Author Topic: Getting Started  (Read 1684 times)

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Offline Celinatron

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Getting Started
« on: October 12, 2015, 04:44:00 am »
Hi

I'm looking for some guidance please?
I have a 12 week old and would like to get him started on EASY, however my problem is do I correct my accidential parenting mistakes before establishling EASY or vice versa? He will only fall asleep in our arms while we bounce on a gym ball and then will only sleep in our arms on a armchair, he screams in the bassinet, he is also a very bad napper.  So EASY first or fix first? Which should i fix first, the gym ball or the bassinet? Does anyone have any tips for me please? TIA

Celina

Offline Buttonbobs

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Re: Getting Started
« Reply #1 on: October 12, 2015, 06:09:10 am »
Hi there and welcome to BW :) this is a really wonderful site where I know you will get ideas and support from the fabulous members here.

I would say in answer to your question, probably a bit of both at the same time, it is hard to improve props without the EASY being "right", but it is hard to get the EASY more established without working on independent sleep at the same time. The path to IS wil take a little while and you can work on the sleep timings as you go.

Would you be able to post what the last few days have looked like in an EAS format? Is your LO breastfed (BF) or on formula (FF)?
~ Naomi ~




Offline Celinatron

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Re: Getting Started 12wks lots of accidential parenting
« Reply #2 on: October 14, 2015, 09:17:51 am »
Hi

Thanks for the reply, heres what the last two days looked like, he wont take more food during the day and although only 12 weeks will not feed every 3hrs, i really dont mind the night wakings, i just need to get rid of the gym ball to make him sleep and to get him in the bassinet instead of on the armchair.  Any advice would be great 😔 He is formula fed.

06:00 awake
Eat 06:30 180ml
Activity 06:50
Sleep 07:30 (slept well due to bad night)
10:20 awake
Eat 10:30 100ml
Activity 10:56
Sleep 12:05 car seat walking
13:45 awake
Eat 14:30 70ml
Activity 15:55
Sleep 15:29 ball/chair
Awake 15:50
Sleep 16:01 awake/asleep gave up trying
Awake 16:52
Activity 16:52
Eat 18:15 140ml
Sleep 18:35 awake/asleep
Sleep 19:30 ball/chair
23:50 awake
Eat 00:00 180ml
Sleep 00:15 fell asleep eating
03:11 awake
Eat 03:20 90ml
Sleep 03:44 ball/chair restless
06:57 awake
Eat 07:13 70ml
Activity 07:30
Sleep 08:30 ball awake/asleep gave up trying
10:11 awake

Offline creations

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Re: Getting Started
« Reply #3 on: October 18, 2015, 18:27:21 pm »
Hi there, have you made a start on introducing EASY now?
I think if it was me I'd move the gym ball into his room and do a rapid but gentle wean from the bouncing. Beginning by reducing the bouncing, less and less bouncy as he drifts off to sleep so that in a few days you do a little bouncing then stop bouncing but stay where you are.  At the same time introduce shush/pat (or shush/rub) so that this soothing method can be transferred to the bassinet/crib.
You might find it helpful to warm the crib before nap time, a transition into a chilly bed may wake some babies (even if it is warm where you live there may still be a difference between body heat and the crib sheet). A hot water bottle (only warm though not hot) to warm the crib pre-nap, remove it before putting LO in and don't leave LO with it.


Offline Celinatron

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Re: Getting Started
« Reply #4 on: October 25, 2015, 07:31:11 am »
Hi, thanks for getting back to me.  I came to the same conclusion myself about the gym ball, still working on removal but have reduced the bouncing time.  In regards to EASY, im struggling, his naps are all over the place, sometimes 2hrs, sometimes 20mins, but more often than not hes awake an hour / half an hour before hes due a feed, am attempting a 3.5hr easy with 1.5hr A and 2hr S, what do i do, isnt the EASY order the most important aspect?

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Re: Getting Started
« Reply #5 on: October 25, 2015, 09:34:14 am »
The EAS routine helps to avoid a feed to sleep prop.  Baby eats when he wakes up or during his A time so that is is not too close to his sleep time. The thing with offering milk right before nap time is that he may be too tired to take a full feed and nod off, or develop a habit of falling to sleep whilst eating, a prop for sleep soothing.
So, if your routine is a little off all you really need to do is place a little A between E and S.  This means in reality your EASY may look more like EASAEAS, which is fine.
At some point everyone has to move E times a little to fit around naps, either feeding a bit earlier than the 3./3.5hr they are aiming for to enable nap to come on time, or going longer than the 3.5hr gap between E because baby is still sleeping (in which case just feed on WU).

With weaning things like the gym ball bouncing, the key is in you staying alert to it.  It is so easy and tempting to be drawn into that bouncy motion yourself especially if you are tired and it's the easiest way to get LO to sleep.  Try to stay alert to the bouncing and the reduction of it and you ought to be able to reduce, stop, start again a little if needed, stop again, reduce to very small movements and stop - all this in one put down for one nap - then same again at next nap but reducing again.  It isn't a kind of straight line reduction, more of a start, reduce stop, start, reduce stop, kind of thing.  Same with the firm hand and rocking once in the cot.
I would aim to have the gym ball gone within 3-7 days, it sounds quick but babies are fast at adapting if we show them the way.
good luck!