Author Topic: Question about Tracy's 4 week sample easy...catnaps/cluster feeding  (Read 1771 times)

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Offline vthatcher

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Hi! So I've got a two fold question about the 2 catnaps and cluster feeds Tracy has in her sample EAsy.  1) She has baby taking 2 catnaps in the evening but I'm somewhat confused on how to do this. Usually I can get my little one down for one of them although sometimes it feels like it takes half the time of the catnap to get her to fall asleep(another issue in itself...what if it takes half hr for Lo to fall asleep?)Then by the time it is time for the second one she is basically just ready for bed! So right now I'm just doing one of the catnaps...usually from 515-6  or around there somewhere then LO goes to bed by 7/730 so no 2nd catnap just bed.
2)  Would her 2nd cluster feed basically be while she is asleep or do I wake her for it? I've just been trying to feed her right before she goes to bed(she doesn't fall asleep nursing) and then doing the DF 3 hours or so later.
Thank you!

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Re: Question about Tracy's 4 week sample easy...catnaps/cluster feeding
« Reply #1 on: September 10, 2015, 10:17:21 am »
Hello, welcome to BW forums :)

Could you tell us which book and page you are referring to please? Sorry I don't remember a sample routine with 2 CNs but I could look it up.


Offline vthatcher

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Re: Question about Tracy's 4 week sample easy...catnaps/cluster feeding
« Reply #2 on: September 10, 2015, 14:57:51 pm »
 Hi! It is page 25 in the BW answers all your questions book!

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Re: Question about Tracy's 4 week sample easy...catnaps/cluster feeding
« Reply #3 on: September 11, 2015, 09:07:18 am »
Ok, got it :)

At the bottom of that page there is a reference to CF and DF explained on pgs 93-94 (worth a re-read of that section).
On pg 94 she explains some babies don't take both the cluster and dream feeds and that if this is the case it is more worth while to focus on establishing the DF.
"for example, you feed your baby at 6, give her a bath and do the bedtime routine, and top her off at 7 - she'll probably only take a few ml/ounces. Then at 10 or 11 (...) try to give her the dream feed"
It sounds like this is exactly what you are doing:
S first CN around 5.15-6
E 6.00
A Bed time routine
E 7.00 top up feed
BT 7/7.30
DF 10/10.30

As babies this young take such a long time to eat anyway you might consider the feeds at 6 and 7 to be a split feed or cluster.  I would imagine you have very little time there for a bath or much of a bedtime routine at all, a quick dunk and into pjs or a top and tail and into pjs is possibly all you can fit in, it depends how tired your LO is at the end of the day.

That second CN is intended for LO to be in their pjs anyway and for there to be no A time, just sleep, feed and back into bed, in effect BT being 7.30 but with a second feed added as the cluster.
It sounds like you are already doing great! :)

Remember the routine is just that, a routine rather than a strictly timed schedule, you will not get exactly those same times every day and that's fine.  LOs A times will gradually increase with age too.

what if it takes half hr for Lo to fall asleep?
It generally takes 20 mins for a baby to fall to sleep (I could set a watch by mine!). Aim to start your wind down for sleep 20 mins before the S time.  This is not always possible especially when you are trying to fit in feeds, nappy changes, baths, the time just whisks by, but just try.
Your baby is still very young and it takes a lot of time and effort to gently maintain a routine and gradually teach independent sleep, keep your expectations low, don’t panic if you feel you didn't do everything 'perfectly' and ask for help when needed.

I started EASY when my DS was 4.5wks old. On a great day it took the full 20 mins for him to nod off, on a not so good day he could cry through 'the witching hour' for what seemed like the entire night with me shush/patting, jiggling, walking and all the rest of it...but bit by bit we found our way :)

As I said, it looks like you're already doing great and you've solved your own 'problem' by giving the feeds and BT when they are suitable in your LOs routine, and it turns out you're doing just as Tracy said :)