E.A.S.Y. and daycare? Please Help!!

[KatherineD]

I have a 7 month old who was doing great.  We had done EASY since she was about 6 weeks old.  She started daycare when she was 4 months old, and we seemed to be doing well with EASY.  Now, all heck has broken loose.  It started about 2/3 weeks ago, where she wouldn't eat solids for me, her formula consumption went down and her sleeping has been all whacky.  She has been taking only 20-30 minute naps (which I know is not working for her when she is used to taking 1-1.5 hour naps!).  This leaves her overtired and unable to get herself asleep at night, making me rock her to sleep.  We moved recently, and I just found my BW book last night.  I need help please!  How can I get her back on an EASY schedule and get back to going down to bed without me rocking her (new development, couple weeks I have had to do this).

[KellyC]

I know it's an easy thing to blame but do you think she could be teething?  Have you tried giving her some gel or granules before a milk/solids feed to see if it's discomfort stopping her from eating.  If she's not eating well it could be hunger stopping her from napping well. 

Kelly x
P.S. I love your ticker!

[KatherineD]

Sometimes I think it is teething, but there is nothing really going on in there.  Nothing swollen and she seems like her normal self other than eating and sleeping horribly   I wish I knew what to do for her!

[KellyC]

I really feel for you    I imagine one is linked to the other too - tired = not eating well = not sleeping well ...  Feel free to post what your average day looks like (including the types of foods she eats) if you like.

Kelly x

[Mom2katiebug]

I know that you mentioned a lot of change and it could just be that throwing everything off.  If you suspect that, I think the best thing you can do is be as consistent as you can be - don't get into AP - and your DD will learn the new space, the new routine and go back to her normal ways. 

If you do suspect that it's teething, you might try a dose of Tylenol at bedtime or as metioned by PP some teething gel before eating.  If you see improvement, something pain related is involved...teething, ear infection, something. 

My DD went through a wonky phase right after her 9MO growth spurt where she was being weird with her bottles, solids and sleep (naps and nighttime).  We tried to ride it through as I think she was trying to adjust her schedule to a different plan but it took a bit.  We dropped a bottle (DF bottle) and tweaked her naps and solids schedule with daycare and she's settled out pretty well now.  Her routine might just need a little tweaking.

[KatherineD]

Here is her schedule (somewhat):

Any time between 6-7 a.m. morning bottle 4-5 oz
Arrive at daycare around 7:45
Naps usually 10:30-11:15
11:15 6oz
I pick her up at 1:30p.m. and she usually falls asleep on the way home.  I try to get her in her crib (this is around 2:00 p.m.), but sometimes she wakes up and will not go back to sleep
2:15/2:30 4-5 oz bottle
This is the time it gets iffy.  Sometimes she will go down at 4:30 until 6:30 p.m. :O  Then it pushes back her bedtime. 
7:30 5-6 oz bottle and then bed.

These times are sometimes different, for instance, she might have a bottle at 3:15 instead of 2:15.

And then she is up several times a night wanting her pacifier and won't self soothe (which I am going to try to work on). 

Thank you all for your help and any suggestions you may have!

[KellyC]

Her A times look a little long perhaps.  Could daycare put her down earlier?  I'd aim for something like 9.30 which is an hour earlier than she's doing at the moment.  If she only sleeps for 30-45 minutes at that nap I'd ask them to put her down again at around 12/12.30 so she gets more sleep before you collect her and then she'll need a another nap late afternoon/early evening to see her through until bedtime (maybe only a catnap depending on how long her previous nap was).  Are you doing solids at the moment?

Kelly x

[KatherineD]

I will ask them to put her down earlier   SHe was doing solids and then all of a sudden, she started rejecting them.  I am talking won't open her mouth clamped shut ain't getting anything in there.  She would eat for daycare (I have stopped that because she will not eat for me and her schedule is all whacky, so I cut out solids starting for a week and then starting back up at home to see if she will eat better)

This parenting thing is SO confusing sometimes!!

[KellyC]

It sure is!

Will she feed herself at all?  Zander sometimes shakes his head and refuses to open his mouth for the spoon but will happily shovel it in himself 

[KellyC]

Should have said with his hands - obviously too young for a knife and fork!!