EASY not so easy!

[Wink's Marmy]

Hullo again... Well, DD is now 8 wks and is starting to form some patterns which is nice because we start the day at the same time now thanks to her body clock (which is a little too early if you ask me, but whatever). But one of her patterns is getting annoying. After eating, (which only takes her 15-20 min.) she is awake for another 35 - 45 min. Then she gets fussy and I swaddle her and she generally goes to sleep pretty easily. But the problem is that she doesn't sleep till the next feeding. She generally wakes around an hour later which means we have an entire hour left before the EASY cycle is to start over again.

I know as they get older, A extends, but her A isn't extending BEFORE sleep, but after. I have tried putting her back to sleep, but she won't go back in her crib. So I often let her doze on and off in her bouncy chair with me till its time to feed again. Is this setting up bad habbits for her?? Also, sometimes if she's fussy, I feed her an hour early but this seems to make the day even more of a mess because she won't take much and then eating is all over the place for the rest of the day. I have also tried keeping her up longer before putting her down for a nap but that only makes her more fussy and less likely to take the nap at all. Any suggestions? She is a very content and happy baby with little crying/fussing for the most part but this is driving ME a little crazy. And could these shorter naps be why she doesn't sleep more than 3 or 3 1/2 hours at night?

Her current routine: (but sometimes E is every 2.5 hours)

E 6 am
S 7:15
E 9
S 10:15
E 12
S 1:30 (sleep is usually off & on at this nap - either in stroller or on errands)
E 3
S little 45 min. nap
E 5
A bath, ready for bed
S 30 - 45 min.
E 7
S 7:30 or 8
E DF 10
S 10:30 then E at 2:30 then wake at 6

You guys have been such help for me. I so appreciate this forum and so does DD, though she doesn't know it yet!!!!

[Freya'sMum]

Some los routines are more like AEASY, and that's ok! Remember your lo hasn't read the book and if she's happy and contented I'd say you're doing ok! You could do a bit of nap extending if you wanted - see nap boards for help and advice, I was never any good at this! - or else just enjoy your A time together even if it's not strictly EASY!

Don't get hung up on doing it exactly as the book recommends, BWing is meant to relax you both and enhance your relationship, if you're doing it slightly differently but it's still ok for your family, go with it! This applies even more if you end up with 2 or more!

Hope this reassures you?

Ax

[* Paula *]

I agree with the PP.  Some lo's do have an AEASY routine.

You can try extending her naps with Pat / Shhh to see if this helps, or if she is waking at the 45 minute mark you could always try Wake to Sleep.

Info taken from the Naps FAQ's Section

  What is wake to sleep and how do I do it?
« on: June 16, 2006, 01:00:50 AM » 

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Wake to sleep is used to help a baby who is habitually waking early from naps. Iie waking at 45 mins) It is a method of trying to extend short naps.  Wake to sleep can be used in two ways.  In each case its best to observe a nap or two and write down the times they move and wake.  You choose one  method.

1)Pressure at the jolts.  You place one hand on your baby’s legs, other on their chest and attempt to assist t hem through the jolts.  You would do this a few mins before the jolts that wake them occur.  You apply pressure until they stop jolting, plus about 5 mins. If they haven’t moved more, you can stand  back and see what happens.  If they fully wake you will have to employ your typical method of sleep to send them back to sleep.  Some babies you have to also shield their eyes with your hand to stop them from looking around.  If you use a paci you can re insert the paci when and if your baby looks for it.  This would be when they are searching for it with their mouth.

 2)Stir them 5-10 mins before they tend to wake. You go in the room 5-10 mins before they tend to wake up and gently rub their cheek, head etc until they BARELY stir and then you let go.  You are attempting to pull them from deep sleep to then start a new sleep cycle. You do not actually wake them up.  If you are not totally sure if they moved, wait a min or two and do it again. This is better then doing it too much and waking them fully.  A bare movement usually works.  If your baby still wakes up you can try doing the wake to sleep a few minutes sooner.  You really have to experiment with the timing.  A few babies have a hard time stirring.  These moms have had some success with just turning them over or moving their entire body in some way

Hope this info helps.

[Wink's Marmy]

THanks for the suggestions. Pat/shh hasn't worked well with us so far, but the other suggestion may be an option. So much for happy and content baby today! She won't nap more than 10 or 20 minutes. She does this some days and by the end of the day, she is a fussy mess!!! Ever have/had days like this??

[Katey]

Every day is like that for me!  It just seems we are all over the place most of the time, and neither of us really knows what is going on!
I'll be following this thread to see if anything can help us too!

[Wink's Marmy]

OK - this morning during her first "nap", she did exactly what I read on the links you gave me as well as on the FAQ's of the nap board - she woke at 45 min. I had debated doing the wake to sleep thing, but thought maybe she would sleep through. So when she didn't, I gave pat/shh another try and it worked! She actually went back to sleep and I woke her after an hour and 45 min. to eat. I got some helpful tips from the nap FAQ's, like starting the wind down after 45 min. of awake time. In my experience thus far, some days are glorious, others are terrible. I guess you just have to revel in the glory and hope for it during the terrible??? Anyway, we will see if this goodness continues...

[rebecaq]

In my experience thus far, some days are glorious, others are terrible.

Spoken like a true mommy!!!!!!!!

Sounds like she's doing great!  Remember "Just when you think you have it, everything changes!!!"

[* Paula *]

Keep us posted on how you get on

[Wink's Marmy]

Yeah, I'm starting to realize that! (just when you think you have it, everything changes) plus all my other Mom friends say the exact same thing. Thats why I am doing my hardest to remember that and expect it, which I think may free me up from being so neurotic! I also tried wake to sleep yesterday and had success. I know it may not always work, but it did yesterday! The good thing so far is that BW has helped me bond with my baby and I am so enjoying her more now. 2 months is fun and I hear it just gets better....

[* Paula *]

I hear you on those words, and believe me it carry's on all the time.

That is fantastic news about the Wake to Sleep.  Keep us posted.

Believe me, the fun is only begining ...........

[Wink's Marmy]

OK, so to follow up a bit, my DD is now sleeping an extra hour into the morning (waking at 7 as opposed to waking at 6). This is wonderful because I get an extra hour of sleep, which makes up for the time I am up feeding her at 3:30 Anyway, she is still wanting to eat at the same times she ate when she was waking at 6. Like on a 6 am start, she ate at 6,9,NOON,3,5,7 and DF. Even though she now starts an hour later, she still wants to eat at those times. Should I just stick with it or try and tide her over a bit? And her naps are still kind of short and she has now taken to waking every 20 min during them. YIKES!

[rebecaq]

Hi there,

You may want to give her a little nip at 6 to try and tide her over until 7 and she if she can officially begin her whole day from then.  

As for naps, I'm a firm believer in W2S. Give it a try 

- Beca 

[Wink's Marmy]

Thanks for the tip and congrats on your newest LO! How can you know at only 3 weeks???

[rebecaq]

Thanks!!  Well, let's jsut say we kinda knew we got pregnant and my period tends to be like clockwork!