Early waking from naps at 12 weeks

My little guy has never been the greatest napper, but I kept hoping it might improve. He's on a three hour nursing/feeding schedule, and I try my best to keep him awake at least an hour and a half before naps after a feeding, but often he doesn't make it more than an hour before conking out. Problem is, then he only sleeps to the two hour mark, and I have an hour to kill before the feeding...meaning that by the next time he eats he's also ready to fall back asleep right away, thus worsening the nap length after that feeding, etc. The only way I can get him to stay asleep is to put him in the swing after he initially wakes, whick works like a charm, but I'm worried it will become a habit. He's not acting inordinately hungry when waking up at the two hour mark, so I don't think that's the problem, and he's swaddled, so he's not flinching himself awake either, but it's like clockwork how I can time his waking up at the two hour mark. Any ideas, or should I just wait it out and expect it to get better? Should I even worry about the swing thing becoming a habit? I honestly can't remember this portion of the twins' life (sleep deprivation was severe for me then) so I can't compare with my experience with them. By the way, he sleeps much better at night, but still wakes every three to four hours for feedings then, too.

 

I wouldn't worry about the swing at this point. You are in survival mode. :good: I'm not sure how to change things... I'm thinking wait it out? I hope someone comes along with some advice. :hug:

 

I put mine in the swing alot to get them back to sleep and they gave it up just fine. I would go with the flow if everything else is going the way you want it.

 

I also wouldn't worry about the swing at this point. From 3.5-5 months, I could only get DS to nap well in the swing :hug:.

 

I know some people follow a eat-sleep-play schedule and some do eat-play-sleep. Sounds like your little guy has naturally fallen into the former. So you might want to just go with it unless you think he's not getting enough sleep. But if the swing is working, from what I've heard and read that is fine at this age, too!

 

What I've learned is not to worry about creating bad habits. My girls loved to nap in the swing. Ellie was never a great napper, so I'd put here wherever I could get her to sleep and the swing was her favorite for a while. My girls still only stay awake about 2 hours or so before they need a nap. It's been like that for a while. They gave the swing up on their own as they got older. Do whatever you can right now to get him to sleep. Everything will work out as he gets older and can stay awake longer and you get into more of a routine. I never thought my girls would ever nap well and they nap great now. No worries.

 

I went through this with mine too. It will get better with age when they can stay awake longer. For now I would just do what works. Mine slept alot in the swings and are 4.5 mo and did fine transitioning to naps in the crib. I have read motionless sleep is better, so if they fall asleep in the swing to turn it off while they sleep. The first 3 mo can be "whatever works"!!!

GL!!!