Please help me get EASY going!!!

[TSR]

Hi.

I just signed up for this great website. I need a lot of help with my 12 week old dd. She is a spirited baby with a touch of angel. Recently, a friend of mine lent me her BW book and it was just the thing I was looking for! I just started working from home at night and I was desperate for some help with my baby. I love the EASY method. It sounds really great. I have started implementing it and I'm having some trouble.

There are a few things I need help with:
1. My dd is used to nursing to sleep and will really only nurse to sleep.
2. She has trouble napping during the day. She falls asleep after a walk in the buggy or after nursing or after being carried around in her snugli. But she won't go to sleep in her own crib on her own.
3. She goes to bed waaay too late, around 1:30 am. She stays asleep for 10 hours, she did since she was practically newborn, but she doesn't go to sleep until way late. Should I wake her up really early as others have suggested?
4. I would like to break our habit of cosleeping.
How do I go about all these things? And what do I tackle first?

Also, she is only 12 weeks so is pu/pd appropriate for her? Also, when I let her cry in her crib(while staying with her and soothing her, of course), should I also be doing the shush/pat? And if she doesn't calm down after 40 minutes and I take her out and feed her(bc. she reached her feeding time) and then try another 40 minutes and it doesn't work, what should I do then? She's so tired but going back into the bedroom for another session of shush/pat and crying sounds aweful.
I'm sure I have tons of other questions but this will have to do for now. I'm sorry for the looong question. I really need help! My boss gave me one week off to take care of this and the clock is ticking. I can't go back to work without some improvement!!!

Thank you!!!

[* Paula *]

Hi,

Welcome to the BW boards 

1. My dd is used to nursing to sleep and will really only nurse to sleep.

Your best bet would be to nurse your DD and then perhaps do a nappy change to wake her up before putting her down to sleep.  I would also advise introducing a wind down routine, so that your lo learns when it is time to go to sleep.  i.e. change nappy, go to room, sing a quick song or short story, swaddle, put in crib awake to sleep.

You may need to introduce Pat / Shhh, to help your lo settle off to sleep.

2. She has trouble napping during the day. She falls asleep after a walk in the buggy or after nursing or after being carried around in her snugli. But she won't go to sleep in her own crib on her own.

This is going to take some consistency where you are going to have to be determined, so that your lo learns that the crib is where she is supposed to sleep.  Again, I would suggest Pat / Shh.  Your lo is going to be upset, if she is crying then would pick her up and try to re-settle her again.  If you have a look on the Nap / General Sleep Issues boards, they will be able to give you some great advice.

3. She goes to bed waaay too late, around 1:30 am. She stays asleep for 10 hours, she did since she was practically newborn, but she doesn't go to sleep until way late. Should I wake her up really early as others have suggested?

I would definitely introduce a betime routine, so that your lo knows when it is time for bed.  I would suggest a bedtime of around 7:00 / 7:30pm.  You could do your bedtime routine as say, bath as your A time, feed, and again do your wind down routine just before you put your DD down for the night.

4. I would like to break our habit of cosleeping.
How do I go about all these things? And what do I tackle first?

I would suggest that the first thing you need to do is introduce your wind down routine, and then put your lo down awake in her cot ready for sleep.  It is going to be a rough couple of days, as your lo is so used to having you hold / rock / co-sleep with her, that she is not going to know what is going on.

My advise is start as you mean to go on.  I would not give up half way through, as your lo will know that if she fusses for a certain amount of time mummy will give up and I will get my rocking / co sleep etc.

I would say that your lo is too young to introdue PU / PD, would definitely recommend pat / shhh. 

Here is a link on teaching your lo to sleep.

https://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=62025.msg455329#msg455329

Another thing I suggest is to implement cluster feeding and a dreamfeed to help your lo tank up - this will help eliminate any night wakings.

I hope that the above information helps, please let us know if you have any other question.s

Good luck, and let us know how you get on.

Paula