How long is a good nap for an 8 month old?

[newmom7]

Just wondering how long a "good" nap is for an 8 month old? Our ds sleeps 11 hours at night (yes I know we're lucky there!) and takes anywhere from 45 minute to 2 hour naps, twice a day. Nap length has been varied since we first started pu/pd last week (he wasn't sleeping in his crib before then and always had to be rocked to sleep). In any case, our lo usually only naps about 3 hours per day total.

The reason I ask is we started week 2 of pu/pd our lo's nap times have improved, but I am not sure how long of a nap is long enough, and if I should still be trying to extend???

Also, the past few days he has been cutting two teeth. I am not sure if this is the cause but he has been waking for the day earlier (6a instead of 7a) and thus taking all his naps earlier. Today he slept 1hr. 30 minutes during nap one and only had 20 minutes until his feed time so I let him get up without trying to extend.  He went down for nap 2 earlier and only slept 1 hr. 15 minutes. There was still 40 minutes until his next bottle but I let him get up. Am I starting a bad pattern here? Is it ok to let him get up well before a feed time if he has had a decent nap? I don't want his routine to get thrown off  but I don't want him to be too overtired either by sticking to the usual "nap" times, i.e. making him stay awake. Instead I have just been putting him down when he seems tired, which lately has been earlier than usual and then letting him get up, even if before his next feed time as long as the nap was at least an hour. Help?  

[debo620]

you are doing great!
I would definately not stick to nap "times" at his age.
It is absolutely fine to have some activity before feed. As they get older, the milk feeds drop, solids pick up, and thus the EASY gets sort of tossed out the window. the basic premise behind EASY is to not breast/bottle feed to sleep, so everything you are doing is right!

If he he is sleeping well at night, (11hrs+) then 2 naps of 1hr 15min-1hr 30 is sufficient at this age. I would not try to extend any naps over 1hr, as this is considered rested.

the earlier wakes do get a bit tricky, so post back if you have further Q .