almost 11weeks EASY - Sleep part (nap)

[sunnievink]

Hello mamas,

 I started set up EASY routine with my 11 weeks old baby, E.A part is going well in terms of keeping the baby awake and doing activities etc, however I find S - Nap extremely difficult especially with Pat Shh how to help him to fall asleep on his own etc.

Let's say my baby didn't nap at all with the S trial for the first nap, and it's time for him to eat again, do I feed him and put him to sleep right away? or do I wait until the next sleep cycle? This method still involves with him crying a lot and it seems like the more I try to calm him with Pat shh it seems like it's more upsetting him. And he's not falling asleep at all even trying for an hour. It's killing my back and legs because of the crib and I'm bending over to pat him and also shh him...

And I'm not 100% sure if I'm doing it correctly, I read the book thinking that I would explain more details but couldn't find much information. Could someone explain more details? I can't pat shh him hours and hours it's hurting entire my body. Am I supposed to do it forever until he falls asleep or what am I supposed to do?

I feel so lost and feel like I may just let him cry cuz he's crying anyways...
Help me please....

P.S Should I make him sleep with rocking and whatever I used to use to create the routine? or am I doing it right to just to 4 S and put him down and try to settle him down with pat shh?

[Domestic Engineer]

Sorry you're having trouble!

How did he usually fall asleep before you started the shush-pat method? Rocking?

He really shouldn't be crying with this method. It sounds like you may be trying to just soothe him while he's in the crib, even though he's crying. That's not right at this age - if he's crying and the shush-pat isn't soothing to him, you pick him up and continue on your shoulder until he's calm and sleepy, then put him down and continue.

I think your baby will not skip naps if you stop doing this so aggressively and pick him up when he's upset. If he falls asleep in your arms occasionally because he won't nap in the crib, it's ok as long as you keep trying to have him fall asleep in his crib.

If he does miss a whole nap, I would feed him on schedule, then do a very, very short activity just so that you're not nursing him to sleep, then put him down for his nap right away.

Which book do you have? Do you have Baby Whisperer Solves Your Problems? It's more detailed in the methods than the original Baby Whisperer book.

Shush-pat - How to

[Buttonbobs]

Hi there and welcome to BW

Sorry to hear you are having a tricky time. Can you post your day in EAS format like this:

WU and E: 7am
S: 8.30-10am
E:10 am erc

This will help us to see if his pattern is broadly appropriate for your LOs age. We may then have some practical suggestions.

In the meantime, with shh pat, you go to the bedroom to do the wind down before sleep time and then if your LO needs it you pat him and shh while he's in your arms to begin with, the lay him in the cot and continue to shh and pat until he sleep. To begin with he may cry loudly, remember that crying is his only way of communicating with you. It may be, I'm not ready to go to sleep (perhaps because he's not quite tired enough) or it may be because you're starting a new routine and he's protesting the change. The important thing is that you remain with him so he's no crying alone (which is stressful for the baby and we believe, can lead to breaking the bond of trust between baby and parent).

It sounds strange, but it is helpful to remember your role as parent isn't necessarily to stop him from crying. If you think of it as if he were another adult, expressing his upset and telling you all about it, you wouldn't necessarily get him to stop, but you would listen and reassure and be there for them. The same is true for babies. Acknowledge their feelings and be there for them, and try not to be too worried if they are crying.

I personally didn't continue to shh pay for hours, I could tell fairly quickly whether my Dd was going to settle or not for sleep, so probably would shh pay for 15/20 mins and if this didn't work would get her out of bed for a short while before trying again

If you can post the EAS for your day there may be something that will help I that. Also, what methods have you been using before now to help your LO to sleep?

Here to help, xxx