Are 2 hour naps too long for my 5 week old?

[jsorrow24]

With the help of another member I have been able to extend the naps of my 5 week old . He can nap for about 2 hours after each feeding and activity time. He is in his second nap today...then there will be another one at around 3:30 or 4:00pm. Also, he like to catnap in the evening after his 5:30 feeding. Should I put him to bed after that? Or let him catnap until 7:30pm for another feeding then put down to bed say around 8:30 and dreamfeed at 10pm?

Can someone help

[Kimberly®]

you sound like your on the right track
I'd recomend doing your bedtime routine and final bottle after the 5:30 catnap, then dreamfeed at 10:30.
It sounds like your ready for that

HTH

[jsorrow24]

So then I would put him to bed say around 7:00pm and feed?? Is that what you are saying? He will be awake at 5:30 then will probably start getting tired around 6:30 or 7pm...are you saying feed then and put to bed for the night instead of a short nap at 7pm? That just seems early to me. I like to put him to bed later in hopes he will sleep more at night.

[notenoughshelfspace]

When mine was that age she slept for 2.5 hours in the morning (9:30-12), 2.5 hours in the afternoon (1:30-4), catnap 5:30-6 and bedtime at seven thirty, dreamfeed 10:30. OOOOOOOh,those were the days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[jsorrow24]

Tell me about it notenoughshelfspace ... this is my second one and you would think I could remember what to do but it's been 3 1/2 years! It's easier, but still there are days when I am at my wits end. He doesn't always sleep 2 hours at a time. I have to help him. Today was a good day. He grunts and squirms a lot and takes a good while to settle into a good sleep. But it's getting better. He will be 6 wks next Tuesday.

Thanks for the input.

[Kimberly®]

I know that 7 sounds early but it isn't when you think about it from the babies point of view, keeping your LO up later doesn't mean they'll sleep longer at night, it just means you have an overtired cranky baby. I highly recomend you start with an early bedtime and push it back slowly when thay are much older. My LO is 5.5 months old and has had a 7pm bedtime since 10 weeks and its by far the best thing thats ever happend. She started sleeping better and longer, and she wasn't overtired and cranky. In fact my LO has slept 7pm-7am since 12 weeks old. Now I'm not saying that your LO will go 12 hours thats very rare, but if you can nip the overtiredness in the butt your by far better off in the long run.

So yes do your Bedtime routine at around 6-6:15 and bed by 7.
Now is the best time to start

[jsorrow24]

Thanks for the advice. Will try it tonight. 

[Kimberly®]

No problem. Please let us know how it goes.