4 Hr EASY ?

[oneplusone]

We've been on a 4 hr EASY for the last couple of weeks, thanks to all the advice I've gotten here. It was going great, I was able to get my LO to nap longer and he was going about 1:30 - 2:00 of A time. Now something is up. It seems like I'm always one step behind this kid!

This was our EASY

E: 7:00
A:
S: 9:00 -ish (45 min, resettle for another 45min)
E: 11:00
A:
S: 1:00 -ish (45', resettle for another 45')
E: 3:00
A:
S: somewhere between 4-5 for 45'
E: 6:30 or 7:00
S: 7:00-7:30

The last couple of days my LO has woken up between 6 and 7 AM. I've fed him and in less than an hour he's gotten fussy and wanted to go back to sleep and then slept for 2-ish hours with no fight putting him down or resettling him. It seems like a really low A time and early for the first nap. Is this just an extension of his night sleep? He's has a couple night wakings, not to eat and goes back to sleep within a few minutes of with me soothing him. I've still got him on a 4 hr EASY with feeds at 7, 11, 3, & 7 with a dream feed around 10 or 11 (I let him wake up). Should I be going back to a 3.5 hr EASY? The other thing is his bedtime has now become a big fight. I try to get him down around 6:30 or 7:00 and it usually takes an hour (when it used to take 20'). I think the cat nap is too close to his bedtime. If the cat nap is at 5 & lasts 45 min, should I still be putting him down at 7:00? I would like him to be asleep by 7 or 7:30, but it's been more like 8 or 8:30 because of all the settling I've had to help him with. He is a little grumpy and does take longer to settle, but this seems more like a protest like he might want more A time before bed? Should I stick with the 4 hr EASY? It does seem like something is up and he wants a new routine. Should I go back to 3.5 hr EASY? Or is there something after a 4 hr EASY? Thanks so much!

[brittanyalice]

HI,
 First off I would just go with his early nap! Even tho its not exactly right, it may be what he needs. When it's not a hassle for you or him, and he is getting good sleep with no resettling and little fussing I would take this as a win win:)
So then if his first nap is around 8 and he is awake by 10, then his 2nd nap would be around 12-2 and then cat nap at 4ish for 45min or so and bed by 6:45 7pm. This keeps you on a 4hr easy with an adjustment in the AM, you might find that this is what he likes. I am sure he will get more A time when he's a bit older, maybe he's just not a morning person KWIM. Everyone's different including babies so if you feel like shorter A time in the morning is what works then there is nothing wrong with it:)

[oneplusone]

Thanks. Yes I was just going with his sleepy cues and putting him down. I was just wondering what it changed? I do keep on the 4 hr eating, but was wondering if that was wrong if his A times are all over the place. I think my bigger problem now is his NW every 2 hours for me to put the soother back in...

[brittanyalice]

I don't think anything changes, it just means he needs a shorter A time in the morning. Keep everything else the same unless you feel like you need to make another change. I would post in props about having to put the soother back in, if your not feeding him at night and the only reason he is waking is bc of the soother then it has clearly got to go:)

[oneplusone]

Thanks. Yes I did post there. I know the soother needs to go. I guess it's like ripping off a bandaid. I just have to do it. It's just he now falls asleep so easily with it in... and goes back to sleep so quickly. But... I don't want to be up every 2 hours, so I know I need to get rid of it. 

I wasn't sure b/c he's making his A time only 1.5 to 1 hr 45 min if I should go back to 3.5 hour EASY or not? He does seems to have shorter A time in the morning and longer in the afternoon, but he's also grumpier in the afternoon... and harder to get down for a nap. I've also heard of kids eventually following the 2-3-4 rule of hours between naps and that it does get longer in the afternoons. I just didn't think he was there yet.   

[brittanyalice]

Yeah I don't know if he would be at the 2-3-4hr one but he could be doing a 1.5-2-2.  Or something similar to that. As for the soother Blake the baby I watch now has one but when he spits it out I do not put it back in, so now he does not wake when it falls out. I use it only for the wind down/first time I put him down and it seems to work well. I know at this age sucking is one or their only "activities" so I think that some soother time is nice to have:) but you def don't want to be getting up every two hours!

[oneplusone]

Yes, a 1.5-2-2 makes more sense for him and his age. I agree sucking is good for them and b/c he's a fast eater I gave him one to have more sucking time. It's funny because he doesn't wake when it falls out and he makes it through a couple sleep cycles, so I wasn't sure if it was a prop or not... but it seems like it is becoming one.

[brittanyalice]

Humm well maybe its not a prop
When he wakes at night do you feed/is he hungry?
when he wakes at night do you just need to put the soother back in? Or is he still awake after you re plug?
Have you tried wake to sleep?
Does he get up@  night around the SA,e times?

[oneplusone]

I know. Confusing as to if it is a prop or not. At night I've weaned from down from 2 night feeds to none. Except a dream feed around 10-11. I haven't had to feed him at night for over 2 or 3 weeks. I just put the soother back in & he's asleep. Maybe  I'm putting it back in to quick and I should let him settle on his own. Its not the same time each night, but it's every 2 to 2.5 hrs depending on when he went to sleep & where in the sleep cycle he is. I've done wake to sleep for naps but haven't tried it for naps

[brittanyalice]

I think before you try weening the soother (this is not a fun process sometimes) you should try wake to sleep at night, also try and let him resettle himself before you go in.
  Then if he does do the full out crying at night try not to put the soother back in asap this way he may not make the connection of crying to soother It can't hurt to try and since your already awake for these night wakings you may as well play around with different ideas. Weening a soother can be stressful to both you and baby since this is now his "method" of choice to sooth himself KWIM? So before you rule it as a prop I would try a few other things first.
  However if you do, and it becomes clearer that the soother is a prop get rid of it quickly since the older babies get the harder it is. I laugh sometimes when I write this stuff, I feel like there are so many variables I hope this helps! Keep me posted:)

[oneplusone]

So last night he slept 5 hours after he made it past the first sleep cycle (I did have to put the soother in after the first 45') and then I heard him wake up after 5 hours, grumble to himself, and then put himself back to sleep for another 3 hours. It's like he knew I wanted to take it away. Ha ha. But then from 4-6 AM I had to put it back 3 times before I let him get up for the day. So confusing. Oh well, I'll take 8 Hrs. I didn't wake up around 10-11 and neither did he, so I forgot to do a dream feed and he put himself back to sleep so quickly after the 5 hour mark I didn't want to wake him, so he ended up going 12 hours without a feed. Oops.

But back to my original question, about A times. Yesterday we went out and he didn't fall asleep in the stroller so he ended up being awake for 3 hours, but was very fussy from 2 hours on. Probably overstim'd and couldn't sleep. So if 2 hours is his max A time, should I move back to a 3.5 hour EASY?

[brittanyalice]

No, a 2hr A time is when your on a 4hr easy. Because its 2 hr up and 1.5-2hr asleep, with feedings every 4hr so a 2hr A time is good for a 4hr easy. It will gradually increase as he gets older obviously, but for now that sounds good:)

[oneplusone]

So, I think he knows I want to take it away and started sleeping better. It seems he needs it to get through the first sleep cycle and then he's good for 4-6 hours, a feed, and back to sleep for 4-6 hours depending on what time he dream feeds/goes to bed. It's still working well for naps and I want to keep extending them so I'm not going to give it up just yet.

His A times are still all over the place. Not sure what he's doing but just going with his cues. He really needs those longer naps to be a happy baby during the day.

Thanks for all your help

[brittanyalice]

You bet glad it's helping:) What is your EASY looking like now?

[oneplusone]

It's going ok... Thanks for asking

E - 6:30/7:00
S - 8:00 45 min, resettle for 30', and usually get another 45' sleep.
E - 10:30/11:00
S - 12:30/1:00 - Nap 1.5 to 2 hours with no resettling!
E - 2:30/3:00
S - 4:30/5:00 - attempt cat nap for 45'
A - bedtime routine 6-7
E - 7:00
S - 8:00 (too late but it's taking me a while to settle him)

Looks pretty good, but the bedtime is too late and it takes me an hour to settle him... I think it's the cat nap...