinner
7:30 - bedtime routine (incl BF)
10:30/11 - DF

Anyway, like I said, really not exact at all - I never was a super strict clock watcher.  We kept at that routine until around a year when she dropped to one nap and we started combining milk with meals.  Dropped the earlier daytime BF at some point around 8 months or so.  Once your LO is getting regular meals from solids, I think your EASY becomes much less structured, you just keep with the whole spirit of activity before sleep. 

[Nee]

Thank you for you input.  I am getting ahead of myself.  We are going to begin solids in 3 weeks and sometimes worry cause I don't really understand when and how to wean the feedings (bottles).  I will just play it by ear once we get there,  I tend to worry about everything,     I'm a first time mum