Author Topic: How early is too early to start EASY?  (Read 1112 times)

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Offline emmiebruce

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How early is too early to start EASY?
« on: September 04, 2011, 09:10:06 am »
Hi ladies,

I haven't been on here since my first DS was a baby and he is now nearly 3, however I now have a 2 week old second DS who I would love to put onto the EASY routine (it worked so well the first time around!)

DS 2 is currently EBF and I am wondering how soon I should think to adopt the routine, can anyone give me any advice, he feeds roughly every three hours through the day at present and nights vary, last night he had a 5 hour stretch from bedtime through to early am and then only 2 and 3/4 hours after that, other nights he goes 3 or 4 hours between feeds.  ALso I have a feeding to sleep habit forming that I don't want to encourage whereby DS is really only feeding in order to suckle and often spits up the extra milk...

All suggestions and advice are welcome please...

Thanks Emmie and Josh

Offline firsttimemummy

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Re: How early is too early to start EASY?
« Reply #1 on: September 04, 2011, 10:03:35 am »
welcome back - to begin, just try to follow a rough EASY (feed, then activity (only nappy change, really!), then into bed ... if he is feeding roughly 3 hourly that is great.  Over time A will extend so just try to watch for sleepy cues ....
L x Having a bw break from 1 Feb 2012 - if you want to get in touch please send me a pm.  I may not be here but you are all in my thoughts xxxx (probably be back some time)

still happily married, just not counting!

Offline creations

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Re: How early is too early to start EASY?
« Reply #2 on: September 04, 2011, 10:28:33 am »
I agree with Lucy that a rough (or perhaps 'gentle' ;) ) EASY is a good place to begin, more good habit forming rather than strict routine following.  I started with DS early.  He had lots of cuddles and times he fell to sleep on someone but he also had times when he was put down to sleep, not always possible but I think it's a balance between them needing lots of closeness which gives them confidence (and in turn will help with independent sleep) and keeping in your own mind that you don't want to continue too many bad habits.  I think the important thing is that you and your family begin to form some good habits but don't stress too much about it.

Like Lucy said it is only a brief A time after the feed and in those early weeks a nappy change is perhaps the only thing that will keep LO awake before going to sleep (ie if he nods off accidentally during the feed then the nappy change will rouse or wake him enough for you to then put him down to sleep awake).

With DS a lot of the time I held him (swaddled) whilst standing next to his cot until he was really calm and relaxed and his eyes started to nod, then I told him 'I'm going to put you in your bed now so you can sleep properly' and I'd put him in but usually keep my hands on him for a while.  If he needed my hands to remain on him until sleep (with shush pat or just shush) then that was fine by me as he still felt the weight of his body on the mattress so was getting to learn where he sleeps.  Many times I could just put him down and he'd gaze for a long time then nod off, many times he started to fuss as I lowered him in, or as he felt himself down on the mattress and in these cases I always cuddled him again straight away, I didn't delay at all, didn't let him go into a proper cry (too much distress and too many calories lost for a LO) but held him until he was again nodding his eyes.  So every S was played by ear really.  There was also lots of walking up and down with him, rocking, patting, shushing etc but I almost always tried to get him down to sleep in his cot rather than in my arms.

Another thing I did was sing a sleep song which is the same song for every sleep.  It begins to set up a wind down routine, swaddle cuddle song and LO will recognise if you sing the same one every time (I now use 3 different ones for variety but in the early days I used only one and I had also sung it throughout pregnancy!) so he will learn the cues to sleep and it is a simple part of the wind down that can remain even when the rest of the wind down alters as he gets bigger etc.

btw - congratulations :)


Offline firsttimemummy

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Re: How early is too early to start EASY?
« Reply #3 on: September 04, 2011, 11:51:29 am »
sorry for my quick reply earlier - I was typing 1-handed while feeding Oliver ;)  Just wanted to add, that yes, cuddles for some naps are lovely - we used to aim for one independent sleep a day to begin with.  I tended to put him in his moses basket while he was wide awake and let him fall asleep, putting him in a bit earlier than some people would.  Not sure if it is because of this (or his temperament) but he has always gone to sleep himself - a few times (when he has got really OT) I have had to rock him to sleep in my arms or just put a hand on him, shh pat never worked!

Enjoy those special early days (as tiring as they are) :)
L x Having a bw break from 1 Feb 2012 - if you want to get in touch please send me a pm.  I may not be here but you are all in my thoughts xxxx (probably be back some time)

still happily married, just not counting!

Offline Tay

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Re: How early is too early to start EASY?
« Reply #4 on: September 04, 2011, 14:00:31 pm »
Some great advice already, just wanted to post this link in case you haven't seen it yet:
http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=64627.0