Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child question

I'm reading HSHHC and am trying to follow it. DD is 7 weeks old and I am focusing on not letting her have more than 2 hours of wakefulness. I am picking up the drowsy signs and am definitely recognizing when she is tired vs hungry, etc, but I am not sure how long she should be sleeping after being awake for 1-2 hours. Sometimes she will sleep a while (today she had a 3 hour nap and a one hour), but other times I get 15 minutes. Does that count? Should I keep soothing her when she wakes up to get her to sleep longer or is a short snooze enough? please help!

Re: Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child question

I am pretty sure in the book he says 15 minutes is not considered a nap. I would say it should at least be a half hour or 40 minutes. I know he says something about the length of a nap in his book, but I can't remember exactly.

I guess if your DC only sleep s for 15 minutes then you would try another nap sooner than 2 hours, like maybe an hour. I follow a lot of ideas form that book too and when my son was that young I would start settling him down and getting him ready for a nap after 1 1/2 hours so that by 2 hours he was laready in his swing or crib for a nap. This is what he said to so in his book and it really worked for me.
It is important that you catch your DD when she is tired, but not over tires. If she is over tired it may be difficult for her to sleep.

It seems like you are doing fine. I mean there were times when my DS did not nap for very long and I would just make his next nap sooner. I hope I ma making sense. I feel like I ma rambling.

Re: Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child question

Posted by jprimrose

I am pretty sure in the book he says 15 minutes is not considered a nap. I would say it should at least be a half hour or 40 minutes. I know he says something about the length of a nap in his book, but I can't remember exactly.

I guess if your DC only sleep s for 15 minutes then you would try another nap sooner than 2 hours, like maybe an hour. I follow a lot of ideas form that book too and when my son was that young I would start settling him down and getting him ready for a nap after 1 1/2 hours so that by 2 hours he was laready in his swing or crib for a nap. This is what he said to so in his book and it really worked for me.
It is important that you catch your DD when she is tired, but not over tires. If she is over tired it may be difficult for her to sleep.

It seems like you are doing fine. I mean there were times when my DS did not nap for very long and I would just make his next nap sooner. I hope I ma making sense. I feel like I ma rambling.

Re: Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child question

honestly, trying anything at this time...== i think she is really too young.... i used that book more when DD was 6-7 months old... i would soother your child however possible at this- and trust us all, it DOES get easier....

on another note- my DD slept GREAT on her belly, and i am not the only "bad" mom on here who will tell you this...DD was sleeping on her belly since she was 5 weeks old- its how she slept best....

so if thats what works, i say do that too....

Re: Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child question

Agree with PP, 7 weeks is pretty young to try and instill sleep patterns. At that age, I would really just let her sleep as much as she needs to, and put her down for a nap if you notice that she is overtired, but I wouldn't get too carried away with keeping track of how long she has been awake.

Must say I have not read the book, so this is JMHO.