Ok, I'm still working on the sleeping thing. I'm letting DS sleep whenever he wants, but I want to encourage some more "regular" patterns.

I've read in a few places that you should have a routine when you put your child to sleep - like take a bath, change a diaper, put on the same CD, read a book, and then go to sleep - so that your child knows when he gets in the bath, that he should get ready to go to sleep because it's coming up. I'm wondering what everyone has does for sleep routines?

I'm currently trying:
*Change Diaper
*Put on pajamas (or at least a different outfit from what he wore all day)
*Nursing
*Put him in the bouncer chair (I'm hoping to work up to the crib)
*Turn on the Mozart CD
*Turn off the lights

Of course, this doesn't work at all. There are a whole lot of other things I can do - some nights I can just do one thing and it will work, some nights I have to do another thing, and some nights I have to do everything:

*Pacifer
*Swaddling
*Holding him and walking
*Putting him in his sling and walking
*Putting him in the bassinet instead of the bouncer
*Covering his face with a blanket while he's in the bouncer


I've also been trying to be "exciting" during the day and keeping him in the daylight, and being "boring" at night and keeping him in the dark.

Do you think I'm just expecting too much of an 8 week old? Or should I try something different? Or should I keep doing it, and just not expect him to actually "get it" until he's older?

Eight weeks is still very young. You are doing all the right things. In my experience I would not begin to use a pacifier to sleep. I have found it creates more problems and then you have to break them of the suck to sleep association. Every sleep book will tell you to lay them down drowsy but awake at this age. By the way I have read them all from Dr Sears, No cry Sleep Solution, Happy Sleep Habits Healthy Child, Ferber, and a couple others. Try not, and I know it is hard to not let your little one fall into a deep sleep at the breast. Nursing is a great bedtime routine but using it to get them to sleep just creates problems.
You can look forward to a long stretch of sleep in the next few weeks. Sooner than later. He might only do it once but the great thing is then you know how long he can go at night. Sleep problems usually come up around 4-5 months on a healthy fullterm infant. Good luck. Remember you are doing great!