Author Topic: How do YOU do it? Sticking to EASY (or any sort of routine)& getting stuff done  (Read 2172 times)

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Offline tinydancer

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I am after a bit of advice - from anyone!

I am trying to get my LO into a better EASY routine (he's been on some form of one since around 12 weeks), and trying to figure out optimum nap times/bed times etc., which went all up the wazoo at 4 months. What I am really struggling with is trying to balance his naps & routine while getting every day stuff done, groceries etc. We live around 30mins from anywhere, so often he'll fall asleep in the car on the way home, which then puts everything out of whack.

Is there anyone else here that also balanced long drives or similar with EASY and found a good routine? Do you just have a certain number of days each week that are write-offs? Do I just do everything in the later part of the day and count any sleeps as catnaps? I know it won't be long before it all changes, but each day that goes past that we don't manage to stick the the routine I feel like a failure and a bad mum for not letting him have proper sleeps!

FWIW here is the rough routine we are working with at the moment (although I can't say it's been a success more than 2 days in a row) & I think have a Textbook/Spirited bubba on my hands;

E - 0700
A - 2.5hr
S - 9.30 to 1100
E - 1100
A - 2.5hr
S - 1330 - 1500
E - 1500
A - 2.25hr
S - 1715 - 1745 *find this catnap quite hard to get timing right with BT
Bedtime - 1930/2000

Offline becj86

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Hi :)

Yes, many days are writeoffs routine-wise, just life with a small baby and having to achieve things like grocery shopping, I'm afraid. You can time it with naps, I used to get DS up from a nap, feed and walk out the door - rule was that if we were both clean when I locked the door, whatever mess happened thereafter was after we left the house and no point going back inside to change yet again.

I'd be erring on the side of getting the first nap right, sets you up for a better day and means you get at least one decent nap in the day. Try then for driving home at catnap time, helps to APOP that one before it disappears anyway...

Something else you can do is to train LO to transfer. Lift out of car, take inside (I used to just say "Mummy's got you" over and over quietly, still do now at 4.5 if he falls asleep on the way home in the evening) and then soothe back to restful sleep in familiar sleep environment.

You could also leave just before nap time, have LO fall asleep in the car on the way there and let him sleep in the pram while you go about your business. No harm in the odd nap in the pram if you can get it to happen.

Offline michaeljacknnugg

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We are out and about all day every day! I have two horses and my older child to get to and from school.

I try to time the first nap so he's in the sling at the yard. This is often the best nap of the day. Then if I'm out and about later it will either be during A time or just before a sleep is due. For grocery shopping etc I always used it as an activity when LO1 was younger, and chatted away round the shop about what we could see, let him feel some of the foods etc.
My 'little man' - kind-hearted Spirited whirlwind, 2008
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Offline creations

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Our routine was mostly first nap at home followed by a car nap on the way to somewhere, Activity time at the place I'd driven to, next nap in the car on the way back home, Activity time at home (dinner, BT routine) then bed.
You mentioned changes, our changes were things like:
- beginning the second nap in the car at the correct time and setting off early to our appointment so he would fall asleep in the car at his correct time and I'd park up and let him finish his nap (or have to wake him for our appointment)
- beginning third nap late because of our appointment and just getting him in the car to fall asleep as quickly as possible
- on days when I didn't *have to* stay to the end of an appointment I would leave early (say a baby group I'd just leave when I knew he needed to sleep) so he'd nod off in the car and I'd park up outside the house to let him finish his nap
- at some point nap 2 became a CN, this was because his 1st and 2nd A times increased but we still had a set appointment to make so he got 40 mins in the car followed by a shorter A time and then back in the car for nap 3 which was a CN, very short A time before BT to make up for the 2 CNs
- when we dropped to 2 naps it was nap 2 which dropped not nap 3. This meant 1st and second A times extended we did our out and about in the middle and he slept on the way home plus I parked up to allow longer than a CN.

We had these set appointments 2 afternoons per week which I couldn't move or change so I had to fit his routine around them.  It was not a standard EASY but it was still EASY/BW.  I tried to make the rest of the week quite similar to those 2 days so that the entire week was pretty much the same, so I went out at roughly the same time, home roughly the same time etc.
My biggest problem was I just longer for 1 day per week I could bum around at home and NOT go out...of course he was so used to taking those car naps he would totally refuse a cot nap at home for nap 2 which caused me great frustration and exhaustion, whilst I wanted to chill out at home (even nap dare I say?) it was harder work to stay at home fighting him down for a nap in his cot.  The first nap and nights were always in his cot and remained a breeze throughout.

transfer. Lift out of car, take inside (I used to just say "Mummy's got you" over and over quietly, still do now at 4.5 if he falls asleep on the way home in the evening) and then soothe back to restful sleep in familiar sleep environment.
I also did this however mine would not, absolutely not be transferred until he was 12 months+ hence me spending a lot of time in the car.  Some time after 1yo I was able to do this, which was much better.


Offline tinydancer

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Thanks you guys, I really appreciate the replies! It's nice to hear from people that have been through it.

My LO does seem to nap the best when he's in his own cot, unfortunately when the car stops moving he'll wake up pretty quickly if he's fallen asleep there. I really like the sound of being able to transfer!! - might have to give that a go as we seem to be out & about most days - although I try and limit it to just one errand or activity so it's not overly stimulating for him.

If he has only had a catnap - 30-45 minutes - how long would you recommend the activity time being? I've only just managed to train him into longer naps, sometimes he'll do it himself and sometimes he takes 5-10 minutes of resettling. And sometimes he won't be resettled for love nor money!!

Offline becj86

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If he has only had a catnap - 30-45 minutes - how long would you recommend the activity time being? I've only just managed to train him into longer naps, sometimes he'll do it himself and sometimes he takes 5-10 minutes of resettling. And sometimes he won't be resettled for love nor money!!
This is highly variable. There is a rule of thumb that says reduce following A time by half the missed sleep. I tend to reduce by 15min for an UT nap and 30min for an OT nap.

Just a guess: the 45min naps are the ones that are either touch and go or impossible to resettle? Those are the UT ones, so that's where I'd consider increasing the A time.