Where to start?

[lauraluck]

I am very new to this. LO is 4.5 months old, and 2 weeks ago after waking up 10 times in one night to put LOs dummy back in (I now know it was a prop) I took it away cold turkey. Since then I have realised I didn't really understand what his needs were at all. He has cried a fair amount since the dummy has gone, and naps have become a nightmare. I have since read the book and been looking up all sorts on the forum - but now after starting EASY I need some advice!

So night-times are fine - we have a routine of wind-down, bath, book, bed and he sleeps through till 2 or 3 then has a feed and then sleeps till 5 and with a bit of cuddling goes back to sleep till 6. Then the whole day turns into a nightmare.

My main questions are: Where should I start? He has been co-napping with me so I want to get him to go down in his cot, but any time I put him in his cot, he sleeps for 20-30 minutes and then cries and the only way I can get him to nap longer is if I nap with him. Should I be working the length of the naps or the fact he prefers napping with me? or both together?

Also, what if we are going to a group or class - that would disrupt his nap time. Should I forgo the class until his nap times are sorted? and then only join things which fall into his A times? I might get very lonely if this was the case.  Please it would be great to hear what other people think.

[Shiv52]

{{{hugs}}}
Can you post your EAS? Sometimes A times can affect naps.

I would work on getting him to nap in his cot and then helping him extend but not by lying with him. 

With groups and classes, I always went.  I always made sure if I was out a day and a nap was disrupted that we'd a quiet day the next day.  I needed to get out for my sanity sake.  HOw often are you out that it disrupts his naps?

[creations]

if we are going to a group or class - that would disrupt his nap time. Should I forgo the class until his nap times are sorted?

I've had to make decisions about groups and classes fitting around nap times too.  When LO was massively OT I chose to skip the baby group so he could get back on track.  I do always try to take him though but luckily the baby groups we go to are flexible about people arriving or leaving late/early.  So for a 2pm group I might be hovering around the bedroom waiting for LO to wake, say he wakes at 2.10 I whizz him off immediately arrive late, say 2.30 and feed when we are there otherwise I'd be stuck at home feeding and changing etc and the group would be missed.  I just try to make sure I have everything I need ready so we can get going.  Sometimes, depending what else has been happening, I get to the group on time but leave early so I can get him back home in time for his nap.

Classes without flexible times I would just sign up anyway and go with it.  One of them I had to leave early because he got so OT he started screaming (wasn't very happy about that as it was baby first aid course so I really really wanted to complete it, but you know what, I can sign up for another one at a later date.), but another he coped with brilliantly despite it stretching his A time way past nap time, he just went with the flow that day.

Don't stay home and get lonely, remember that part of the EASY method is You time and groups/classes are brill for you and baby too.

[lauraluck]

Thank you - it feels so much better to have other people's advice.

This is on an excellent day:

E - 6am
A - 6
S - 7-710
A - 745
E - 9
S -930 till 1030 but this varies a lot
A - 1030
E - 12
S - 130 - 330 usually with me to try and extend the nap
E - 330
A - 330 - 6 or 630 depending how long it takes to get him down
E - 545 - 6
S - 6 - 630 - he'll usually have one little cry at about 7 -730 then sleep till between 2 or 3 then sleep until 5 or 6

I can see it looks a bit busy already!