3-4hr EASY Transition – In 5 Minute Increments
Especially for sleepy babies. And, ‘by-the-book’ mums who want a simple day-by-day chart to follow. Below are 12 daily routines, each adjusted by 5 minutes, to slowly transition your baby from a 3hr EASY to a 4hr EASY.
You and your baby can choose then, whether to change her routine by 5 or 10 minutes at a time.
Some observations before you go on… I sat down and wrote these out because my son was so sleepy I couldn’t get him to stay awake an extra 15 minutes as Tracy suggests. But, I wanted to keep him on the BW routine. Some of you will be in the same situation, so, I’ve posted this for YOU.
…stay on the same routine for at least 3 days before moving on to the next one. Stay on it longer if your baby needs more time to adjust.
…you’ll notice some of the evening feeds/bedtimes won’t fall exactly on the ‘right’ times. This is because he will be so tired, he will need to go to bed.
…sometimes she will be so tired, you can put her to bed up to an hour early. If you haven’t fed her in the last hour and she really needs to go to bed, I would try to ‘top her up’ before you put her down. And I would dreamfeed up to an hour earlier.
…if you baby typically takes say 5 minutes to fall asleep, put him down 5 minutes before the given sleeptime. (This knocks 5 minutes off his activity time too, oh yeah).
Key
E = Eat. The time you start feeding him.
A = Activity. Length of time she is up for. Starts at E time, ends at S time.
S = Sleep. The time you put him in bed. (In brackets: length of time his nap will be).
CN = Catnap. The time you put her down to take her catnap. (Then, length of nap).
UP = Up. The time you will get him up from his catnap.
E & B = Eat & Bed. The time you will feed her, then put her into bed.
T UP & B = Top Up & Bed. The time you will top him up, then put him into bed.
DF = Dreamfeed. The time you will dreamfeed her.
…here we go then!
Over the next 3 routine changes (at least 9 days), we are extending his A time only, each by 5 minutes only. His naps remain 1 1/2hrs long as per a normal 3hr EASY.
3hr 5min EASY
E 7.00 (A 1.35)
S 8.35 (1.30)
E 10.05 (A 1.35)
S 11.40 (1.30)
E 1.10 (A 1.35)
S 2.45 (1.30)
E 4.15 (A 1.35)
CN 5.50 (.30)
UP 6.20
E & B 7.20
DF 10.25
3hr 10min EASY
E 7.00 (A 1.40)
S 8.40 (1.30)
E 10.10 (A 1.40)
S 11.50 (1.30)
E 1.20 (A 1.40)
S 3.00 (1.30)
E 4.30 (A 1.40)
CN 6.10 (.30)
UP 6.40
E & B 7.30
DF 10.40
3hr 15min EASY
E 7.00 (A 1.45)
S 8.45 (1.30)
E 10.15 (A 1.45)
S 12.00 (1.30)
E 1.30 (A 1.45)
S 3.15 (1.30)
E 4.45 (A 1.45)
E & B 6 .30
DF 10.00
Over the next 3 routine changes (at least 9 days), we are extending her S time only, each by 5 minutes only. Her A time remains at 1hr 45mins. This will give her time to get used to being up for that extra 15.
3hr 20min EASY
E 7.00 (A 1.45)
S 8.45 (1.35)
E 10.20 (A 1.45)
S 12.05 (1.35)
E 1.40 (A 1.45)
S 3.25 (1.35)
E 5.00 (A 1.45)
T UP & B 6.45
DF 10.05
3hr 25min EASY
E 7.00 (A 1.45)
S 8.45 (1.40)
E 10.25 (A 1.45)
S 12.10 (1.40)
E 1.50 (A 1.45)
S 3.35 (1.40)
E 5.15 (A 1.45)
T UP & B 7.00
DF 10.25
3hr 30min EASY
E 7.00 (A 1.45)
S 8.45 (1.45)
E 10.30 (A 1.45)
S 12.15 (1.45)
E 2.00 (A 1.45)
S 3.45 (1.45)
E 5.30 (A 1.45)
T UP & B 7.15
DF 10.45
Over the next 3 routine changes (at least 9 days), we are back to extending his A time only again, each by 5 minutes only. His naps remain at 1hr 45mins. This will give him time to adjust to sleeping 15 minutes longer.
3hr 35min EASY
E 7.00 (A1.50)
S 8.50 (1.45)
E 10.35 (A 1.50)
S 12.25 (1.45)
E 2.10 (A 1.50)
S 4.00 (1.45)
E 5.45 (A 1.45)
E & B 7.30
DF 11.00
3hr 40min EASY
E 7.00 (A 1.55)
S 8.55 (1.45)
E 10.40 (A 1.55)
S 12.35 (1.45)
E 2.20 (A 1.55)
S 4.15 (1.45)
E 6.00 (A 1.30)
T UP & B 7.30
DF 11.00
3hr 45min EASY
…A time is now where we want it to be at 2hrs. Congratulations! Well done baby & mum!
E 7.00 (A 2hrs)
S 9.00 (1.45)
E 10.45 (A 2hrs)
S 12.45 (1.45)
E 2.30 (A 2hrs)
S 4.30 (1.45)
E 6.15 (A 1.15)
T UP & B (7.30)
DF 11.00
Over the next 3 routine changes (at least 9 days), we are back to extending her S time only again, each by 5 minutes only. Her A time remains 2hrs. And, mum, we are now at 2 naps & a catnap!
3hr 50min EASY
E 7.00 (A 2hrs)
S 9.00 (1.50)
E 10.50 (A 2hrs)
S 12.50 (1.50)
E 2.40 (A 2hrs)
CN 4.40 (.45)
UP 5.25
E 6.30 because will probably want to go to bed again soon after
DF 10.30
3hr 55min EASY
E 7.00 (A 2hrs)
S 9.00 (1.55)
E 10.55 (A 2hrs)
S 12.55 (1.55)
E 2.50 (A 2hrs)
CN 4.50 (.45)
UP 5.35
E 6.45 and again, in to bed soon after
DF 10.30
4hr EASY!
…here we are! You both did it!
E 7.00 (A 2hrs)
S 9.00 (2hrs)
E 11.00 (A 2hrs)
S 1.00 (2hrs)
E 3.00 (A 2hrs)
CN 5.00 (.45)
UP 5.45
E 7.00 and in bed by 7.30
DF 11.00
