8 week old, 35 min naps and accidental parenting

[rachbone]

Hi all. I’m new to this forum. I found and read the baby whisperer a couple weeks ago and I so wish that I had read it before giving birth.

I have an 8 week old that I have always rocked, patted and shushed to sleep, then put down for naps without much issue. His nap lengths were variable but I expected that. About a week and a half ago he started waking up at the 35 minute mark consistently, for every nap. He’s crying when he awakes, and almost always I can get him back down by doing more shushing, rocking and patting, then letting him sleep on me. He won’t let me put him back down, won’t let me wear him or be put in a swing, won’t let me shush and pat him back without picking him up. If I let him sleep on me he will take a two hour nap almost every time, and I will wake him up, which to me means that he needs the sleep. I am so worried about starting a horrible habit, but also see a huge difference in his disposition when he gets all that sleep. Also he feeds better and is not falling asleep at my breast, as he does if he’s taking these short, crummy naps. I’ve tried wake to sleep for several days without success.

I just don’t know which is worse- having him be tired and miserabks all the time or having him get used to napping on me and having a real issue down the line. I know this isn’t sustainable but don’t know what else to do as he’s still pretty little. Thank you in advance for any help!!

[Katet]

In the first few months it's hard. My eldest was a short napper, he got better as he got older.
In terms of sleeping anywhere but on you, the warmth and heart beat are part of the situation. Do you wrap/cacoon him? As  that really helps too.
How does he sleep at night

[rachbone]

He does pretty well at night. Sleeps from about 7-6:30, awakens somewhere between 12-2 for a feed and occasionally again around 4:30 but not always. He is swaddled in a dark room with a sound machine. I have tried using a hot pack to warm the crib up before I lay him down but that doesn’t help.

[Katet]

Given his good night sleep and the fact you are doing all the 'right' things I'd say he's doing his 'normal' and he's just not read the part in the textbook that says he 'should' be doing XYZ... My 2 (now teens) were the worst sleepers, but they are great teens, so to me it's not something that indicates long term troubles, more (I feel) books that make us have some expectations that not all children meet.