We're trying to transition to 4 hour EASY (as LO only naps 45 minutes, random night wakings and not finishing bottle after 3 hour cycle). LO is 18 weeks, has been on EASY since c 4 weeks, good at self settling and up to now only shush pat required to sleep.
Given we usually have 3.5 hour cycle first thing in morning, I'm trying to transition by extending the first cycle to 4 hours before adjusting rest of the day - currently on 3.45 cycle (1 hr 45 A+1 hr 45 S). We're on day 6 of trying this.
However, LO is still only napping for 45 minutes, and trying to do this seems to have damaged ability to self settle, and I'm spending hours shush patting to extend naps, with no success! He's getting over tired and cannot last until the end of the day and there is LOTS of screaming, particularly from mid pm.
Questions are:
S is only 45 minutes (instead of 1hr 45 as suggested), and I shush pat to try to get LO back to sleep (unsuccessfully for an hour, which is the end of the 1.45 hr S cycle). Does the next EASY cycle start from the time he actually woke up (ie 9.30 am - see below) - or the end of the 1hr45 (ie 10.30 am)?? I've tried both, neither seems to work.
If this (extending to 4 hours) is not working (seems to be making things worse - LO is over tired and exhausted by the end of every day) is there something else to try?
I've tried pupd previously w/o success (for 2.5 hours at night until next night feed) and have given in, perhaps not old enough.
LOHas a paci but this does not assist with naps after 45 minutes. He just screams and spits it out.
Generally takes between 2 and 10 minutes to shush pat to sleep still start of nap.
I have tried picking up, rocking, rocking in sling, taking out in the pram, rocking pram in the hallway in order to get back to nap after 45 minutes. Nothing works. He's also waking before DF at 22.00 (usually around 21.00).
On the plus side random night wakings have largely reduced, now usually just x2 night feeds (1.30/2am + 4.30/5am).
EASY schedule currently is:
Wake and E 7am
A 1 hour 45
S 1 hour 45 (8.45 am to 9.30 am. 9.30 am to 10.30 fruitlessly shush patting)
E 10.30
A 1 hour 30
S 1 hour 30 (naps 12 to 12.45. 12.45 to 13.30 fruitlessly shush patting)
E 13.30
A 1 hour 30
S 15.00 naps 15.00 to 15.45, 15.45 to 16.30 shush patting wo success)
E 16.30
A - until TU+bed! as cannot induce any nap after 16.30 feed!
Bath 18.15
TU + bed 18.45/19.00
DF 22.00
LO is bottle fed mix of formula and expressed BM, is a good weight, has more milk than he needs during the day (180 ml per feed).
Any feedback or ideas based on experience appreciated ;-)