Naps for an 8 week old - what is "normal"??

[Ambinsi]

I have an 8 week old that I am struggling to put on EASY because I also have an 18 month old, and that makes it very challenging. It was much easier with my first!!! Anyway, for those of you with babies around the 2-3 month mark, I'm just wondering how they are sleeping, especially naps. Are they on a good routine yet? When do they eventually settle into those 3 solid naps a day? I don't remember how it worked out with my DD, only that we struggled for a long time with her due to the 45 minute nap thing.

[elmarie]

Here is the sort of routine you looking at fo a 2 month old baby. A time is around 1h15-30. OT infants don't sleep well.  So preventing short naps are very important:

.15 Swaddle and lay baby in cot (may take 15-20min to fall asleep)
10 Feed H
11.15 2nd nap
1pm feed
2.15 pm nap
4 feed
5.15pm catnap (40-50min)
6.00pm 1st cluster feed weeks.  Dreamfeed will continue to more and less 7-8months.
7.30 Another catnap
8.00 2nd clusterfeed
In bed after cluster feed
10-11 pm dreamfeed

A lack of routine can often cause babies not settle down easily.  It is extremely important to start an adequate sleep routine and using the 4s to get him to go down relaxed (p.181 BWSAYP Tracy explaines how to do this). The 4s stands for
Sitting
Setting the stage
Swaddling
Shh/patting (when necessary)

[Ambinsi]

Thanks for that. I've read that in Tracy's book. I shoot for 1-1.5 hrs of A time but with my toddler its a little tricky. So do you have any idea when they settle into the 3 naps? Or when bedtime becomes earlier? I just can't seem to remember this from past experience.

[elmarie]

for now it will be 3 naps with catnap and around 4 months it will become a 4h EASY and they then settle into a 2 nap routine.  The 2-1 swith wil usually between 12-18months.