6.5 month old help re routine timings and what bw would say is a/p

[Arianasmum]

Hi all,

Firstly thanks to anyone who is reading this!

I need some guidance with my baby who is just over 6.5 months old. I started bw when she was about 2 months old and it was fab up until about 3.5 months old when she got ill and since then Nap times have been a battle. She used to go in her cot cry a bit and go to sleep. I now think that she has grown out of this routine and needs a new one. For ages now Ive been tweaking and un tweaking bits as tbh i don't really know what I am doing. I've recently started weaning now too to add confusion!

This is our routine VERY roughly:
6/7 wake (leave to play quietly until about 6.45 if she wakes early as not to 'reward'waking early
7-7-45 e feed (with a little 10 min break to see daddy before work/prepare my breakfast)
8 express
8.30/9 Solid breakfast
9.30/10 s aim for sleep after having a little wind down time
fight sleep for about 45 min (not if out but dont want pram/car to become prop)
10.30 sleep *PROP- used to bf to sleep but now rocked if still crying to sleep...has been rocked for about 5 days now - dont want to do but also want to comfort baby ...confused!) sleep :20-45 min (never been good sleeper)
11 E BF 45 min
12 e solids
1.3 start wind down (cry and whinge)
2 sleep 20 m- 50m
 from now on times lost due to random nap Lents but follow easy structure

6.30 feed change in bed by 7.15 sleep 7.30.

10 df

would any of you tweak this routine?

I dont think the sh method works with her and have tried Pu/pd and that's not working either just leads to hysteria. i really wanted to stop feeding to sleep but that has now been placed with holding.
Also if she wakes in night i would feed her but if it isn't too long after her DF i can be quite confident that she isn't hungry what should i do? she woke at 3 last night with wind an i would usually just feed her as it seems to help push things through but if she is not hungry then why feed her (cheats way out i know) so last night i paced for a Good 25 min. something i dont want to do but didn't really know what else to do.

Sometimes in the evening she will sleep right through whereas some nights she wakes every 30 min or so (sleep cycles?) any thoughts on why some nights she does tis and some nights she doesnt?

Any comments appreciated and am sure spelling is going to be awful as the box i am typing in isn't moving so cant see what i am writing!

thanks for any help.

(p.s so desperate i even looked at g ford nap times etc!)

[Yazzie]

Hi & welcome to the boards

I think those NWs are related to whether or not she was OT when she went to sleep, so on days when she was OT she'd give you NWs.

I think your A times are too long almost 3.5 hrs, is she giving you any sleep cues? I'd suggest cutting back A times to 03.00 hrs and see how things go?

[*Ali*]

I think you could also benefit from being more consistent with the way you put her to sleep. I had great success with shh/pat when I began baby whispering when DS was 3mo however I recently found out that DS now responds better if I put his lullaby music on and whisper/sing the words or whisper a story to him when he is upset/OT and needs a little extra comfort. I also sometimes put my hand on his chest or hip when doing this if he is fussing but can normally get away with just being in the room (putting away clothes or sorting nappies etc.) whilst doing the singing until he is calm.
Does your LO have any kind of lovie/blankie? I find if DS can chomp on that he is happy to be left in the room with his music on until he falls asleep. I just sneak back in to remove it (normally from his face) once he is asleep.
Have you also made sure she isn't in pain from teething or wind and that she is comfortable with a dry nappy and not too hot or too cold as these can make babies of your LO's age upset and difficult to settle.
I also agree with PP that your A's are too long. I appreciate it is probably due to the length of time you take to put her to sleep but maybe you could try putting her down earlier if you know she is going to take a while before she drops off.
Using the buggy/carseat is APing but you could use them for a day or 2 to begin with just to get some good naps in her and get over the OT before you start on the better routine if you feel she really needs it.
Feeding for NWs is not ideal if you know she is not hungry and if you can avoid it by putting her back to sleep some other way so she learns it's not worth waking up you should. But you may also find that once she gets better at settling herself to sleep for BT and naps she will be more able to re-settle herself when she wakes at night without you.
Let us know how you get on. Good luck. 

[Arianasmum]

Hi thanks for your advice and i definately agree with what you say regarding a times and fel a bit silly for not factoring in the time it takes to get to sleep. ive been putting here down earlier and yesterday morning i really did think she was going to go to sleep (happy just relaxing in cot for about 40m) but she doesnt she just gets hysterical so then if i  P/U she is worse when P/D so then i find myself rocking her just to calm her down but then she goes straight to sleep. it seems that she was waiting for a jiggle to go to sleep as ive probably untaught her how to go to sleep. she was due a sleep about 2 today and didnt have it till about 4! argh tough day with all the crying

[Arianasmum]

I forgot to say and sorry if it sounds silly but how do you know how much A time your baby can handle as she looks no different after 2 or 3hrs A time. I.E no signs of tiredness.

[*Ali*]

My DS gets moany and starts groaning when he gets tired. Then if I don't get him down he starts shouting/screaming as if he is over excited. He also starts rubbing his forehead and touching his ears. Failing that I go by the clock mainly. I know DS can handle 2hrs - 2hrs 15mins so try to have him asleep by then. I know he goes asleep withing 5-10 mins so I put him down in time to be asleep by the end of the desired A.
Have you had a look at the sample routines on the FAQs board?  

[Yazzie]

DS also doesn't give any cues really and can get hyper active, which may be very misleading @ times, so I mainly follow general recommendations and based on the types of naps and night sleep that I get, I can start adjusting.

So, where are you guys with regards to independent sleep?