Where Should My 3 Week Old Sleep for Naps?

Congratulations on your new little guy! We are so excited you've chosen to come to us with your question. Let me make sure I understand all your questions before answering:

We just started Babywise and I have a few questions. Our baby is almost 3 weeks old and born full term, he’s 9 lbs now. For naps during the day should we be putting our baby in his crib? Or can he nap with us like on the couch or in a carrier? When we put him in his crib at night he usually cries off and on for sometimes up to an hour. But still wakes every 3 hours to eat. Is he getting enough sleep time? Should we be doing anything else to help him?

Naps at this early age can vary. Some parents use bassinets or pack and plays for naps. Others go right to the crib. Consistency is key, so while an occasional nap in the carrier would be fine, I wouldn’t want it to be the norm. Same with the couch.

For me, we used the crib right away. We took to heart the encouragement from Babywise to, “Begin as you mean to go.” It worked for our family and all my guys became good nappers (for the most part - our late afternoon naps were tough for babies 2 and 3!)

Crying for up to an hour isn’t unusual, especially if it’s not a hard cry the entire time. Babies cry to release energy. Just make sure he’s not over-stimulated. Put him down for naps before he gets too tired. Make nap times enjoyable with a smile and cheerful, assuring voice.

Keep up with your 3 hour schedule even if you have to wake him. He’ll learn to adjust his little metabolism and will probably be a good napper pretty quickly.

Keep up the good work! If you have any follow-up questions, don't hesitate to comment below or submit a question via our contact form. You may also want to read our Ultimate Guide to Safe Sleep Practices for Baby.

Want to know more about how this mom is doing? Read her follow-up question, "How to Get my 6 Week Old to Sleep Longer Overnight".