How can I get 7 month old to nap more than 20mins 2x a day

[Fisha]

I have a very active 7.5 month old who is lovely but a nightmare napper. She has never napped well but she will now only do 2 20-30 mins naps in her cot. 30 mins in the am seems to suffice but she really needs a much longer nap after lunch otherwise she gets cranky by 4ish. the only way I can get her to nap for longer is to take her out in the pram where she'll nap for an hour and a half but only if I keep walking. If I stop or bring her into the house/shop she'll wake up (think exorcist baby!). She's a very active baby and when it comes to nap time its as if she can't find the off button. I'd really like to solve this as I'm getting really bored of having to pace the streets even if its helping keep the weight off! Have tried PU/PD/CC to extend naps but taht just resuled in her crying through till the next feed. Anyone got any ideas before I go completely batty!
Thxs

why not just go with the flow - if she's cranky by 4 - give her another nap and if she's not tired by her normal bed time - keep her up a little later.
my ds went through all sorts of phases of lengths of naps from sometimes 20 mins to 2 and a half hours sometimes.
I used to beat myslef up about when and for how long he was/wasn't napping - but now I just let him sleep when he's tired and he'll wake when he's ready to.

Fisha, my 14 mth old dd was/is the same. Will only nap 30 mins in the car or buggy - won't go in her cot in the daytime. The only way she will stay asleep longer is in the buggy occasionally.. I take her for a brisk walk, then once she's fully asleep (10mins), wheel her back home and leave outside the back door still in her buggy with the rain cover over... or in the front porch and leave the front door slightly ajar so can hear/see her - maybe you could try that.
I have come to realise that some children don't need as much sleep as others. Some days my 3 and half year old dd sleeps for longer in the day than the baby!!

Tracy, would do anything to give her another nap but that doesn't seem to work as she's just not interested. She used to have one about 4.30 a couple of months ago but dropped it. Its the getting to sleep bit that seems the hardest - how did you get your ds to fall asleep as dd just seems like the energiser bunny!

DD never napped well untill I cut her down to one nap a day. Once she dropped the am nap she would sleep for 1-1.5 hours in the pm.

Hi Happymerryberries,
At what age did you cut your DD down to one nap?
thxs

ME TOO... 7.5 months and it's the end of the world when we try to put him to sleep during the day. Shouldn't moan as he sleeps well at night (just one waking/ sometimes none and he's usually in bed by 7.30). But daytime - nah.. He shrieks and screams only falling asleep when he's exhausted. All v.stressful for him and for us, so I too walk the roads. Feels more humane than the taking to cot torture, though I do long for some time for me.

Anyway, personally have decided to go with the flow, though I too would be interested to know when the am nap stops as am guessing that he'll sleep well after lunch once he's dropped it.

Sorry Fisha, missed your question, can't honesty remeber that much detail, it was such a long time ago!! Less than a year I know, probably about 9 months? She gave up her afternoon nap before she was 2! But she is a good sleeper at nigh and still goes to bed at 8 even thogh she is 8 years old

Ds gives quite clear sleepy signals and when I see them, clingy when put on the floor, rubbing his ear etc I whisk him to his cot and lay him down and walk out of the room. He'll stand up and start howling and I'll go back in and lay him down and stroke his forehead shussing him. If he starts mucking around I'll leave him again and he'll howl again. I keep putting him back down and susshig him and eventually his howling will wear him out and he'll give in and fall asleep. The number of times I have to do this depends on how tired he is. V. ocassionally he'll fall asleep on the first putting down - but usually more like the 3rd time.
or if time is marching on I'll lay him beside me on the couch or bed and snuggle him real close so he san't wiggle away - or I bf him.
But some days he'll want a nap 2 hours after waking some days he can go without for 6 hours - every day is differnet!

My Carys isn't much better! She's now 8 months and has one nap at lunchtime, which completely messes up her dinner as she's either too tired to finish it or ends up having it after she wakes! She then wants another nap at 5ish so her dinner is late too... but it has only been like this for the last month or so since she's now got two teeth and with the excitement of Xmas! She won't go down during the day until she's exhausted, or again in the pram. My only saving grace is our backpack, which I occasionally put her in if I don't want to go out - I do the dishes or fold some washing etc - she nods off after about 5-10 mins then I put her in the cot. I think I will have to try the pick up put down routine too when she gets heavier!
I think they're all different and strongwilled!
Cheers!
SAM

Hi Fisha. The daytime nap has always been my saviour so I know how important it is!! My 4 have all ended up having a two hour day nap from about 12 to 2pm. Not sure how it has happened like that except that i pretty much never go out at or near lunchtime so that they get in a routine!!

On the school run dd4 would always have a nap about 9am, but as she got older, prob about 6 months she stopped that and so when i got home i kept her awake for longer and longer till i was putting her down at about 12.

The trouble is that if you go out and about they will fall asleep at 10 or 11 then nap in the pushchair and not go in their cots.

It sounds like i am advocating never going out anywhere at any time but as they get older and used to a 12-2 nap you can go out more as long as you get home before they get too tired and fall asleep before their lunch.

This may sound too O.T.T for you but I think I would have gone crazy without that 2 hour break so it meant an awful lot to me!

ds1 had that nap till he was 4yrs old and dd1 and ds2 went till about 3yrs. Hope dd2 goes that long!

Oh and until they were weaned i used to breastfeed them until drowsy then put them in the cot.

Good luck