am I just expecting too much from 7 week old DD2?

[muddyfeet]

situation: 2.5 year old DD1, didn't start sleep training til 4.5 months, and she was fabulous. I did it late because I only just discovered BW at that point. DD1 was great, still is.

decided to try earlier this time, as Tracy said start as you mean to go on. BUT...DD2 is 7 weeks, and I read schedules that show a 3 hr EASY and she seems to want E every 2, except at night she can go 4.5 hrs. for at least one stretch. She's almost 10 pounds, BF only if that makes a difference, and I know she's getting short-changed on her daytime sleep, because DD1 hasn't yet learned how to leave us alone when  I'm putting DD2 down for a nap.

Here's what she's doing, generally:

E: 7:00 AM.
A: no A here.  usually let her fall asleep eating.Will sleep either 30 min or 2.5 hrs after that.
S: 30 min or 2.5 hrs
E: 9:30 ish, 18-25 min
A: Diaper, get dressed
S: 10:30 ish put down awake but drowsy, she will only sleep 30 mins and then want food
E: 11:15
A: until 12:15, then put down awake but drowsy.
S: sleeps an hour, maybe 1.5, then awake screaming and starving
E: 1:30 - 1:45 start eating
A: until 2:30
S: 2:30 - 3:30 if I'm lucky
E: 4:00
A: until 5 ish
S: 5-6:30
E: 6:30
A: will either sleep on breast or be up for another hour looking at us and playing
S: falls asleep 7:30 or 8:00, sleeps 2 hrs
E: 9:30 or 10:00
AE: wakes up, hungry, lately between 1:30 to 2:30 AM. Diaper change then eat so we don't wake her up too much.
S: 2:30 - 4:30
E: 4:30 - 5:00 no A time except today she didn't go back to sleep for an hour. Hope that's not a habit.
S: 5:00 - 7:00

So she doesn't seem to have any of her own sleep patterns yet either. She can fall asleep when put down drowsy but awake, So I haven't seen any issue with the idea of letting her fall asleep at breast during night because she has little wake times during her long sleep cycle and puts herself back to sleep just fine. She can also put herself to sleep for naps. The times she doesn't stay asleep seem either poop or hunger related.

I know that until about 6 weeks they're supposed to be pretty irregular...is she just being irregular longer?  I don't really care about a hard schedule so much at this point, but I want her to get ENOUGH sleep. Should I even bother with EASY now, as long as I focus on getting her to bed drowsy but awake as much as possible, and focus on catching her sleep signs so she doesn't get OT?

[Shiv52]

She can fall asleep when put down drowsy but awake, So I haven't seen any issue with the idea of letting her fall asleep at breast during night because she has little wake times during her long sleep cycle and puts herself back to sleep just fine. She can also put herself to sleep for naps. The times she doesn't stay asleep seem either poop or hunger related.

^^^This is amazing for 7 weeks!!  Getting them down drowsy but awake is great for this age.


I think your routine could be tweaked a little to help her daytime sleep. A time at this age would be about 1hr 15.  I found with my DD2 though she couldn't even handle that as she was she OS with my toddler running about. How are you deciding when to do naps?  has she clear tired cues? 

Should I even bother with EASY now, as long as I focus on getting her to bed drowsy but awake as much as possible, and focus on catching her sleep signs so she doesn't get OT?

For me I tended to follow the EAS format but as less concerned with the timings at this age as my DD did  feed less than 3 hourly especially in the afternoon.  I would focus on following sleep signs and keep the OT at bay.

HTH x

[muddyfeet]

Her tired cues are very clear...first there's a yawn, 5 minutes later is fussing with hand in mouth and ear pulling. Hand in mouth without the ear pulling is hunger. I'm just following her cues. I find if I put her down at first yawn she can't sleep. If I wait until ear-pulling she goes to sleep in about 6 minutes once she's tucked in. If I wait until she's ear-pulling and fussy I get a short OT nap. It's about 1 hr and 5 mins A time to get to ear pulling.

[RachelC]

Looks like she's doing great!  I would slowly try to increase the A time, but not push it.  You seem to know her cues quite well.  Also keep in mind that many babies don't make it to 3 hours between feeds as fast as others.  She may take longer to get there.

Yes, you can still take the key elements of EASY... it is a flexible routine and you're doing great.   

[muddyfeet]

Even just the last 2 days is better. I had swaddle issues with her too, and finally found one she likes. They change so fast!