How do I get 1 year old to nap for longer in the afternoon?

[ElleOhElle]

1yo DD really needs to sleep for longer in the afternoon otherwise come 3.30pm she's very unsettled (cries when I leave the room, won't play by herself for more than a few minutes, not even interested in TV unless I'm sitting with her) until dinner (5pm) and bed (by 7pm). At the moment she is only sleeping for between 30mins and an hour. She really needs at least an hour and a half to two hours to be able to last til bedtime happily. It's horrible seeing her so tired and unhappy for the last few hours of the day.
Any ideas on how to get her naps to last for longer?

PS. don't get me wrong, I don't WANT her to watch TV or play by herself for long but I really need to get a few jobs done if I don't finish before she finishes napping.
Thanks

If my children at this age missed a decent nap I had to put them to bed by 5.30 - 6pm or they went def com 5. What time does she wake in the morning? Does she have any other naps?

Mine at this stage napped at 10.30am and 3pm. The morning one was 90 mins and the afternoon one was 45 mins and bath and bed was 6.30pm. They actually slept worse at night if they were over tired, so I had to ensure they slept well. I did pick up, put down sleep training, it takes perseverance but works. They soon move to one big nap at lunch only in the day and things are easier.

I also took them about the house with me in a bouncy chair as I did house work and I would talk about what I was doing in an overly bright voice, even though they didn't understand. It seemed to make them giggle. They'd even sit in their high chair as I cooked and I'd give them a piece of veg to chew or fiddle with as I cooked and chatter to them as I did it. I am no Mary Poppins and they did watch some CBeebies too

What time does she usually take her afternoon nap?

Does she have a morning nap still? Can you post the rest of her daytime routine i.e. when she wakes, when she naps & how long for & what time she goes to bed?

If she is just having the 1 nap in the afternoon, it sounds to me like she may be overtired. 30min-1hr naps were typically OT naps for us. My advice to you would be dependent on what times she is napping/going to bed. It may be she needs a much earlier bedtime, or it may be her nap needs to start a little earlier i.e. 11/11.30am.

My DS started having 1 nap days at 12 months & he could typically last until 11/11.30am before needing a nap, any later & we would get short naps like that too. And if we did get a short nap & that was the only nap of the day I would also do a super early bedtime like PP suggested.

As for the clinginess/lack of independent play etc, I second what PP said about taking LO with me as I did housework. I would set some toys out, often something like pots & pans & spoons from the kitchen while I wanted to cook/clean & he'd play & I'd do my jobs. TBH though, I've found DS still isn't all that good at independent play, he can entertain himself for a few mins here & there, but he still needs a lot of interaction. So as he's got older (now 19 months) I try to involve him in housework so he has a duster & helps while I do dusting or he plays with the pegs or helps load the washing machine while I do laundry & he just loves to copy & help.

HTH.xx

thanks for those replies. She is an excellent sleeper at night 7-7 most days. She does like a little nap in the morning about 10 but you're right, if she misses this then she has shorter afternoon naps!!!! The afternoon nap is around 1ish if she doesn't have the morning one or about 3 if she does. Thank you for your help re housework ideas!

Hiya

I would say if you skip the morning nap then you would be better putting her down somewhere around 11.30-12 rather than as late as 1pm. That way she is less likely to be overtired by naptime, and so should take a nice long sleep which will help her last through to bedtime. HTH