catnap/bedtime question

[amom526]

My 5 month old takes two naps a day usually from 9-11 and 1-3. Naps are usually 1.5-2 hours long. In the past, he had been napping again from like 4 to 430 and then going down for the night around 630.
Now, he is not tired enough to take a nap at 4, but once he is tired for a nap, it is already too late. If he doesn't take a 3rd nap, he cannot make it much past 615. Last night, he skipped the 3rd nap, went down at 615, and woke up at 5am. He ate at 5, then stayed in his crib till 645 (don't know if he slept or just played)
He often still wakes up between 2 and 4 am for a feed, but I think that if he takes the 3rd nap he also wakes up more at night.
Basically I'm wondering if I should drop the 3rd nap and just put him to bed at 615 which seems really early, or let him take a nap at like 5, and then make his bedtime later (im not sure what time).
If his bedtime is 615 at 5 months, will it get a little later as he gets older, or will that stay his bedtime.
Sorry for rambling-TIA!

[ahrimie]

6:15 is not too early for a bedtime at that age IMO. However, that's not easy for all parents to do. If it were me, based on what you said, I would do 6:15. But I also a sahm.

[BDKmom]

My DS did the same thing around that age. We would just put him down earlier for bedtime on the days he skipped the 3rd nap. He eventually got to where he could stay up a little later...6:30, then 6:45, then his regular bedtime became 7 at around 6-7 months, and he still is pretty much with that at 16 months. If your DC sleeps better at night without the 3rd nap, then I would definitely go for the earlier bed time, and chances are that will get a little later naturally over the next few weeks.

[amom526]

Thanks for teh responses-we've basically doing exactly that over the last few days, and its been working pretty well. He sleeps better without the catnap, so we've been doing that most days and putting him down around 615. Some days his second nap is earlier in teh day, and then we'll do a short nap between 330 and 430-if we keep him up till 630/645, he usually sleeps just as well. Thanks!