Bad Napper

I would let her have a 3rd nap at 4:30pm, and keep the bedtime the same. Or, if the 3rd nap isn't possible, then like a pp said, move the bedtime way earlier (like 6). My 7mth old just gave up his 3rd nap a week or two ago.

Just wanted to add - try getting a nap in the car or stroller, or anyway you can. More sleep is important! And, imho she is too young for cio or anything like that.

When my kids were still nappers, I always darkened the room and put on a fan for white noise and my they slept really well during the day.

As for the crankiness in the evening: good luck. I called that the the 'witching hour' even though it lasted several hours. My kids were ALWAYS cranky in the early evening.

In my experience, my girls didn't take predictable naps until around 6 mos. However, I am a firm believer in white noise (I keep it pretty loud) and dark black-out curtains in the bedrooms. My girls are 4 and 2 and still both take 2-3 hour naps. She'll get there, don't worry!

that's way too little sleep for a baby so young! try putting her to bed earlier (closer to 6). sometimes if a baby's overtired, they sleep less. good luck!

I hear your pain! We just barely recently survived nap sleep training. My four month old has been sleeping through the night since 7 weeks (11 hours each night), but would NOT nap during the day. We read Babywise and kept trying to do the EASY method by the book. Then, at the suggestion of another mom, we switched up the EASY method. We gave him his bottle before he went down for a nap. He's been sleeping 1 1/2-2 hour naps ever since. It helps him to have a fully belly when he goes down. This is contrary to the EASY method, but it works. Occassionally during his first nap of the day, he'll get up and squirm or even whimper, but he goes back to sleep on his own.
Good luck and hang in there! The naps really help. My little guy starting gaining weight and became much stronger once he started on a regular nap schedule.

try using the Baby Whisperer's EASY method for a schedule, and the Happiest Baby on the Block 5 s's method. Those two combined will make cio not be a needed thing (at that age)
EASY - when the baby wakes up it Eats. After you feed it, then it has Activity - bouncy seat, tummy time, sitting up and playing with toys, swing, exersaucer, etc. When the baby gets fussy check the B's - boredom, butt or burp. If it's none of those then off to Sleep. Don't wait for the baby to do more than get the tiniest bit fussy, then see what is causing the fusses - if it's just that they needed their diaper change do that, but if it's not the activity is boring, the butt is dirty or they have to burp, then put them down. This may happen after as short as 45 minutes, don't freak, it really means they are tired.
Now, to get them to sleep use the 5 s's. Swaddle the baby, hold the baby on their side and sway as they suck on something (paci, your knuckle or their finger/thumb) and make a shush noise. This will calm your baby. When the baby is calm, but not asleep yet, keeping them swaddled lay them in the bed. I like to pat them instead of sway after a minute or two cause you can still pat after they are put down but you can't sway, so pat the baby and continue patting gradually decreasing it as you put them in the bed. Also continue the shushing as you put them down, again gradually getting quieter.
If you do these two you will find a well rested, easily managed baby in no time.

they are not predictable yet at that age and even if you get her on a schedule don't be surprised in a few months that it changes. You can try to stick to a schedule but In my experience nap schedules do become more predictable around 6-8months. Definitly try to stick to a bedtime routine and time. At that age I did put mine down later and had them take a small nap around 5-6pm then bed around 9or 10, as they get older and drop the late naps and can sleep longer stretches at night then move her bedtime up. Eventually it is nice to have them in bed by 7 or so, but every child and family is different. Good luck oh yeah both my kids took three short naps thru the day at the early months then around 8months went to two naps

I know some moms say to put her to bed way earlier, but this will mess up her stretch of sleep so that she wakes more in the night... at that age I put my kids to bed around 8 or 9 because they were sleeping long stretches and this would take them throough until morning (my son was sleeping 10 hours straight at 6 weeks). However, they did sleep more during the day, and your baby definately needs more sleep. I would recommend a third, late afternoon nap... then put the baby down at the normal time or a little later. As our kids got older and were napping for longer, but fewer naps, we gradually moved their bedtime earlier. Also, just from our experience, I noticed that they both got much better at napping around 4 mos. old... they started sleeping longer, but still 3 naps.... by 6 mos they were on 2 nap... this kindof happened naturally, and we worked with that to get them on a schedule. Maybe as she gets older, she will nap better.

Lay down with her to see if you can get her to nap.

Take her in the car or the stroller and if she falls asleep, let her stay in there.

I'd think at that age she should still be sleeping most of the day. If she's awake from 430-730 with only have one two hour nap, she is probably exhausted.

I think 3 months is too young to CIO. Maybe she has colic or acid reflux. I'd talk with your ped!