question about 8 week old naps

[jennygold]

Hello,
My lo is 8 wks old, and is now starting to go down well in his crib for some of his naps.  He yawns after about 45 minutes of activity and is asleep by an hour after being up.  Being on a 3 hour eating schedule, that would leave him 2 hours for each nap.  However, he almost always wakes up after 1 hour, and I can't get him back to sleep unless I put him in a sling for the last hour.  My question is, should I just keep him up for the last hour, should I feed him earlier than 3 hours, or is what I am doing the best route to go?  It just seems like 2 hours is awfully long to nap at his age for his 3 daytime naps.  Here is his rough schedule:
7 - wake & E
7:25 - A
8 - S
(wakes at 9, put in sling til around 10)
10 - E
10:25-A
11:00-S
(wakes at 12, put in sling til 1)
1 - E
1:30 -A
2- S

4-E
4:30 - A
5-6 in swing for catnap
6-E
6:30 bathtime
7 - in swing or sling for nap
8- E
8:45 or 9 bedtime
Dream feed at 12, then he usually wakes at 3 for E and 6 (I don't feed him, just use pacifier til 7)
And I know that I shouldn't really be using a sling or swing, but it is working for us right now.
Thank you!
Jennifer

[apreston]

I wish someone would answer you...your db sounds exactly like mine...he'll be 8 wo this weekend.

[Erin (redstarfalling)]

It's hard when they're so little.... Is he waking really after 1 hr, or is it 45 min (which is the usual time for them to move back into light sleep and often wake)?  Regardless, 1 hr isn't a long enough nap for sure, and if you get him up at that time, he'll definitely get overtired as the day progresses.  Yes, the sling isn't ideal, but I can totally see why you went that route.

What HAVE you tried to get him back to sleep in his crib when he wakes?  Are you swaddling and using white noise?  Have you tried a pacifier at that time?

As for feeding him before 3 hrs (are you breast or bottle?) - if he's not hungry, then no, don't feed him early.  The best would be to work on extending his naps (at least until closer to 1.5 or 1.75 hrs at this age).

[jennygold]

Thank you for your reply, it was very helpful.  I have just introduced white noise and it seems to be helping a lot.  He has not been waking early at every nap today (only during 2 of them), and the ones that he did wake early in, I was able to extend them out by going in and giving him the pacifier (this did not work previously).  I will keep working on these things!  Thanks again.

[Erin (redstarfalling)]

Great news!  Keep up the good work!

[Ellison]

How long should naps be?  1.5 hours?  Also my 8 week old sometimes wakes after 45 minute naps but he wakes happy - should i really try to keep him asleep?  Maybe if i get him to take longer naps he will not be OT by the end of the day?  is that the theory?

Thanks!

[Erin (redstarfalling)]

This is from the FAQ about naps:
https://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=85134.0

Between 1-3 months, the usual is 3 naps, 1.5 hours each + catnap.  If your 8 week old is sleeping for only 45 min and waking happy, it's probably at the start of the day, right?  Yes, usually, if you let this go on, he'll be overtired by the end of the day, possibly leading to crankiness, a hard time going to bed, and more nightwakings.  On the other hand, some babies do just fine with 45 min naps (depends on their temperament, for one!).  You have to judge for yourself how he reacts.

[15milner]

At the moment this is my 'strategy' with my 8 weeker.

He's generally awake for 1.25-1.5hrs from the time he wakes to the time he's asleep again.  ( I'm a bit more of a clock watcher than cue watcher otherwise I'd always miss the cues with a 3.5yr old to be watching!)
He bf for around the 30 min mark
We spend the rest of the time, changing nappy and a little bit of activity - smiling, being mauled by his big brother  ..

I swaddle and pop him back into bed, he grumbles for a couple of minutes and then drifts off. 
He sleeps somewhere between 45 mins and 2hrs. 
If he wakes after 45 mins, I've not had that much sucess in getting him back to sleep again.  It's generally near the 2.5hr mark since the last feed then i'll feed and start EASY all over again.

I'm sort of 'averaging things out'

For instance
Today
E- 8am
S - 9.30 til 11.30 

E - 11.30pm (ie 3.5hrs since the last feed)
S - 1 -2

E - 2pm  (the same time it would have been if i'd been on a 3hr EASY KWIM)

Same with BF this time around I'm beign a little more relaxed - I know that theres some give and take - he's still getting 7 feeds in the day - so we're going more of a 2- 3.5hr EASY.

Alex

PS - if you are bf - how many feeds a day are you doing.  I wonder whether 7 is enough,but he's gaining well so I guess it must be?

[Ellison]

Erin thanks for your answer and YES it is at the beginning of the day when he is happy and grumpy by the end of the day - today though he has done longer naps