Feeding question for a 6mth old

[dingoheid]

Just an update...I did not do the dreamfeed....wanted to try out a night without it to see...had an EW @ 4:25...couldn't settle and recognized the 'hungry' cry...so I bf and 20 minutes later, put lo down, and NO shh/patt required!!!  First time where she put herself to sleep!  She was not asleep on my shoulder while I was burping her...so I'm thinking no DF required...I will up her food during the day to see if I can nip the EW in the butt for tomorrow...I need to consistently fit in lo solid's food- that seems to be my next step for improving EASY:-)  Love it- figure out one thing, on to the next:-)

Cheers, to all- hope everyone has a great day:-)

Dingoheid

[Jiinx]

good work dingoheid!

aw, I love good news.

[dingoheid]

"Day Three: The day officially starts at 7 AM. If he’s asleep, wake him"  This is what it said in the Q & A about starting a 4 month old+ on EASY...I'm now on day 4 and think my lo is getting the hang of EASY....

My question is this...today my lo woke at 7:25 instead of 7:00 (I did not wake her at 7:00 b/c she had an EW @ 4:35 and I had to go in after about 20 min to do shh/patt/pu/pd for about 7 minutes) because I thought she could use the extra sleep....

So do I put her down at yesterday's nap time- 9:15, or start her at 9:45 based on today's wake up time...I think it's the 9:45 time, but I just want to be sure:-)
Cheers
Dingoheid

[Jiinx]

hi dingoheid!
 Sounds like you and your lo are definitely catching on! Letting your lo sleep in for about 30 minutes is fine! And yes, you adjust your EASY accordingly..fast forwarding everything 25 minutes or so or based on your lo's cues - whatever's going suit her best, yk? Remember to include her wind down within the A time so she doesn't get OT.

Good work!

[dingoheid]

Hello:-)

Here is my easy for today...

E:  7:25  5 1/2 oz
A:  2hours 25 min.  (1 1/2 tbsp cereal @ 9:25)
S:  9:50  (shh/patt:  4 min. & pu/pd x 2...started wind down @ 9:45...nap lasted 1hr:  35 min.)

E:  11:25  5 oz
A:  2 hours 25 min.  (2 tbsp carrots @ 1:30)
S:  1:50  (shh/patt:  10min. & pu/pd x 3-4...started wind down @ 1:45...nap lasted 1 hr: 10 min)
              please note- this nap was at grandma's...first nap not at home...loud talking
              woke lo up!

E:  3:05  (6 oz) 
A:  1 hour 45 min.  (1 tbsp carrots @ 4:40)
S:  Cat Nap:  started 35 min in pram @ 3:50  (made up for ew during pm nap)


E:  5:25
A:  1 hour 45 min.  (1 tbsp s.p. just before start of wind down @ 7:00)
S:  8:15  (shh/patt:  35 min & pu/pd x 5-6...I started wind down night routine @ 7:00 and
              lo was in her crib @ 7:40
              please note:  it took 10 min. longer than last night for lo to fall asleep, but there was no
              crying tonight...

So...I think overall I had a really good day...even though lo woke from her afternoon nap 30 minutes early, I'm glad it only took her 10 min to settle in a crib at someone else's house...she woke up early because Grandma talks REALLY loud!!  I tried to resettle her, but after 15 min. gave up because lo seemed happy!  And then to make up for the missed sleep, she had a cat nap in her pram during which I had a wonderful walk outside today!!!   

I am curious for comments about the wind down...it took 10 min. longer for lo to fall asleep compared to last night (no cat nap mind you), but lo did not cry at all tonight unlike last night.

If I had to guess at the reasoning for the long'ish' settle time tonight I'd say I either 'missed the window' because the wind down process took quite long (40 min.)  or I would say she wasn't tried enough yet...but there were many signs that she was getting tired, so I'd go with 'missing the window!' 

I may have 'missed the window' because tonight's wind down started with a bath...I bath lo every other night, but I'm thinking the bath might have prolonged the whole wind down routine too much...perhaps I should give her a bath at some other time during the day- make it part of the 'activity' vs. the 'wind down'....

As always, I look forward to your thoughts and suggestions:-)

Hope all had a wonderful winter day- the sun was bright in S. Ontario today:-)

Cheers,
Dingoheid

[Jiinx]

hi dingoheid!
When you say you 'missed the window' why would you say that?

I think she was neither overtired or undertired, to tell you the truth. I think she's learning to self settle and sometimes they take 5 minutes, and some nights they take 15 minutes.

When I put my LO down, I would come back 10 minutes later and she's still chewing on her lovey and 'waiting for sleep'. She doesn't cry, or moan..she just lies there and then a few minutes later she's asleep.

some nights sleep comes to them faster..and some nights it doesn't - depending if they had a busy day, you know? They're like us! Processing everything and quieting their busy little minds...
If you find the bath 'riles' her up and she gets too excited by it, then sure change the time of the bath...

hth and I answered your question? You are doing -really- well and you should be extremely proud of yourself.

[~Sara~]

You are doing -really- well and you should be extremely proud of yourself.

Agreed!   Wish I'd gotten the hang of EASY as quickly as you, lol!  Took us a couple of months.

[dingoheid]

Thanks for the replies

Your repsonse makes me realize that lo is much much more content in her crib...she used to fight it, where as now, she embraces it. I will try to let her settle herself with more independence from me especially since I know she's getting the hang of self soothing

Right now, we had an ew @ 3:45...I did not do dreamfeed as per suggestions I'm just going to likely be dropping it soon anyways....so after 10 minutes if not settling, I bf her for 10 minutes...and now she's giving her gime to put herself to sleep as I types this!  She is very calm and I hear the odd noise...let's see if lo can do it!  I will try what you wrote: 

When I put my LO down, I would come back 10 minutes later and she's still chewing on her lovey and 'waiting for sleep'.

Cheers,
Dingoheid

[dingoheid]

Hi!  I thought I would share my day & a few questions...overall a great day!  A few things to note...

1.  a.m. nap ended 15 min. early (1hr 15 min.) but she woke up fairly happy, so lo stayed a wake.

2.  Lo woke up early (EW) for the 1st time during a nap (p.m.) but I shh/patt for 5 min and she slept
    for another 30 mintues, sleeping then for 1 hr 30 min.  (I had to wake her up as we had an
    appt.  )

3.  Best night so far for timing of wind down and settling...only 15 min...I think this is because she
     had 3 solid hours of activity time...and I did not put the bath in the WD... 

Sunday, February 07, 2010  Day #5
E:  7:30…5 ½ oz
A:  2 hours 35 min. & 2 tbsp cereal @ 9:15
S:  10:05 with shh/patt @ 6 min & pu/pd x 2

      …a.m. nap total:  1 hour 15 min. (woke up early, but fairly
      content & wide eyed)

E:  11:20…6 oz
A:  2hours 40 min. & 2 tbsp carrots, 1 tbsp sw.p @ 1:30
S:  2:00 with shh/patt @ 6 min & pu/pd x 3   
     (no eye rubbing this time (her usual tired cue, just really mellow when I
     walked with her during wind down…please note:  EW @ 3:00…shh/patt @ 4min.           
     this is her first EW during a nap…glad she went back to sleep)   

      …p.m. nap total:  1 hour 30 min

E:  3:35…6 oz (I woke her up- attending Miles’ baby shower; did VERY well with change in routine!)
A:  3 hours (solid from wake up to start of wind down)
S:  7:15  with shh/patt @ 15min & pu/pd x 2  (best night prep so far!!)

     …night sleep total:  tba


Last Night However....!!

*  EW @ 3:40...did not do a dreamfeed (trying not to b/c lo is already 6 months) so I bf her for 10
   minutes (which looking back, I don't think she was hungry as her suck was very weak) and then
   tried to settle her...shh/patt for 60 minutes with lots of pu/pd...

*  I would appreciate thoughts on this EW...I probably should NOT have fed her, and perhaps the
   shh/patt would have been much LESS because she might have become more awake and aware
   during the bf....any thoughts?  Or is this typical of an EW during the night?  .

*  The night before, lo woke around 4:30...so it could also be starting to become a pattern...

Question...If lo has an EW again tonight b/n 3:00 & 4:00, should I wake to sleep her the next night around 2:00ish?

Hope everyone had a great weekend! 

I'm loving EASY...but where oh where does the time fly during nap times?

Cheers,
Dingoheid

[Jiinx]

hmm just a quick comment about her naps, although you didn't ask for it I think with all the rest she's been getting ..I think she may be ready for a smidgen more of A time. See what she does tomorrow though, as 1 hour and 15 is usually an indication of UT. See how it goes for the next couple of days..

 About nightwakings..if they're waking at different times of the night then it's safe to say they're hungry. She woke at 4:30am, and then last night she woke at 3:40...could she be hungry? Did you let her settle by herself once you finished feeding her? Did she wake up crying? happy? babbling?

loving your organization btw.

[marilyn73]

Hi there,
I have enjoyed reading this thread!
Just a few things to say based on experience with dd.
The bath.  Love love love having the bath in the evening, since dd is so happy in the water, it is a great way to get through 30 min of that cranky evening time.  Thought it was a nuisance when she was younger, but at approx 5 months, we started doing it daily in the evening, instead of every other day any old time, and it has been great.
Also, we had been doing the DF since 3 months, so once solids were well established at 6.5 months, we first tackled the 3ish am NW (by shhing), and kept the DF.  Once the NW was gone, we did the gradual wean of the DF.  One other note on the DF - because we were doing a good DF, I was able to feel confident that dd was not starving when she was awake at 3am.  Helped me stay strong for shhing.
Anyhow, it sounds like you and your babe are enjoying EASY.  Good luck
p.s. I tried wake to sleep for the 3 am waking before doing the shhing, but have never had success with it, mind you, I have never lasted more than 3 nights....

[dingoheid]

Good Morning

Thanks for the replies and advice girls!  Thanks for sharing marilyn73  .  We had an awesome night!  There were two EW early in the evening @ 8:30 and then 10:30...I did not rush right in but rather listened and when lo cries become a little louder and I knew she was looking about in her crib (she's a tummy sleeper) I went in because I didn't want lo to become to awake...I shh/patt both times for only 2 minutes and she was out!  I sensed her relax as soon as she felt my hand on her back...she is teething (two bottom teeth coming in)...

After that, smooth sailing for the rest of the night!  She slept 11 h 15 min!  So I didn't complain when she woke up at 6:30 this morning (since starting EASY lo wakes after 7:00) but lo had a soaked through diaper...so we started our day a little earlier than usual.

I extended her a.m activity time by 10 minutes to 2 hours 45 min...she went down within mintues and is having her first 2 hour nap   Thank you so much Jinx for the suggestion!  I really do take all advice to heart!  I will however need to wake up lo from her nap as I don't think it should go past 2 hours?? 

Cheers to all- including marilyn73

Dingoheid

[Jiinx]

*hugs* loving your updates. good work!

If you have any more questions, please do feel free to post another thread as I don't think you have a feeding question (as originally posted), anymore  

Yup, try not to extend past 2 hours as it may start to rob away at their night.

sarah

[dingoheid]

If my lo has a cat nap b/n 5 and 6 for 30-45 minutes, when does it make sense to put her to bed tonight??  This is my most pressing question as we are going to be out shopping and I think she may nod off in the car for a cn...


Okay...back from shopping and this is what happened!

We were grocery shopping and I knew my lo was in quite the need of a cat nap, but had difficulty falling asleep in her stroller amongst all the 'neat stuff' to look at....guessing she was overstimulated....so she did have a cat nap, but rather late....she fell asleep at 5:45...when do I start her wind down for tonight??  I'm a little nervous that I've thrown her off schedule....(I know it's not a schedule, but I need some help:-))  When is a cat nap too late??



Here is my EASY for today...

Monday, February 8, 2010  Day #6

E:  6:35 …6 oz & 17 min….total night sleep:  11 hr 15 min
A:  2 hours 45 min.  & 2 tbsp ceral @ 8:40
S:  9:15  with shh/patt @ 4 min & pu/pd x 1

      …a.m. nap total:  2 hours!

E:  11: 15… 6 oz & 3 tbsp peas @ 1:30
A:  2 hours 55 min.  (start wd @ 1:55)
S:  2:10:   with shh/patt @ 5 min. & pu/pd x 3
     

      …p.m. nap total:  1 hour 20 min  (10 min early, but woke up happy happy!)

E:  3:30 
A:  2 hours 15 min
S:  5:45 cat nap (45 min.)

E:  6:30…5 ½ oz
A:  still awake (it’s now 7:35)
S:    When do I start my lo wind down?



Cheers
Thanks in advance for any replies:-)
Dingoheid

[dingoheid]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hi!  My lo went down without a fight!  15 min of shh/patt & 4 pu/pd.  What a cutie...and I was worried- lol & breathing a sigh of relief...not sure why I was so anxious...I trust my lo's cues and I know she's adapted to EASY so well, but I still feel sometimes like it's all going to explode!  I know it won't always be perfect, but with every day I gain more experience and am learning SO much from and about my lo!  Having this forum is absolutely wonderful:-0

Cheers,
Hoping for a good night all around
Dingoheid