Starting EASY - 12 weeks (14 adjusted)

[lifefanatic]

DD is 2 weeks late, but 12 weeks tomorrow from birthdate. I have ready the book and want to implement EASY- the book only has start instructions for 4 month olds+ so I'm unsure where to start.
Right now my DD has a sort of wake up time/sleep time (sleep around 10-11 PM, wake up either 8 or 9:30 AM). We do eat - activity- sleep, except at night, as I breastfeed her to sleep around 9:00.

Here are my issues:
1. She eats every 2-2.5  hours, for about 10 minutes.
2. She naps for only 34-45 minutes
3. She requires rocking/singing to go to sleep, and will NOT SLEEP anywhere but on me (or I can slowly/carefully transition her to a swing/bed, but she still wakes up 30 minutes in).
4. We cosleep at night, and she wakes up after 4 hours - 3 hours- 2 hours to feed, but goes right to sleep. I'm ok with this, but would really like her to sleep in her crib for naps right now (and maybe wake up 4 hours- 4 hours).

So how do I start? I know I need to get her to fall asleep on her own, but how do I do that since we've been rocking her? Do I just PU/PD in her crib 120 times until she falls asleep?
And for the window- I assume I should be on 3 hour easy(?) - do I keep her up until she's tired, not feed her when she wakes up (because she only takes a 45 minute nap?) which would extend her activity time? Doesn't that make her overtired and harder to get asleep?

I have to get her on a schedule this month as we have a caregiver coming in January, and I can't expect her to rock a 4-month-old to sleep and let her sleep on her 5x a day! I'm slightly desperate (but don't want to CIO either).

[Lindsay27]

Hi hun, just a quick note to say I've seen this and will respond properly when my DD goes down for her nap

[lifefanatic]

I'd also like clarity on whether I should shush pat or PUPD. It seems to be just shush pat before four months... but if I put her in her crib and just pat her back she will freak. I figure I should transition her to her crib for naps at the same time I start a schedule though.

There was a very easy how to start guide in the book for if the child was four months... set a schedule and stick to it for two weeks. Am I ok to follow that process or is three months really too young? Can't wait to hear how other moms started.

[Lindsay27]

Sorry it took me so long to get back!  12 weeks is a great time to start!  The basic thing I would do is try to keep A times age appropriate, and just try to keep the EAS pattern.  1.5hrs is the average A time for this age, so I would feed, play, and start the wind down routine at about the 1.20hr mark...so dim lights, swaddle (if LO is swaddled), maybe a song or some quiet holding, and shh/pat. Short naps are very common at this age unfortunately, so sometimes your routine can go EASAES which is okay.

If LO is used to rocking or sleeping on you then I would start by rocking and patting her until she is really drowsy and almost asleep, and then place in cot while continuing to pat her on the back or bum.  I had to do this with my DS and it broke my back for a while so it sucks, but eventually you should be able to rock less and less.  If she's prone to waking early from naps I would maybe sneak in her room at the 30/35min and when she starts to stir then start patting or holding her to help her transition sleep cycles.

These are some great links that can help you get started:
Sample EASY Routines from 0 - 13mths+
Starting EASY - all you need to know and more!
Average A times- BOOKMARK ME!

[lifefanatic]

Thank you! So we are currently on EAS naturally, with her eating every two hours... are you saying to do another activity instead rather than feeding? So basically time her feeding? She gets cranky after an hour fifteen that's when we start wind down. And typically its 1.5 hours between waking UP and sleep.

So I guess we are doing that ok even though we aren't scheduling it by the clock? Am I feeding her too much then? She only eats for about five minutes but my breast literally pours a puddle when she stops.

I'll try your suggestions to get her in the crib. I know in the book its suggested you take two weeks, stay at home, and strictly adhere to the outlined schedule to get started. Is that no longer recommended or is it because we are only 12 weeks? I was going to so this starting next Monday since we are away this weekend. If this not the plan I will start trying to nap her in the crib tomorrow.

She did not sleep last night and has only had three half hour naps today so I'm exhausted, forgive me if I'm repeating or missing info.

[Lindsay27]

So I guess we are doing that ok even though we aren't scheduling it by the clock? Am I feeding her too much then? She only eats for about five minutes but my breast literally pours a puddle when she stops.

It sounds like you are off to a good start!  Is she showing hunger cues after she wakes from a nap, or are you just feeding at the 2hr mark/when she wakes from a nap to keep with the EAS pattern?  If she isn't showing hunger cues, then if the nap is short I would do another A time and try feeding closer to the 3hr mark, which might mean you are feeding before next nap - ie. EASAES.

So for example, if WU were 7am:

E 7am
A until 8:30
S 8:30 - 10 (ideally), but if nap is 45mins then continue with
A 9:15
E 10am
S 10:30ish

I know in the book its suggested you take two weeks, stay at home, and strictly adhere to the outlined schedule to get started. Is that no longer recommended or is it because we are only 12 weeks?

As Tracy suggested, setting out a period of a week or 2 and dedicating the time to getting started is the best way to go.  Age isn't really a factor, and most find that at 12 weeks LOs are starting to fall into a more predictable routine, so it really is a great time to start