What Is a Good Nap Time Routine for an Infant?

My boys are all grown up....but I started a nap routine immediately.... children need to be trained at an early age. It's all about learned behavior....I used a musical toy and sang a routine song as I put them down to sleep....

At 9 wks, I would definitely nurse when he wants. I would also sling him or carry him in a front pack. This way it cuts down on acid reflux problem because of the upright position. He is a growing boy and he needs to eat. This site looks like it may be a good one for you.
http://www.infantreflux.org/

Regarding the naptime, usually there is a good nap (1-2hrs) in the morning and again in the afternoon. BUT napping varies considerably baby to baby.

Congratulations! My daughter had reflux, no fun for anyone! Here is what I did. First, fold a bath towel in thirds and put it under the mattress of you bassinet or crib. The lift is sometimes just enough to help you baby sleep a little more comfortably without the danger of a pillow. (Also try this for stuffy noses). Next, ask your peridatrician about Mylicon(sp?), we used it on a pacifier, worked great you can but it at CVS, ect. I strongly recommend you rent a pump. You buy the tubes and bottles and rent the machine part. If you feel you have extra by all means pump & freeze! Mark the bottles with a sharpie, (I actually used the bags, they defrosted better) and get some sleep too! People love to help by feeding and if you are going to go the breast milk way (Kudos to you!!!) there's no better way to share than with the pump.
You might get flack from the "uber-booby-mommies" who think you can "confuse" your baby with bottles, it's a lie. Babies aren't confused they have preferences, but when they are really hungry and not just bored they will take that bottle from anyone willing to give it to them. Of course they prefer the breast, it's warm and snuggly and seems to be on demand, what's not to love? Try wrapping your beautiful baby in a snuggly blanket papoose style, have someone else offer the first bottle (you baby knows your scent) and take a nap! Good Luck!

Hi

My name is K. and I have an 8 month old, and he was kind of doing the same thing. If you know that he is full and he is just using you as a pacifier, try to give an actual pacifier and see what happens he may not even take it, but it doesn't hurt to try.

It may also help with the acid reflux I've heard that the sucking motion is what soothes there bellies so it may actually help. Remember it's whatever is best for you and what works for you.

The pacifier may help soothe him to sleep as well!

Let me know how it goes!!

Good luck,
K.

Hi L.,
I have 4 children, 2 of them had reflux. I found the best way for napping was either in the bouncy seat or in the car seat. They will sleep better if nursed first, but do make sure he gets a good burp first. Hope that helps.
-I just want to add... it might be worth limiting your dairy and or wheat products intake. Gluten does pass into the breast milk, and potentially may be aggravating the reflux if your baby is sensitive to it. One of mine with reflux ended up diagnosed with celiac disease. Also, don't worry so much about a schedule. Babies this young still need mommy the most :).
one last note lol, he is likely nursing all the time because reflux can be very painful. maybe nurse for 20 minutes max, then offer the pacifier. he may just need the comfort of suckling. letting him cry alot will make his already irritated throat hurt more.

My son is 11 weeks old and has severe reflux. He was nursed exclusively for 6 weeks and then another 4 weeks supplemented with formula. He would do some of the same things - pull at my shirt, cry, wanting to nurse to go to sleep. I also had an oversupply of milk and he was gaining SO much weight! I don't know if you want to, but I use a pacifier when he is tired and he is very happy with that. Actually, research has showed that non-nutritive sucking helps with acid reflux. That is why I instituted it. Hope this helps!

Don't be afraid of the word Binky. A pacifier will ease his need to suck. Fat cells created at this time of his life become permanent, so you don't want to let him get obese. My son had colic and only nursing made him feel comfortable, but it was not what he needed.
There is nothing wrong with him going to sleep AFTER he nurses, just not WHILE he nurses. If you can get him to burp first, it's OK to lay him down then.
Other nap preparation practices include music toys, or the Animal Channel on TV. I even got a wave sound maker for my granddaughter who had trouble getting to sleep. Any practice is fine if it quiets the child and is consistent, so that the child connects the practice with sleeping.
When he wakes, don't feed him right away -- you don't want him to associate being awake with nursing. Let him play in the crib or playpen for a while after he wakes. If he wakes crying, hold him and soothe him, but don't feed him immediately.
I hope this helps

Raising two children, now grown up and one has two children of her own, I know it is really important for naps! Especially until near starting school. Anytime now you should have him on a routine and he will learn from that to nap...just keep with it even if he cries! It will be worth it to you. One problem is having the reflux which my grand child had. My daughter let him sleep in the car seat as then he was sitting up more and that got her through that. Good luck and it will all pay off soon. S. E

Wow....my son is just over 6 weeks (I live in Tewksbury too...)...I'm curious for the answer myself.

Keep a journal for about a week. You'll start to see a natural pattern of when he eats, sleeps, poops, etc, and you can actually plan around a tentative schedule based on that regular routine. Most newborns do really well with waking for the morning, then within 2 hours need their first nap. After that nap, they'll wake for another 2 hours, then need another nap. That should be the case until the final bedtime feeding and putting him down 'for the night.'

I nursed my daughter for 13 months and kind of just let her design her own nap schedule and she did eventually did. By about 3 months she would take one half hour nap around 12 ish but she was sleeping entirely through the night by then. She would grab a catnap in the car or the stroller or in the BJORN. This lasted for quite awhile and around 15 months she started taking 2 hour naps... thank God!!! it depends on the baby's makeup to...i think the baby's personality defiinitley affects their napping also... I think it depends entirely on how important a strict schedule is to you. It will eventually become a routine anyway. 9 weeks I think is a little early to try to make a schedule... so many things will change some much in the coming weeks.

I was told by my doctor that breastfed babies do not overfeed themselves. Actually it's the opposite, they learn control and statistically grow into aldults without weight problems. I breastfed for 10 months, when my daughter was only 9 weeks old I was not trying to establish a routine. I would let her nurse until she feel asleep and just sit there with her. Keep in mind the baby is not actively nursing this whole time. Your baby is most likely 'sleep sucking' or not really eating just sucking for comfort. My daughter gained a lot in the begining also, I think most do. But it eventually tapers off. I wouldn't be concerned unless your doctor senses a problem.

Good luck!