The Baby Whisperer - a question about naps (7 week old)

[HandMini]

I have read the Secrets of the Baby Whisperer and generally thought it made a lot of sense, but have one query about the EASY routine. It suggests that baby sleeps after EVERY feed (Eat, Activity, Sleep, You). I do, roughly, a 7am, 11am, 2pm, 5pm, evening of cluster feed pattern. My question is would you really expect baby to nap morning, lunch, afternoon AND evening as well as a good block of hours at night? My daugther is 7 weeks old, sleeps quite well at night (has gone for for 6 hours quite regularly now), but only seems to really nap properly in the middle of the day for 2 hours or so, no other naps other than cat naps in the sling / buggy. Any thoughts gratefully recieved. I don't want to put off her night time sleep by too much daytime napping, but equally I do worry about the "overtired" thing which all baby books seem to mention. Thanks in advance.

[TheOriginalFAB]

If she is already sleeping for a 6 hour stretch at night I would carry on with what you are doing. Mine slept loads in the day and 12 hours at night. Some are just like that. If they get over tired it can be hard to settle them to sleep.

[Iggly]

I'd go with it - sounds like she's doing just fine.

To be honest a two hour nap plus cat naps sound great.

Anyway, in a few weeks she'll have a big growth and developmental leap which will change her sleeping and feeding patterns - it's never a smooth progression as the books will have you believe

[ails81]

if its working for you stick with it. my little boy is textbook and so does follow EASY like the book, but he is almost 15 weeks and I only properly started with EASY at about 9 weeks. He naps for 1-2hours after each "A" time but this is changing as he is getting more active and developing.

Just use your instinct, maybe your little one only needs catnaps and is fine with that. If she is still sleeping well at night I wouldnt have thought there is a problem :)

[HandMini]

Thanks all, that is reassuring. I too as thinking that the night block of sleep is what is important, so will try and stick to that as much as possible and just go with her flow during the day.

[HollyHocks25]

Hi all - I have a quick question too if you don't mind??

My little one takes sometimes up to an hour to fall asleep in her room her a nap - even though I know she is knackered and ready for her sleep. She cries and stirs for such a long time that it obviously really messes up the '3 hour' routine. She also does not seem to last the 45mins-1 hr before she starts yawing and getting agitated and ready for sleep again. I feel like all do is put her in her room for naps!!!

Is this normal? Does anyone else have these issues??

Thanks.

[ails81]

Holly you might want to start your own thread to get more replies.
But could it be she is struggling to get to sleep because she is overtired and so its difficult for her to get to sleep and so then she doesnt sleep as well so gets more tired quickly after her next feed?
If she isnt napping well she probably wont last the A time as well, but I wouldnt worry too much about her getting an hour, my ds varies in his A times from 40mins to 90mins!

How old is your LO?

[mistressploppy]

Hi Holly - mine was a bit like this. I found the key was to get him down for the first nap reeeally early (like 1.5hrs after he woke up in the morning!) to avoid him getting overtired. Then try to aim for no more than two hours awake before going for another nap.

Depends on her age though, as ails says.

It did feel like all I ever did was put him to bed though!

[HollyHocks25]

Hiya,

Thanks for the advice. Little one is 6 weeks old so still only teeny. It's not the time that she naps, its getting her to fall asleep which is the killer. I can take up to an hour and a half like it did this morning. But once she is down she can sleep for up to an hour and half. Afterwards she is so content. Even if I brought her down to try and sleep with me in the living room or kitchen she is grumpy and cries and cries so i know shes knackered. I have been trying to prevent this by putting her down at the first yawn as suggested in BW but still no good. She just fusses and cries. Eventually she does settle but its a long hard slog.

Any advice on how to settle her??

P.s - I will set up a new thread, thanks!