Confused about how to extend EASY times - naps in particular

[Erineo]

HI there,
I've been doing EASY routine since week 5, and we're now at 14 weeks, with some modifications. I don't do a dreamfeed but I do feed twice before bed (E-A-E then S for the night, with the E's being about 1.5 hours apart). MY LO has slept from 8:00pm or so (varying a half-hour either way) depending on the day's end, until waking at 6:45am, for almost two weeks now. He is about 18 pounds so I feel I have nothing to complain about, but I'm wondering how to make his daytime routine longer and slightly more consistent.

The daytime routine varies because I am big on wayching for signs of tiredness, and one A can be an hour, while the next can be 1.5 or even 2 hours. However his naps are almost always 45 minutes, occasionally an hour (rare 1.5 hours...just goes long if we are out in a stroller).

1) If he sleeps through the night should I just accept he might not need more daytime sleep?
2) How does anyone get a 2 hr nap out of t heir baby (like in the 4hr EASY)? When my LO wakes up, he is AWAKE - he is not interested in being soothed back to sleep. He also feeds very well at each wake up, which is barely 3hr EASY. If he won't nap longer do I just modify the 4hr EASY?
3) How does one start moving towards 4hr EASY? I see some references to a guide on the transition but couldn't find the link.

Thanks for any input!

Erin

[Domestic Engineer]

How many feeds is he getting in a 24 hour period? And how many naps is he taking each day?

He should be getting 6-8 feeds minimum at such a young age, so you might not be able to space feedings more if he's EBF and STTN.

Some babies only need 45 minute naps. If he wakes up happy and has a happy activity time of normal length for his age, then he's probably good.

Sounds like you really don't have a problem to me!

[deb]

Seen this yet? How Tracy Helped Josie and her Family Get Past 45-Min. Naps!

[Erineo]

Thank you both so much. Domestic Engineer, he gets 6 feeds a day, and 5 naps - roughly this routine:
645 E
815 S
900 E
1015 S
1100 E
1230 S
115 E
230 S
315 E
400 S
500 E
Activity until 630 or 645 E
730 S until morning wakeup

I think I'm wondering if he is doing such short naps then should I try to move towards the 4hr easy. I read the piece you posted Deb, but the difference is that my LO sleeps through the night and I suspect is getting enough to eat.

If I put him down based on him showing the sleepy cues, how would I ever stretch his activity time? Or I guess the point is to try to increase the nap so they can stay up longer.

Thanks!

[Domestic Engineer]

I count seven feeds on this schedule with the bedtime feed - am I reading it correctly? Or are you counting the 5 and 6:30 pm feeds as each a half a feed?

Just extending to a 3-hour EASY, while keeping the same night sleep, would cut out a feeding. If you went to the 4-hour EASY, you would be down 2 feedings. At 3 months, he probably still needs at least six feedings.

You awake times might be a little short for his age - can you try keeping him up longer before putting him down for a nap? He might be under-tired, which causes short naps. At least some of his awake times could be closer to two hours at this point.

Without a dream feed, you might not be able to get to a 4-hour easy, so you would have to choose whether you want to introduce a dream feed and hopefully get longer naps, or keep the long night sleep and accept that he might have two short naps at one point instead of one longer one.

[Erineo]

Thanks, yes you're right, and now that I review it I really think we do one less but I haven't been writing them down for a while. Probably could do with a good bout of recording it and watching more closely. We are going away next week for 5 nights in Florida so while that isn't ideal, I can probably plan to be very good with routine when we are back, and since we will be coming up to the 4 month mark on the 19th.

Cheers DE!