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NEWBIE! 11 week old EASY advice please!

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--- Quote from: MiniNs on January 06, 2019, 19:27:23 pm ---I am desperate to teach him to self settle and do some gentle sleep training like you mentioned, creations, but I’m not sure where to go from here?
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There's no quick fix or magical method though, you just have to keep at it.  Keep reassuring and keep putting down to nap if ou want him to learn to self settle.  There are many with LOs this age though who would go for all naps in the sling, the bonding is great, it gives you more freedom in some ways, less in others.  Maybe go for one nap per day if you want to sleep train in the cot?  If you do choose this way forward you'd ideally pick a nap and do the *same* nap every day to create a predictable routine and build a habit.  It can take longer this way rather than doing all naps and night sleep but it is a preferable way for many.

You may be putting him down to sleep too late in the wind down, if he is very comfortable to fall to sleep on you then you can expect him to be a bit annoyed by being put down for sleep.  You'd need to keep comforting and soothing in the cot all the way to sleep, if he doesn't like shush/pat then maybe try a rub or stroke with the white noise, or a firm hand doing some rocking?
If he gets upset and crying you do pick up and comfort in arms and then when calm you put down again and continue to sooth in the cot.  it can mean some missed naps and some disturbed and short naps but LOs do eventually fall asleep.
You also need to continue the soothing, whatever method you use, rub/rock etc for a full 20 mins after nodding off so that you see him through to the deep sleep part of the cycle.  Of course if you spend 20+mins to wind down and then 20+ mins to get him off and another 20 mins to see him through to deep sleep you can see how the time adds up - it does take time and patience and initially you don't get much in the way of Y time while he naps.

Katet:

--- Quote from: MiniNs on January 06, 2019, 22:24:34 pm ---E   13:30 4oz
A   1hour 15
14:15 yawning and grizzly managed to jiggle him along 14:25 more yawns but smiling when given attention
S   14:40/45 in carrier on a walk woke after 30mins 15:40 -16:00 dozed on and off for 20mins and then I couldn’t get back to sleep and gave up.
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This sounds like an overtired nap.
Many babies don't necessarily do the same length A times at every nap. If they haven't rested well previously, or it's been busy with lots of stimulation, they can want to nap earlier, or sometimes they can last longer because they are relaxed & calm, so it's important to look at the signs they are giving with their behaviour more so than the clock.

The fact he can do longer sometimes, means he's got some of the skills, but like most things with children they don't all master skills at an exact time or in the same way. Temperament and environment are big factors, first children almost always sleep better because Mother's have less distractions and are more focussed on them, where as subsequent children have more stimulation & distractions.

Generally by 5/6 months babies are more often than not joining sleep cycles together, so it will come.

MiniNs:
Thank you both again.
It’s so nice to get some advice and feel like people know where I’m coming from.

I have tried the PUPD type gentle sleep training, as I did this with DS1. My issue that DS1 is at home, and only 27months, so I am often unable to spent the level of time that is needed. I totally agree that I need to choose the same nap every day to try and push this. I’ve thought about this carefully. The sling is pretty much necessary for his first and fourth naps just because of the time of day and family life. I really want to be able to try and get him down for the second and third naps. But it’s really hard as school runs clash with them on some days but not others, etc etc. I’m going to try my best to do it at weekends when OH is home and then on the 2 days that I don’t have school runs. So that’s half the week. And those 4 days run consecutive too. That’s the best I’m able to do with consistency, for now, until his A and S times change and perhaps it will work better around other routine we have for our other DC.

MiniNs:

--- Quote from: Katet on January 11, 2019, 07:31:10 am ---
The fact he can do longer sometimes, means he's got some of the skills, but like most things with children they don't all master skills at an exact time or in the same way. Temperament and environment are big factors, first children almost always sleep better because Mother's have less distractions and are more focussed on them, where as subsequent children have more stimulation & distractions.

Generally by 5/6 months babies are more often than not joining sleep cycles together, so it will come.

--- End quote ---

This was a great comfort to read, thank you. :)

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