First Time Mom Needing Help W/ Newborn Naps

I wouldn't worry too much about it. Even though it is harder to get things done when she isn't sleeping much, it will level off. My little girl is the queen of the cat nap and is happy to take several 10-30 minute naps through the day. She is also more agreeable because she will go and do anything and knows she can sleep in the car for a little while and then just wake up and go.

My son was the same way, at 6 weeks he would wake up at 6am and if I was lucky he would finally go down for a nap at 1pm.

1-What worked for us was the 2 hour window concept- I think it was from Babywise. The Idea was that you should never let baby stay awake longer than 2 hours between naps, no matter how short those naps were. You can make it a shorter window of time if you want too.

2-Another book- Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child- I think, talked alot about how sleep begets sleep, and also gave me the Idea of putting him down for his first nap within an hour of him waking for the day- at first I thought that was insane but when he would sleep for 2 more hours.....it suddenly became a miracle. And I learned that Sleep really does lead to more and better sleep.

3-I live close to a really nice and big park, for a few weeks I went to the park everyday, I would walk until he fell asleep and then I would stop and read or write, when he woke up again I would start walking again and the cycle would start over again. It helped a lot and after he was getting enough sleep, he would sleep at home easily- and I found I missed the park.

It took time, 2 or more months before he had an actual schedule, and so I really felt like a slave for a while because I could not make any plans to go anywhere because I didn't know when he would be sleeping. But once he got a schedule, it was so very much worth the effort.

R., I hate providing you with contradictory information but please do some research on "Babywise" before you use it. It is quite controversial. Yes, your child will sleep, but the method is controversial. I know several mothers who are child development experts with graduate degrees who cringe when Baby Wise is even mentioned. I would suggest you look at "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child" by Weisbuth (?). Great book, it worked for us, and there are no detrimental "side effects." Good luck and try to quit stressing. The good news is that when baby #2 comes along, you won't stress about much at all!

I learned from "Healthy Sleeping Habits Happy Baby" by Dr. Marc Weissbluth that babies should take a nap about 2 hours after waking up in the morning then again about 3 hours later. At that young they probably need 3 naps a day and an earlier bedtime than you'd expect. We learned the hard way that our fussy evening baby was just tired & wanted to be put down to sleep. That was much easier than pacing the floors with her from 7 to 9 every night! This book completely saved my sanity.

It seems like my kids were about 2 mos. old when they started settling in to taking 2 naps - 1 at about 10-12 and 1 from 3-5. Probably really depends on how they sleep during the night & what time they get up in the morning...
I'd say keep your nursing schedule, then follow the baby for naps. Personally, I tried to avoid car/swing naps b/c my kids wouldn't stay asleep to be moved to their beds when we got home & you can't just leave them in the car - the temperature in the car only really allows that for about 1 week/year :)
A friend recommended to me Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child (recommended earlier) and I LOVED it - very helpful for realizing "tired signs" - especially in "hyper-active/naughty" toddlers!
Mostly I want to say - any time you get advice, remember to take what works for you & your family & use it, the rest is what worked for someone else & their family! Every child, every parent, every family operates differently! That's the beauty of our world!
Good luck!

Start as you mean to go on. If you want to drive your can every time you want your child to sleep for the next 5 years, then do. If you want them to swing, then do. If you want them to nurse every time they fall asleep (at 2am) for the next three years, then do it.

If you want them to sleep in their own bed, happily, then start now. Upon awakening feed baby, change diapers, then let her play until she shows the first signs of tiredness (eye rubbing and turning away from stimulation). Put her gently in the crib and let her sleep. I swaddled for the first couple months and that helped trigger the sleep times.

I second the Baby Whisperer, it was written from a place of love of children. Unlike Babywise.

Congratulations about you new little girl. I remember how scary it was ( and still is ) with your first kido. I found out that they are very resilient and no matter what we do someone or some stupid book says we are causing them damage for the rest of their lives. Go with your gut. If you are really concerned make sure you have a pediatrician you feel comfortable with and ask lots of questions. At this age you can not spoil a child. Sleep is what is important to you right now. My daughter lived in her swing and we took lots of car and stroller rides. It was the only other way I could get her to sleep besides holding her. I would suggest to not let her get use to the falling asleep being held or co slept with after she gets a little older, but by all means I found no harm in the swing and car/stroller method. You have to think your little girl spent the last 9 months being rocked in your belly so maybe the movement is soothing. When the time came my daughter found new ways to fall asleep with little fights. She is now 6 and it seems that there has been no ill effect. As a new mom be kind to yourself, your daughter will love you no matter what and she will be fine. I also want to add just as a side note to be careful about the stressing out. You are still suffering from the after effects of all the hormones, so if you every feel completely overwhelmed talk to your doctor as well. Good luck and best of wishes, ( Never let anyone ever think you are less than a great mom)

Hi there proud mama!

I didnt have time to read all the previous posts but I have a feeling we're going to pretty much say the same thing. She is still a wee little munchkin. She'll fall into a schedule as you help her along. It's perfectly okay that she isnt falling asleep right after eating - The Baby Whisperer Tracy Hogg says it's preferable.

I encourage you to pick up a copy of her book. It was incredibly practical for me. It taught me to listen to my little person while leading in the way he should go.

"Secrets of the Baby Whisperer" Tracy Hogg

Hi R. - you've gotten lots of great advice here, and you may be feeling just as confused as ever. What I've found on all of the sleep books (and I've seriously read every one of them), is you can find proponents and opponents for every style of "sleep training". No cry, check-and-console, let cry, Ferberize, extinction method - you name it, I've read it!

Either way, all kids are different. Ours had reflux and as such, spent the entire (and I mean all day) first four months crying. He never had a "fuss" in him - he was either happy or screaming. So it was really tough for us to try to let him "self soothe" because he went from happy while holding him, to screaming as soon as we lay him down. As a result, we definitely developed some sleep crutches we had to get rid of (he's 9 months now) and though it was tough, I think there are sometimes not complete clear answers on the "right" way to go about sleep training.

Our son was a 30-minute napper on the nose. I tried EVERYTHING to get him to lengthen his naps. I do like Dr. Weissbluth's book - he's the one that suggests putting kids down within an hour to an hour-and-a-half after they wake, and then only two hours of wakefulness in between each nap. We followed this rule, and it helped to keep the melt downs to a minimum. But it took months until he started napping longer. If you get four hours per day, you're lucky! We got three half-hour naps TOTAL!!

The only thing that finally worked for us is we invested in a baby hammock. There are several brands out there - we got the Amby just because one of my friends had one and liked it. We would put our little guy in it and bounce it while he cried himself to sleep. It wasn't total self-soothing, but it was one step above falling asleep in our arms. Then, when he woke at the half-hour mark, we'd go in and bounce him again until he fell asleep - usually for one more half-hour, and then he'd be up. Gradually, though, he quit waking up at the half-hour mark and slept for an hour straight, but this wasn't until about 6 months.

I know it's still a crutch and if you CAN teach your daughter how to sleep on her own, and get herself back to sleep after she wakes prematurely, you will be so much better off. But I also understand how tired you feel and how desperately you are aching for some of your own time! So, go with your gut. If you can, even pick just one nap a day (Dr. Weissbluth recommends the first nap of the day) to let her practice sleeping on her own. Then for the other naps, you can do whatever to get some sanity. If/when she's sleeping well on her first nap, you can do the same routine for the other naps.

Our son was taking three naps a day (like I said, of only a half-hour each) until he was 6 months old.

Good luck and I totally feel for you!!

I can relate to stressing out about every little thing. I am a lot like that as well. Your little one is still pretty young to be able to really set a pattern for her sleeping. At about 8 weeks though we did start putting our baby to bed at the same time at night in her crib and she did great with her night time sleep. It did take a bit more time with her naps though so don't be too hard on yourself! It takes some time to get into a regular nap schedule and then it changes from 3 naps to 2 and then to 1. 1 is definetely the easiest in my opinion! Anyway, my suggestion would be for the next couple of weeks just try not to stress start focusing on her night sleep and pick a bed time for and put her down drowsy but awake. This will help her learn how to put herself to sleep on her own. At this same time try to notice her patterns during the day and try to start putting her down at similar times and get into some kind of nap pattern. At about 3-4 months she will probably be taking about 3 naps a day, then around 6-7 months 2 naps a day, and then 1 anywhere from 12-18 months. Of course every child is different! And I don't think it is too much of a bad thing at this point to put your daughter in a swing or the car if you are concerned that she is not getting enough sleep. Though try to put her in her crib whenever possible. My daughter took all her naps in the car seat or the swing until she was about 6 months because she had reflux and I think it is ok but at that point they become more sensitive to noise and other stuff like that so it is usually best if they can nap in their crib on most occasions. Anyway, good luck. I know how fun and challenging motherhood can be and naps are hard to figure out. Enjoy your little girl! They grow so fast. My little one is 17 months now, walking, talking, etc and is so fun but every stage is wonderful to cherish and I sometimes want to go back and see what she was like when she was smaller!

if she's sleeping at night and happy enough during the day to let you put her down, i'd say count your blessings because she's on the right schedule earlier than many babies! it doesn't always stay that way, so be prepared for that possibility too.

I'd get her on something of a 'schedule' for your sanity, if it's worrying you and see how she does if you're faithful to it for 2 weeks. She's tiny still so might resist it, but the more predictable you are the easier on both of you...Books: Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child, Babywise &/or SleepEasy Solution can be helpful. She's only 7 wks and can't really resist you too much, so I'd feed her after naps. Naps, eats and plays throughout the day....wherever those naps need to occur-do it-carseat, bouncy seat, swing, your arms, anywhere. She won't nap in these places forever; it's just to get her used to the schedule. Once she gets a taste of the schedule and how rested she feels, she and you can relax into it. Remember-she's young and still very unpredictable. So give it and yourself time :)
It'll get better soon.

It still shocks me that so many people recommend the Babywise book. Avoid it. There are better books out there, some suggestions already made. I recommend the "No Cry Sleep Solution." Most of all, try to relax and just enjoy your little one. They grow way too fast!

4 hours during the day sounds fine as long as she is getting a decent amount of sleep at night. Check out kellymom.com It offers parenting advice and information regarding necessary sleep amounts and other topics. Hope that helps.

Have a GREAT week!

S.

At 7 weeks she might just be ready to consolidate her naps into 2 naps a day. Try to keep her up for an extended period in the morning before you put her down for a nap. And pick a morning and afternoon nap time that are going to be best for you in the long run (look forward to if you have anything scheduled in the fall, etc.) because it's easier to get them on a schedule that will work best now -- of course you don't have to be rigorous about the schedule, just get in a flow that will work with the rhythms of your life.
Also, avoid nursing her to sleep -- I know it's hard, but it pays off in the long run. I nursed my son to sleep for the first year and it was an unending year of nursing him back to sleep at night. My daughter I worked hard to keep her awake and I can soothe her back to sleep without nursing.
And the key to knowing if she is getting enough sleep is her moods. Is she cranky all day long? Does she fall asleep in the car even when you only go for a short drive? (my kids fall asleep within about 2 minutes if they haven't been getting enough sleep)
Good luck to you.

RELAX!!! As a few of the others said - as long as she is hitting her developmental marks it is ok. Plus if she is sleeping at night...that is even better. My son did pretty much the same thing and I thought I was going to go crazy because I couldn't even take a bath before he woke up from his "nap". But it gets better...with your first you worry about everything and that's fine because you are just trying to figure everything out. Just try to enjoy her and don't stress because you will look back wishing you would have taken the time to enjoy the time she was little.

Stressing out is part of being a mom, and the first go around is the worst! I still stress out more over my first one, there is just no getting around it. One thing I do know though is all kids sleep different and my first one was like your little girl. He still isn't what I would consider a good sleeper at 9. My philosophy now days is if they won't sleep, but also are not seeming uncomfortable or crying then you are probably good to go. She will find her routine whatever that may be. I think babies are supposed to sleep 18 to 24 hours per day the first few months, I don't think my oldest boy EVER did that. If it makes you feel any better he is now considered gifted and talented and a shear delight. The sleep doesn't seem to bother him as far as his development into a wonderful person.

Also never hesitate to call your doctor and have her checked out. My pediatrician and I joke that he is my new best friend. Those docs are used to us crazy moms and totally get it! Good luck and enjoy sleep in about 20+ years. =)

I know that being a new mother is so hard. Your hormones are a mess and you want to do the best for her. Don't worry so much! Everyone goes through it and we all survive. I will just give you a quick piece of advice that I see all the time. The baby gets her stress level from you. Just relax and she will relax. My first baby was a disaster for me and I knew that I was going to ruin her somehow. I just held her a lot and talked sweet to her all the time and she was and still is a very calm child. Enjoy your baby to the fullest extent possible because she just wants to be loved. I would not recommend taking her for a ride to get her to sleep. This will become a habit for her and it will be a big hassle to get her to give it up.

my oldest would only nap while being held, and for about a month only sleep in the carseat-- we eventually just started laying her down in the carseat after nursing- not in the car just in the living room- and she would sleep all night. My youngest was a swing sleeper though.
Your LO may just need less sleep though. You might try laying down to nurse her - and maybe get a nap in yourself as well- that way there is no disturbing her to put her in her bed when you are done.

I co-slept all three of my girls- helped everyone get a lot more zzzz'z. The oldest was in her own bed in our room by three months, the youngest by five months. They all slept through the night as soon as they didn't wake up to eat (although the youngest wakes up when daddy gets home at 4 am- but she has been a daddys girls since the womb). Do what ever works for your family, but myself- I could never stand to make a baby cry it out. (besides studies have shown that the more you meet their needs, the sooner they 'know' that you will be there if they need you and they become more independant not less)

oh! my daughter only took "power naps" when she was a newborn! 15 min tops at a time. I was so freaked out I talked to the pediatrition about it and he laughed and said all kids are different and as long as she is happy and hitting her development points how she gets the sleep isn't as important as the fact that overall she does sleep. on the up she slept longer at night--but man I was so exhausted everyone kept saying sleep when the baby does and it takes me at least 15 to fall asleep!! I wouldn't worry about it. Just make sure that your hubby or significant other gives you time for a nap during the day at some point so you don't become sleep deprived.

I think you know what you should do--which is to just relax, enjoy your baby and for a while, let her find her own beat. We are huge fans of the No Cry Sleep Solution (Elizabeth Pantley)and NOT a fan of Babywise or Ferber because I believe children are unique and while routine is important, hardcore structure is not the best way to raise a child in my mind. Each mommy has to make decisions that feel good to her. No Cry Sleep Solution talks about starting a sleep routine at 4 months, and really it comes down to knowing what you do & how your baby sleeps. You are doing a great job! As long as your daughter is happy and sleeping a good amount in total, you are doing the right thing. Hang in there! Congratulations!

I did not read all the posts, so could be duplicating. I would not keep doing the car ride and swing thing. You could be setting up a habit where she won't sleep without assistance! She is fine and you're doing great! It takes a bit of time to get into a routine is all. The need for sleep is so high when they are first born and it does diminish some as they mature. It might help to keep her awake for longer periods. She may start to sleep for longer intervals. Eventually she'll probably get to where she takes 2 good naps a day. That is pretty typical. Then eventually it will drop down to one, and of course there will come a day when naps are a thing of the past! It is an evolving process. Good luck to you, and congratulations! Enjoy that baby!

I had a similar experience with my first baby, and I read a lot of books. You have to read it all and take the little pieces that work for you and put them together. The most important thing I learned from a book was the EASY routine. I think it's from Tracy Hogg "The Baby Whisperer." Go through a cycle of Eat, Awake time, Sleep for your baby and the Y is some time for Yourself while the baby is sleeping. After they eat, play and read and talk, and then when your baby needs some downtime or starts to rub her eyes, then do a nap. I can't let my kids cry it out, so for nap time we would read a lullaby book and I would rock them for a few minutes and then lay them down.

Good luck, you're the best person to decide what she needs and you'll do great!

My daughter took ALL of her naps in her swing from birth until around 6 months, when we then started to move her to crib naps... so don't sweat it.
She would take like 6-8 20 minute naps even in the swing. Drove us bonkers, but that was her thing.
Now (she just turned 1) she takes two long naps during the day. One 2 hour in the morning and another 2 hour one in the afternoon. So they all find their own comfort zone.
Just roll with her and she will work with you as well.... together you will find a happy medium!

Every baby is different. Some sleep all the time and mommy wonders how she'll ever interact. Others nap very little. My kids were more in the very little side, so I can understand what your feeling. A 20-30 minute nap isn't a bad thing. Make sure you change her before nursing her, and burp her several times during the feeding. It might help her fall asleep and stay asleep a bit longer. Also, try tracking how long total she sleeps in a 24 hour period. If she sleeps well most of the night, just waking up a few times to nurse (which is totally normal and expected in a breastfed baby), she might be getting 14 hours of sleep - which is ok. (Talk to your pediatrician for guidelines on how much sleep a baby this age generally needs, but again each child is different)

You're going to get a lot of people telling you to not use the car or the swing or whatever to get her to go to sleep because it will "train her to need them to sleep." I respectfully disagree. My youngest was quite colicky and didn't sleep well during the day, and the bouncy chair and swing were 2 places where he would sleep for an hour. And that saved my sanity!! I also co-slept with my babies (they slept in my bed most of the night). It was very convenient for nursing and I could even dose while they were eating. (If you or your husband are very heavy sleepers or taking something that makes you sleep heavily, then DON'T cosleep. But otherwise, as long as you keep the blankets and pillows away from her, it's a lot safer thean most Westerners think.) If it weren't for co-sleeping I would have been a very tired, grumpy mommy, not even counting when I was going to school! And your baby doesn't need a grumpy mom, right? She needs to know that she has people there that she can depend on 100% to see to her needs. That is how babies develop security, not by being made to accomodate the adult's schedules. She needs to sleep, and you need her to sleep. Who cares where it is or how you help her.
Incidentally, my kids are now 5, 8, and 10. I stopped using the swing when they were too big for it (probably 6 months) and I haven't purposely used the car to get them to sleep after they were about 2 although they would still fall asleep on long or late drives. They don't sleep in my bed now and there are very few bedtime fights. They are all great sleepers although they function on their own schedule (I have one night owl and two who are usually awake before 7:00 am). There have been some rough nights, of course, but that will happen no matter what. Cherish your time with your baby without trying to fit her to society's expectations of how she should fall asleep.

I followed BabyWise only to a certain extent, with my now 30-month old daughter, so I can't say for sure if I would recommend it or not, as it was sometimes a lot 'off-ish'. I read the book front to back and deviated (quite a bit) as I felt necessary based on our lifestyle and what I thought was a little too 'strict' for an infant. Remember, they need to eat since there tummies as so tiny! If anything, just establishing a schedule was way worth it but I am sure that can be done on your own without having to read BabyWise.

Sleep at this point, although very nice to have during the night, you will learn to cope with what you get. Take advantage of the routine naps during the day and it will come. It was nice when a 'schedule' was developed that way 'Mom' has a little down time between the naps. Good luck!!!

Four hours is pretty good and remember all babies vary.
My daughter was a big sleeper, make sure you swaddle them at naps too. I put my daughter in a bassinett right in the living room so she learned to sleep through noise. It is good your daughter isn't falling asleep after nursing, then she won't use that as a device to soothe. Burp her, change her afterwards and lay her down swaddled but awake, she will sleep. If she fusses, rock her for a minute, snuggle her but she will learn. My daughter loved me putting on classic music, she would so slowly close her eyes when I turned on the soft music and go right to sleep. White noise like a fan is great for babies to help relax them too. If she cannot sleep with noise, lay her down in her own room in her own crib.
Make sure she is nursing enough, even if pumping to see the actually ounces she is taking in, make sure she isn't overly fussy due to reflux or colic. Give her mylicon drops if she seems gassy. That knocked my babies out!:)
My son wasn't as good as a napper, he would doze on and off during the day and putting him in his crib away in his own room helped him sleep better. My daughter could sleep in the middle of chaos and crash out. She took great naps but not my son.
So it varies.
If you are really concerned talk to your Pediatrician, just make sure you remember to lay her down awake and swaddled.

Check out the book, On Becoming Babywise by Ezzo.

T.

Chill out :) I was the same way w/ my first. I followed Babywise (mixed w/ my own common sense!) and it worked fine most of the time. But don't stress out about the naps--seems like 4 hours during the day is fine as long as she is sleeping decent at night. It's the feeding on schedule thing that is most important. Eventually, the naps will fall into place with a little guidance from you. I don't understand the "controversy" surrounding Babywise--feeding your child on a schedule is hardly controversial! Most of the people who say that are not getting to sleep at night. My second, who is now 4 months old and 12.5 pounds(and a preemie to boot!) is finally sleeping through the night and we couldn't be happier. He is fed on a schedule according to Babywise, since we could not let him go more than 3 hours b/w feeds. It has been a miracle and I honestly didn't think it was going to work a second time.

If there is anything that you are really worried about, you can always call the nurses at your pediatricians office for advice. They can tell you how long they should be sleeping at different ages, etc.

My daughter had colic and rarely slept for me, but was much better for the sitter (I was still working full-time). My babysitter placed the light-weight baby blankets against baby's cheek or over her face (diagnal or something if you are worried about breathing). It was a calming thing, and also a bit of out-of-sight out-of-mind thing...where she would sleep better without seeing everything going on.

One thing that I learned after I had a couple of my kids was the "EASY" method. The child should
E-Eat
A-Activity...some activity after eating.
S-Sleep after some activity
Y- You time...take a nap yourself when the baby does.

This is really helpful because as they get older, you don't want the baby to want to eat first before they will fall asleep on their own. When they have some activiy, it helps them get tired and they need their sleep for some time out.

If you let them do too much activity and they get over-tired, they can get overworked and not self-soothe and not get themselves to sleep well. My other babies usually slept a couple hours at a time or at least an hour, when they had a good nap. I think at 7 weeks, she probably does need more time sleeping. She sounds like she is sleeping like my 1st daughter did for me. She didn't sleep during the day, but if I got in the car she was OUT. They told me that meant she was over-tired to always fall asleep in the car etc. At the time, it was only in the car, swing, or bouncy/vibrator seat that I could even get her to sleep. She did not self-soothe well at all. It was a terrible habit to get into. Try to get her sleeping well while she is young if you can.

My first had colic, and I should have bothered the dr and nurses about it more because it went on for 6 months. I don't think they realized how badly she was sleeping. Part of her problems were also personality I think. She is now 10. She has always been one to get worked up and upset and not be able to calm back down at all. (We started calling her Chicken Little, because she always acted like the sky was always falling and it was the end of the world).

If your baby does want something to drink as she is older at nap time, make sure you give her a sippy cup with only water (not milk or juice). This way you don't have to worry about teeth getting soaked in sugar and getting cavities (bottle rot I think they call it).

I would also recommend Babywise. I know that it is "controversial", but I think most of that stems from the fact that it is faith based and those few that didn't think for themselves (not feeding their baby when they should). It isn't something that you have to follow step for step, but it can help you develop some good nap schedules for your daughter. The basics is that you don't let her sleep after eating. Keep her up. I find that food to my son is like fuel and he is ready to go (although he wasn't at first). Keep her up for a certain amount of time, and when she seems sleepy, or when you decide that she needs some down time, put her down in the crib, even if it is for some downtime and not actual sleeping. You then feed when she gets up - about a 3 hour cycle. It is hard, but it is so worth it. The reason that they say not to use a swing is that the baby becomes dependent on that to fall asleep, same with nursing to sleep. Putting the baby down in the crib when they are drowsy helps them learn to sooth themselves earlier.

This book was recommended to me and I now give out to all new parents I know. It was and is a lifesaver. I will be re-reading it as I am expecting another little one soon. It tells you how to deal with sleep issues and how to sleep train your child. Sleep training with the extinction method was the best gift I gave my son and myself!

Healthy Sleep Habits, Healthy Child by Dr. Marc Weissbluth.

http://www.amazon.com/Healthy-Sleep-Habits-Happy-Child/dp...

Hang in there!

I am a total sleep nazi. It has been a huge priority of mine to have all of my kids sleep well and soon - mainly because I really really need them to. I have just a couple of suggestions. At this age, it's really about getting them used to going to sleep without any crutches, i.e. nursing, rocking, etc. The earlier you teach her that, the better off you will be in the long run. I would start feeding her when she wakes up - not just before she goes to sleep. We all seem to think that putting them down on a full stomach will help them sleep longer, but that just isn't true. For some it can even cause tummy trouble & make it hard to sleep. So feed her when she wakes and then let her have some wake time. As soon as you see the first signs of tiredness (yawning, rubbing eyes, thousand mile stare) put her down in her bassinet/crib. If she fusses, let her stay. If she cries, pick her up, soothe her, and put her down again. Use a swaddle or a binki if necessary, but no other crutches. The more you do this, the sooner she will learn how to soothe herself to sleep. Don't worry at this stage how long she is napping, just let her learn to go to sleep. As she learns, her naps will lengthen, so try not to stress about it too much. Then I would suggest getting "How to Solve Your Sleep Problems" by Ferber. It is a great resource to learn how to get your children to sleep well from the beginning. His methods aren't really applicable until your baby is about 5-6 months old, but you learn a lot about the science of sleep and if you lay the right foundation now (by doing what I've suggested here), it will be a snap to sleep train by the time she's 5-6 months old. Once I did sleep training, all 3 of my kids have been great sleepers & nappers - sleeping all the way through the night (10 hours plus) by 4 - 7 months old and almost NEVER waking at night, unless they're sick. It's been awesome. Congrats on your new little one & good luck. If you ever have any sleep questions, feel free to message me. It's the one area I feel very confident in as a mom of little ones - the rest I just make up as I go along! :)

My sanity came in the form of the book on becoming Babywise by Gary Ezzo. It gave me the tools that with some modification on my part has led to kids that have slept through the night at the age of 8-10 weeks old, and have great naps during the day. By some modification, I mean I never let my little one cry it out for long periods. I was only comfortable with about 5 minutes before I'd intervene. But I still got good results. I also swaddled my youngest, and that helped even more. My babies also all took pacifiers which helped them get to sleep. Good luck! BTW - I don't think there is anything wrong with naps in a swing!

Like Teresa said, definitely check out the book "On Becoming Babywise". Another good one to read is "Healthy sleep habits, happy child" by Weissbluth. I found both of these books to be helpful.
Good luck.
C.
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