Napping During the Day at 5 Weeks

At 5 weeks he's still so little and there isn't much of a routine or anything yet. Will he sleep if you hold him? If so I'd just do that for a while. It will get better eventually. I know you can't get much done but I wouldn't worry so much about that b/c in another month or so he'll be a little more flexible. I feel like anything goes during the first 3 months and then you can start on more of a schedule.

He is old enough to learn that you will not get him up during the night. I would swaddle him after feeding him, put him in the crib, and when he wakes 4 hours later to eat, change his diaper in the dark, feed him, put him down after burping him and swaddling him again, and walk out. Don't hold him, don't rock him, just walk out.

He will start to finally fall asleep when he knows you won't come back in to him. He is looking to you to entertain him - that's why he is staying awake. He wants to party. You need to not give him the attention because he has to learn that night time is sleeping time.

Don't go back in to feed him until 6:30 or 7:00 am and then don't put him back to bed until mid-morning. Keep a very strict schedule of bedtime and when you get him up in the morning. That will help.

There are some babies who don't sleep much. I feel for you - it's hard. It can have something to do with how you lay them down - some can't sleep on their sides or their backs. My younger son was like that, and we had to put him on his stomach so that he could sleep.

Dawn

At 5 weeks, my daughter was still napping in her swing. At 3 months, we are still trying to get her into the crib for her naps during the day. After this last growth spurt her sleep schedule has become very erratic. But..we swaddle her for her naps and for nightime. It is the only way she seems to understand when she should sleep. I do not change her at night unless she has pooped or has wet through her clothes or is squirming uncomfortably. If I do have to change her it is in the dark. There is no talking. It is feed her and then put her back to bed as soon as I am done. You should read the Healthy Sleep Habits book by Weissbluth. He explains infant sleep patterns . At this age, it is pretty much an hour to an hour and a half after they wake for the day they go down for their first morning nap, which is about 45 minutes to one and a half hours long. Then after they are up for about an hour and a half to 2 hours, they go down for nap number 2, and so forth. The other thing I have noticed with all of mine is that if they are sleep deprived, it is a vicious cycle and they pretty much can't settle themselves down. That is where the swaddling helps.

5 weeks is way too early for any kind of sleep training. My daughter did the same thing, and unfortunately it was the beginning of colic. (Hopefully not for you!) I would get her to sleep and she would sleep at most, 20 min, then wake up crying. I got a Moby wrap and carried her around the house a lot. She grew out of the nap problems and into 3 naps a day at around 10-12 weeks. Then on to two naps a day a few months later. She is now 14 months and takes one long afternoon nap, 2 1/2-3 hours. I guess I would say, this too shall pass. :)

Maybe put him down in his bed where it's quiet and see if he feels more like nap atmosphere. Here's a link from webmed but not sure it will give you an answer, just a guideline to follow. I had one child who did sleep very little from infant on and he seldom took naps as a toddler but did lay down and be quiet. Ask your doctor about it or call and ask a nurse line if one there you can access.
http://www.webmd.com/parenting/guide/sleep-children

http://www.babycenter.com/0_how-much-sleep-does-your-chil...

The swing and vibrating seat may be too much stimulation for your baby to go to sleep. Put some music on or a mobile type toy and see if the quiet stillness might help him sleep.