short sleep cycle

[wiosna]

my 5 week old has really short day time sllep cycle. He wakes after 35 - 40 min and starts screaming. I know he needs longer naps, cause 1.5 hour after getting up he becomes impossible and clearly needs another sleep. It's not very practical to work on such a short cycle, especially as I have a 3 yo needing attention. Also, a longish lunchtime nap would be great for all involved, including me... My daughter used to slepp solidly 2 hours at lunch, and still does at 3.5!

Most books say that babies go into light sleep, wake up and settle themselves back to sleep. Not this one! Any suggestions? (i have already worked on all the usual - hunger, wind ect)

1.5 hours after getting up sounds pretty good to me. DD2 would only manage an hour after waking from a nap at 5 weeks. She is now 14 weeks and can manage 1.5 hours. She only sleeps for 45 minutes mostly, with the odd 1.5-2 hour nap thrown in. I think as they get older they learn to sleep for longer.

I think 1.5 hours sounds quite a long time between naps for a 5wk old. He may be overtired which can make them sleep for short periods of time. Why not try putting him down after he has been awake for an hour. Otherwise I found the shush/pat technique useful in lengthening my DDs naps.