20week old who won't nap

[Minicooper]

Today she's had about 30 mins altogether in 3 short cat naps. Admittedly, she has a cold this week, so am not having as much success as usual; she usually has 3 short 30 min naps tops. I keep waiting for this 2hr lunchtime nap to kick in, but she's just not interested. Is there still hope?! Before she was ill I had really tried 'working at it' - putting her down awake (she stays awake or screams), leaving her to cry for a few mins then returning, picking her up, comforting her, putting her down, repeating until she is sick from crying. Don't know what else to do, but could really do with having a couple of slots to do stuff during the day - and I'm getting exhausted and not getting anything done!

A good helping of solids at lunchtime may well produce the after-lunch flop so many babies and mums enjoy but at 20 weeks you may have sometime to wait for that!

Personally I think some babies just don't want to sleep that much during the day. Mine doesn't - usually 30min naps, although sometimes they're longer. NEVER had a 2 hour lunchtime nap yet, although we haven't started on solids either.

My mother told me that my sister never slept much at all during the day - just slept well at night. She's a normal well-adjusted adult now with no sleeping problems, so I think it's OK to vary from the text-book norm. Agree it is tiring - I just put DD in a seat / sitter / mat etc in whatever room if I need to get stuff done though and that works for me.

Does she sleep on her back? DS used to do this until I put him on his front and he slept for an hour and a half!

Thanks, ladies - gagarin, hadn't thought of that - hopefully you're right.
Miffymum, I suspect you're right, its just so frustrating - I had lunch with my NCT group today and all their little angels are doing a 2hr nap in the early afternoon. I'm doing the same as you - bouncy chair, play gym, etc, though she's really happiest on my knee lol.
Viva, yes, she sleeps on her back - still not very happy on her front, but she's not rolling yet and tends to flounder like a beached whale! I'm sure it'll come!

Minicooper - I know how you feel my 14 week old DS won't sleep for more than 45 mins in the day and I find it hard to get anything done as well. The only time he has slept for 2 hrs in the day was when he had his jabs last week.

He seems to nap better in the mornings - ie. in his cot with only a bit of moaning and fussing. However, come the afternoon when he starts to really need a nap he just refuses to go down so I end up going for a walk most afternoons so he can get some sleep. If he doesn't its really hard to get him to sleep when he goes to bed at 7.

Luckily I live by a nice park with a lake which will be nice when the weather gets better. Mind you today it took him over half an hour before he fell asleep and then only for 10 mins!

I think some babies just don't need as much sleep as others