Help with Baby Not Taking Naps

The big part is you need to be consistant. If you start one idea, you need to follow through with it for as long as it takes. You can't try it for one day and then give up and say this idea doesn't work. I'm sure you've done everything you can think of, but by all means that does NOT make you a bad mother. You do all you can and that's just fine. I leave music in my daughters room all the time, 24/7. It's consistant and peacful. Plus it becomes familuar so if they wake up, they recognize it and can settle themselves back to sleep. My big reason for doing this is for noise, so she doesn't wake up to everything.
Also, if you try rocking her make sure you are as relaxed as possbile. Babies can feel every tension and stress in your body. And DO NOT make this just a mommy routine. Daddy needs to try and participate in this too. You cannot do it all alone; your life and well being cannot be strained for this long.
Any items she really likes, or positions she likes to sleep in at night (on the side, on her tummy) then let her do that. My daughter would only sleep on her tummy even as a newborn, and she wasn't happy unless she was laying on my chest all the time. Plus, she absolutely hated her carseat: that's a whole other story. Your daughter is old enough now to be able to control rolling on her side, so if she likes it and let her do it. If she acts like she wants a bottle, give her water (and if you can try to get her used to a sippy cup it's easier so you can leave water in her crib without it spilling). You may have started her on baby foods now, if not then she is ready. If she wants a bottle every 2 to 3 hours then she isn't getting enough food and needs something more solid to fill her up. She could used 3 meals, with formula as a snack inbetween, and even in the middle of the night. She could have a hard time sleeping because she is always hungry.
My daughter didn't used to sleep more than 20 mins when she was only a month old because she didn't like the basinet, always wanted to be held, and wanted to be on her tummy all the time. Once I discovered the tummy thing, then she began to slowly sleep longer and eventually like naps and consistantly took them everyday. So, try a new position.
Some babies just have high anxiety and can't sleep well at all at any time. It's unfortunate, but as long as she has relaxing moments, just as sitting with you rocking and reading a book, she will be getting some rest that will help her. Even taking more time before nap time getting her ready to sleep could help. Take more time reading, then singing, then humming. The key is to lay her down when her eyes get heavy so she can fall asleep on her own. Her body needs to feel heavy, which triggers a chemical in the brain that tells the body it's tired. They also, make weighted blankets (which can be very expensive) that can help children fall asleep. I would consider this as a last resort.
If she still refuses to sleep, then just have several resting periods a day (probably 4 times, or more, depending on exhaustion. This could help her with crankiness. She may not need a lot of sleep time during the day. Some kids have more energy and don't need them.
One more thing. Has she started teething? If not then she probably is now. My daughter started at 2 months but they didn't start popping through until 6 months. So check the gums for flat spot on the bottom (bottom teeth come in first, usually), and you may even see little slits in the gums where the teeth will come through. My daughter had a hard time at first and I couldn't figure out why she was so cranky, which makes sleeping harder. I tried teething tables and little drops of Tylenol occasionally and it made all the difference. She was uncomfortable and I didn't know it. If your child has been sick at all this season, you could also have her checked for ear infections. I watch a 7 month old and all he had was a stuffy nose, and then followed by constant crankiness and less sleep. Come to find out he had a double ear infection. You just never know what it might be.
Hang in there, and help your husband to understand the stress and maybe he could help relieve some of it from you to allow you to take a bath and gets some much needed relaxation of your own. Your daughter won't stay this way forever, and keep reminding yourself why you had her and you will get through this in no time. I always told myself, "This is only a moment compared to a lifetime."

First here is another book called healthy sleep habits happy child by Marc Weissbluth. You probably don't need another book but this book focuses more on naps too not just night sleeping. I also think that since she is 7 months now she could also be teething, my baby went through not sleeping very well and then I noticed some teeth popping through. Maybe get some teething soothing tablets at the store. Also I hope since maybe your mom is around you take some weakly dates with your husband and get a maid to reduce the stress of the home, First babies are a lot because there your first, but she is adjusting just as you are and you both will figure it out soon. I promise. You sound like you are doing a wonderful job don't give up. My good friend had a trouble sleeper and she went on the Baby wise book which is Eat, Play, Sleep and that seemed to help her mind knowing there was some structure to her crazy life. You know this way- the baby wise way you would have lay down time and even if she cries that time thats her down time. Anyways i hope it goes well it well get better she might never be the best multiple napper but she will nap. Hang in there You doing Awsome!!!!

I don't have any real advice for you, as it sounds like you've tried just about everything to get your little one to sleep. I just wanted to give you some words of encouragement.

My son was just about the worst sleeper ever. By the time he was a year old I was seriously having psychotic episodes due to sleep deprivation. He would only sleep for 20-45 minutes at a time at night, and his daytime naps were extremely short...not long enough for me to rest at all.

At one year I night weaned him...no more nursing at night. Things started to change for the better then.

Now at 2 he's a pretty good sleeper. We've got him sleeping from 8:30-6:30 every night, and he rarely wakes up anymore. When he does, we can usually get him back to sleep within a minute or two. He's only taking one nap now, but it's at least 1.5 hours, sometimes up to 3 if he's really tired!

I'm telling you this because with babies, EVERYTHING'S a phase. This bad sleep will pass. Your child may never be a great sleeper, but it will get better. If my son can do it, yours can too!

Sounds like you've tried everything and although its not what you want to hear she will nap on her own someday, just keep doing what you are doing. My son didn't nap well either until I decided to stick to a routine and followed it for months. I'd lay him down awake (like at night) and sleep on the floor in his room till he fell asleep. In time he started crying less and less and eventually I could walk out of the room. Now at 15 months he falls asleep on his own and sleeps for hours every afternoon. Being on a very strict consistent schedule helped him as well. Good luck. It won't be like this forever. I thought the days of wearing my son in a sling for hours and hours would never end and now I can't even cuddle with him because he just wants to run around.

Hi!! I strongly reccommend the book "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child" by Marc Weissbluth. This book honestly changed our lives. My son is now 12 months old, but at 10 months old he was still waking up several times a night just to have the binki put back in or drink a bottle. He was also not taking naps regularly. I read this book and followed it very strictly for about 4 days, and it totally changed. It seems very harsh, and for 3 or 4 days you are going crazy, but after that it is a miracle!! You just have to follow it to the word. Our son now sleeps 11-12 hours a night, takes two hour to 2 hour naps a day, it is wonderful!! Good Luck! If for some reason you cant find it, let me know and I can let you borrow it. Hang in there, it will get better.

It sounds like you love your baby very much and have worked very hard at this. Your baby is very blessed to have such dedicated parents. It sounds like you have tried many things. I am wondering how often you try something new? I have found with my son that he does well with routine. If we change the routine then he has a hard time adjusting and tends to lose sleep. I would encourage you to find one routine and stick to it for at least 1 month and see how it works. The first week may be tough but then baby will find comfort in routine and should settle into it and should sleep.

Hi A., I have a couple of ideas. I am a certified NES practitioner. NES is a system that assesses body energy, detects where the energy is out of balance, and corrects it by the use of water drops that have been imprinted with phonic, photonic and electromagnetic frequencies that re-create balance in your body energy field. Since that field is in charge of all other bodily systems, its balance trickles to all other levels. If you want to learn more, you can check the general NES web page since I am still in the process of building my web presence. It is www.nutrienergetics.com. You can also find a list of practitioners there, to find which one is the closest to you.
If you are not familiar or comfortable dealing with body energetically, there is a book called "Mood Cure" by Julia Ross and it is originally meant for adults, to naturally balance different emotional states. It has to do with brain chemicals (basically different types of amino acids) that can cause all kinds of symptoms if they are out of balance. Maybe one of those amino acids would help your baby. The book itself has a self-diagnosing tool for adults (it would probably help you as well, to boost your patience and endurance, and lower the stress levels) but I don't know about the use and dosages for babies. Give it a look and make sure to consult with your doctor. Most doctors are not familiar with NES since it is a very new modality, and more and more have at least heard about brain chemistry balancing. Good luck!
J.

I can totally empathize with you, as my middle daughter was exactly the same in her sleeping patterns. She is now 8 years old, but reading about your situation brought back up all of the emotional chaos and exhaustion that I felt during that period. You may need to give up on the hope of your daughter napping regularly at this point in the game, my girl never did. Ever - but with being far more diligent in our nighttime routines than we ever were with our other two, she can develop self-soothing techniques still to help her (and you!) get a good night's sleep. As difficult as it was to do, I just had to put her in the swing/ground/crib to get anything done during the day. Yes, she would cry/scream/wail - yes, I felt awful/guilty/incompetent. She learned within a month or so that no amount of noise was going to distract me (it did, but I became supreme at faking it, zoning out) & began to accept the fact that she was safe, happy (relatively) enough to be okay without me. I won't lie to you and say that this didn't cause huge stress between my husband/oldest daughter, friends, my own conscience. It was VERY hard, I aged several years within 6 months. I had no other choice - I had no life! Nighttime was difficult because I felt she just had to cry in her crib, I was at end of my rope, my husband hated it and began to hate me because of it! Fortunately we have a guest bedroom in our basement where he and my daughter could retreat, and I let her cry - until she fell asleep... it took over 2 hours one night! It was amazing that she didn't cry AT ALL after 2 weeks of pure hell, but whenever I would get her I would have to start all over again, back several days! I feel for you, but if you have exhausted ALL possibilities of any medical reasons, it'll work eventually. I am not discounting how stessful it is to hear her cry, but by 7 months (if she isn't in pain) she has learned how to get what she really wants. I can happily tell you that my husband & I made it through, my daughter is the most resilient and independent of all 3 of my intense children, and I learned that I am a capable loving mother that did what was necessary for our family's survival. Within 3 months of "tougher love" than I was comfortable with, she was happily going to bed (she never napped but I had to pick my battles), was more cheerful & had learned to self soothe even at 8 months old. It can be done!
ps - I began the same process with her brother at 4 months, & he never cried more than 10 minutes for 3 or 4 nights. Bless his heart - he was such an easy baby compared to her!

A., You are doing a great job. Remember that. She could be cutting teeth or growth spurt, etc. Make sure she is not having tummy trouble, constipation or reflux, other than that, she is being a baby. Babies are all soo different. Try to let yourself off the hook. Nurse her as much as you can to calm her. If she refuses breast and paci, then wear her. Our daughter was always facing out of our BabyBjorn and often fell asleep watching me do dishes or fold clothes while i sang songs, etc. No one answer may work but keep asking for ideas. But don't get locked in to thinking there is a solution per se. She WILL adapt. She will get the rest she needs. Keep trying old things after a few weeks or a month, etc. Also, good for you sending husband out with baby. Just get some help to walk your baby in stroller, etc. to give you a bit of time to shower or not listen to crying. Fill her up with Bmilk and/or some Bfood and take an hour to yourself. Also, after she gets strong enough to turn head, etc. I sometimes let my 7 month old sleep on his stomach with his face turned out. Just for naps, but it helped him stay down. He hates being on his back or craddled. Shoulders and stomach for him. Anyway. Let me know if you need to get a cuppa.

A.,
I am the first to admit that I am not an expert. However, after 5 children, I have seen things that work and some that don't for us. We have tried most if not all of the things you mentioned with differing levels of success and found that the 'cry it out' ends up being the best way ONLY if you refrain from checking up on the child. When you peek in/check up, the whole intent of 'cry it out' is interrupted, and basically resets itself. I know there were times that one of our kids cried for an hour or more, but after he/she learned after a few days that the crying did not have the intended effect of getting our attention, naps became more regular and worthwhile. There are occasions where one of our kids (we still have one that is 15 months old) cries for the entire nap time. Some may think that I am mean, uncaring, unloving, etc.
BUT, our children are well adjusted, intelligent, loving, and all the adjectives a loving parent could think to heap upon them! We love them dearly and we also know that part of loving them included providing a time or two during the day where they can rest and have some down time. In the beginning, it will be hard, but after a week or so, it WILL get better!
Best of Luck-
S. P.

Another good book is Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child.

It's like she does not know how to soothe herself. i do not like letting my children cry it out either but at times that is what I had to do. She needs her sleep and you need time for yourself or to get stuff done around the house. She just needs a little help getting and staying asleep. I would day to put her t bed and let her cry and do not get her bc if you do she knows to cry a little longer next time. Turn up the music and close the door. I have never heard of a baby being hurt or dieing from crying.Good Luck!!

Im sorry that sounds so frustrating. The only thing I can suggest is if you don't feel comfortable with the cry it out method don't do it. Do what ever calms her down even if she doesn't fall asleep she is calming down and getting some rest. The three short naps my be all she needs. Does she sleep like 12 hours during the night?
L.

Hi A.-

I have a little girl who is fifteen months old. She had a hard time taking naps during the day until she was about six months old, like your little girl. She didn't want to miss out on anything during the day and she always wanted to be held. Like you, I tried everything. What finally worked for us was putting her in a swing during nap time. She was able to get comfortable and the motion of the swing lulled her to sleep.

Have you tried Hylands colic tablets of teething tablets? Those both contain chamomile also helped her to calm down. If you think something like that might help your little girl, New Seasons and Wild Oats have lots of homeopatic remedies. Good Luck!

First of all, what an incredible mom you are! You have given up everything to take care of your baby and I know how hard that is, my baby is the same way! I didn't realize that all I would do all day is take care of my baby! I thought for sure I would be able to get things done on my maternity leave, take a shower every day etc...
I think some babies are this way, not all babies nap. I learned that from lots of moms at mom groups I go to. 30-45 mins is all some babies need.
Things that have worked for me though...My baby had the hardest time up to about 8-10 weeks, so I had to wear her a ton, in the baby bjorn or something and she would sleep in that. I knew she needed sleep so we just kept wearing her.
My advice is to try that everyday (if you can)after you know your baby is the most tired. She should yawn, or do the long stare and then put her in that and just wear her, even if she doesn't fall asleep the first few days, keep it up. I think what happens a lot is we try so many different things that babies don't get a chance to get used to one thing.
I put my baby in the bouncy seat when I take a shower, she sometimes cries , sometimes is ok..but it;s our routine and she knows it. We have a "loose" routine, but I do try to get her 2 naps a day whether I am out or at home, she needs it and the routine helps her.
The babywhisperer.com is a huge resource for me, on sleeping in general. The moms and advice on the website is great. That "routine" might help you as well.
I agree with not letting your baby cry, my baby does the same thing, she gets amped up, the cry it out does not work for her. I tried it and she went longer and longer, so I said this doesn't work for her and left it at that.
Overall I think you need to do things for you take a shower, read mail etc, then help your baby to take a nap too. If baby has stressed mom/dad it's not good for her and she is probably picking up on that.
Hang in there, you will get if figured out, but start taking care of mom too!
Good luck!
T.

Hi A.,
I really feel for you. I just listened to my 6 month old son cry for a half hour then screech and scream at the top of his lungs for another 35 min and then finally go to sleep. We've been having a really hard time establishing naps too. He used to nap pretty well (nighttime has been difficult too), but it seems like since he hit 6 months, his naps became shorter and shorter and he just wants to be awake, but he's very fussy when awake because he needs a nap!! Such a difficult cycle. So, we've decided to go "cold turkey" with nightime and nap time... meaning that we're letting him cry alone till he goes to sleep. It is excruciating and I often end up in tears too, but I really believe he needs his sleep and it is the only thing that will work at this point. I also believe that learning to sleep and put himself back to sleep from normal wakings is a skill he needs to learn and better (and easier) now then later. We have a 2 1/2 year old who was a much easier baby and never cried as much as his baby brother, but we did do sleep training with him and he is a great sleeper. So, I do have that perspective, but it's still very painful to let him cry over an hour. (I think he's gone almost two hours at night. It's horrible). Other than the crying, the other part of "cold turkey" is no attention whatsoever. I do sometimes just look at him when he's wailing, but I don't go to him anymore. I think at this age, he really wants that social interaction, so the only way he'll learn to sleep is to be all alone. (so sad. :(, but necessary, I guess). Have you read Healthy Sleep habits, Happy Baby by Marc Weisbluth? It's been helpful for me. Believe me, I feel for you and know how very difficult it is to hear them cry and to know they're not getting the sleep they need. But, guess what? After crying for an hour today, my boy has now been asleep for an hour! He hasn't had a good nap for days, so hopefully we're at a turning point. I wish the same for you! Good Luck!
-A.

Right now I'm writing you next to my napping baby... in my bed. I had the same problem you have. If I put him down for a nap in his crib, we're lucky if he sleeps for 30 minutes. But he will sleep for 3 hours next to me.

I read up on making the family bed safe... removing pillows, checking for gaps ie between headboard and mattress etc.

I still put him in his crib for a short nap when I need to putter around, and he sleeps great in it during the night. But when I'm exausted and need a nap or have a big pile of mail to get through, this is what I do: put him in his sleep sack on his back in the middle of my bed, snuggle up to him until he is well asleep. Then I can sit up and work. I've been doing this for a month now, and it's been a huge relief. He's so much happier in the evening when he has had a good nap. And I have a chance to rest or get some paper work done.

Good luck! Hopefully one of our suggestions will work out for you.

I had the same problem with my little guy. Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child is the book I referred to throughout my struggles. After trying every kind and gentle approach, finally, just after my son's first birthday, I explained to him that he needed to sleep through the night and that when he cried for me that evening, I would not be coming to him until the morning. His pediatrician assured me that he no longer needed to nurse throughout the night... (I still nursed him after that, but during the day only...) The first night, he woke up about five times and wailed for a good 30-60 minutes each time. The second night was about the same. The third night went down to a few wakings with about 10 minutes of crying per... At 2 1/2 weeks he still woke up, but perhaps just once or twice and cried for just a few minutes. I felt like the worst Mom ever because all I wanted to do was hold him... but I knew he needed his sleep. In the end, he came out sleep trained... I really, really hated this process and did not want to do it, but I was desperate for a rested baby (not to mention a rested me!)... Good luck.

Hi A.,

I was lucky enough to have a good sleeper at that age. My now 2 year old no longer sleeps during her rests, but I still put her down for 1-2 hours. It is our routine and she is used to occupying herself- sometimes she cries, but that is OK. Anyway, my advice is this...even if your baby is awake, you can still take a break (lay her on a blanket in the middle of the floor with some interesting toys to look at, while you read the mail, a magazine, vacuum in the same room, etc.). Put her in a bouncy seat on the floor in the bathroom, while you take a shower (I sang to my baby while I showered, so she could hear my voice). Put her in a swing in the kitchen, while you are making dinner. You do not need to hold her for every waking minute- it will help both of you if you have time apart (in the same room). Going for walks outside really helps too- fresh air can put things back into perspective and give your baby a change of view, too. Good luck! Everyone says it, but it really is true that you will turn around and she'll be a little girl and no longer your little baby! It goes fast and I miss it!

Every baby has their own schedule, so unfortunately, she may never need the day time naps. My own two girls outgrew naps by one year. We then had quiet time--we sat together and read or watched videos.

But, if you want to do the "cry it out" thing--you should Ferberize her. There is a great book by Dr. Ferber that gives very precise ideas for how to do cry-it-out without going insane or being cruel. I can't remember the name of the book right this second, but others will write in the name--I guarantee it.

One thing I noticed in what you said is that you couldn't stand to hear her crying. That's how we're wired, literally--the sound of the baby crying makes us respond. However, you also have to know what's best for the baby and make that decision for her. That's how the Dr. Ferber book helped me--we have to make some decisions for our kids and when they need down time (or the house needs down time) is one of those times.

By the way--you aren't the only one with this problem. And, it isn't something you're doing wrong.

My 1 year old son also does not take naps, but my 2 yr old daughter takes great naps. However I can atleast get my son to sleep in the stroller or car.
Is your little girl thin and skinny, fat and pudgy or in the middle? I would really like to know cos I am doing some research based on a theory that the fatter ones sleep more easily.
However, this is not based on how much you feed them. So don't take this to mean you are not feeding her enough. Its a consitutional thing
If you have time, please respond and let me know.
I may have some ideas if I know her body type.
My email is ____@____.com

I can completely relate. My son did the same thing and we tried everything. The only thing that worked (we did it when he was 6 months old) was letting him cry. I read the "Solve Your Childs Sleep Problems" by Ferber. The new version has a little bit more on naps. I think the key is to be consistent everytime and once you commit to letting them cry it out, don't give in because then all of that crying was for nothing. If she knows you will give in, then she will keep trying. He is now 22 months old and ever since he was 7 months we have been able to put him in his crib (after a little routine) wide awake and he puts himself to sleep. It's such a gift to teach your kids to be able to put themselves to sleep. I also have a 5 month old and I started from about 3 months of her putting herself to sleep and we barely had to suffer through any crying because she started doing it on her own so soon. I'd be happy to answer any questions you have. I know how frustrating it is, but know that it does get better.

This sounds so much like my niece when she was a baby. I think that your baby has trained you and knows you will give in. The trouble is that it always gets worse when that cycle starts.

My sister gave up trying to get her baby to sleep until my Mom came to visit and put her down while my sister ran to the store. My niece went right to sleep. I think that maybe my niece somehow knew that Grandma wasn't trainable : ). By the time our Mom left, my sister was able to put her baby down for a nap without fuss.

My trick was a stricted routine lots of playtime and always read a story and/or lullabies before bed or nap time. I think that maybe this was their soothing cue for sleep, and they were tuckered out.

Or maybe a baby massage before nap time might give the extra attention needed. Every baby is different.

Don't give up, you'll find the answer.

A.,

I just came to Mamasource because my son (who is 7 months old) is having the same experience (or almost the same). He is a solid sleeper at night (with one waking to eat) and sleeps from 6:30 pm - 6:00ish am. Though, we CAN NOT get our child to sleep during the day. All his naps combined usually equal an hour. He nas never been a good napper - except for 4 or 5 weeks ago when he had one week of 3 hours (in a row) of napping! That went away quickly.

Bottom line - you are not alone! I'm going to pull the Healthy Sleep habits Happy Baby book off my shelf. I need to reread the napping section because something has to change.

It isn't just you!!!! :)

R.

I have always followed the "Eat, Play, Sleep" routine. My girls were never great night sleepers (until 1yr), but always took (and take) good naps. Seriously, I can't say they have ever fussed to go down for a nap, they even have been known to put themselves down for a nap. (my 2yr old crawls into her crib by 1:30 if I don't put her down first, LOL) Get yourself really in tune with her cues. At the first eye rub, yawn, ect... put her down for a nap. If my kids aren't down within aprox 20min of this they don't nap as well.

HTH

E.

Your situation describes mine with my son. He just never napped. at 10 months old I skipped all attempts at a morning nap and put him down after lunch where he'd sleep maybe 30 minutes. It is exhausting for you I know. But some babies just don't nap and you've got one. Now that he is older, I put him in his room for some alone time...for me and for him. Sorry I can't help you now, but it will get better! Incidentally, I now have a 2-1/2 year old napper and that has it's own drawbacks...like having to be home everyday for nap. But it is nice.

Hi A.,

You do not have the only baby in the world who will not cry herself to sleep! I know of at least one other ;). Seriously, I have an older son who was like your little one. He never required much sleep until he was a teenager. He did not sleep through the night until he was over a year old.

Our first child slept through the night from the start (all of my children took naps easily, except him). Each child is different. If I would not have had my son (who was not a great sleeper) I would have thought a mom whose child did not nap was missing something she needed to know as a parent. But, he was the only one of my children who struggled in this area.

When he was about 3, I required a lay down time in the afternoons because I was exhausted. But he was speaking in full sentences at that age and I would allow him to play quietly on his bed with books and toys. In other words, I could fully explain to him what my expectations were.

Hang in there!

Amy

A little about me:
I am an early forties mom to six children; ages 24, 23,21, 19, 16, and 2.5.

I agree with the previous mom. I bought "Healthy sleep habits, Happy Child" and it has been wonderful for us. It does address nap time advice, not only nighttime sleeping. I think the main thing for us, which is greatly detailed in the book, is recognizing your child's sleep cues. As soon as you notice your daughter start to get sleepy, get her in her crib! Then as you start to get into a routine, you'll know about the time she'll start to get sleepy. For example, I know that my son will be ready for his nap about 2 hours after he first wakes up. So after about and hour and 45 min. I'll watch him to see when he starts rubbing his eyes or getting cranky. Thanks to this book, I can take him up to his crib, say 'sweet dreams' and close the door. He will fall asleep on his own without the slightest bit of crying. I did start sleep training with him at night, and once he got that down, we started doing it during the day with his naps. It does take a few days of going crazy, and it may take a little bit longer for you since it sounds like a little bit of stubbornness, but stick with it. It will change your life, and you will get back to sleeping! If you have any questions or concerns, don't hesitate to write! Good Luck!

Congrats on being a first time mom!

Our second son was a big cat napper during the day 10-20 minutes here and there...Partially my fault since we where always on the go doing things for my older daughter. But once winter hit and we where home more often I started making sure if he didn't sleep for at least two stretches of an hour at least that if he woke up from his nap I would give him a bottle or sippy, start the music again and kinda trick him into the fact that it was still time to nap...Now he takes a few good 2-3 hr naps during the day. He would fight it a little when I first started giving him another bottle and make him stay in the crib. (I never really said anything to him other than it is still nap time and never turned the lights on)

Best of luck!

HI -
Your story sounds familiar to me - I have an only child - a son. He only slept 5-6 hrs per night until he was 14 months old. He took two naps per day - about an hour each. I could not get much done and the sleep deprevation was taking its toll. Then - a nice lady who worked at a day care said, only 1 nap per day and in early afternoon -- no longer than 2 hours. This was a miracle for night sleeping - which now extended to 7-8 hours. I was in heaven. The guide to the afternoon nap, was my son needed to have more physical activity to get really tired. This was tricky some times, but now that he was walking --- it was easier to get him worn out. Within a week or so of these new ideas --- our lives changed -- for the better. He was sleeping more!
Our son is now 13 years old. We have just one child - and he has always known how to get what he wants from us -- because he gets ALL of our attention --- but he is not the long sleeper like many teens --- and I think that is just how he is wired.
Hope I have helped you in some way --- best of luck to you --- hug your daughter alot --- time goes by so quickly.
N.