6mo frequent NWs and EW with 3-2 transition

[lily_layne]

2-3-4 routine i.e. Increasing A time through the day:

This is what I ended up using for DS and it worked wonderfully for him (although he did need slightly less than 4 h as a last A as he liked long nights). In hindsight, I think it would have worked well for DD and solved some of our nap issues. I also have a lot of friends who didn't read a thousand books and just instinctually went for similar routines.

That's great that you had a good BT and night. As you say, I would keep going and just keep an eye out for OT. You can always back BT up a bit if needed.

[Scottishmummy]

Thanks Lily. We've had a couple of OT days with short naps & disrupted nights over the wkend as I didn't believe 2hrs could be long enough for first A time when she could do 4hrs at the end of the day. 
Today I decided to give it a try and it worked like a charm for her naps- settling with little or no crying within 5mins for naps and BT and two 1.5hr naps. So today looked like this:

WU: 7
E: 7.15 milk, solids at 8
A:2hrs
S: 9-10.30
E: 11 milk, solids at 12
A:3hrs
S: 1.30-3
E: milk 3pm solids at 5
A: 4hrs
S: BT at 7pm

Waiting to see what kind of night it gives us....

[trimbler]

Sounds great Yk, it may not be quite as in the BW books' examples, but you're listening to your LO and seeing what works best for her, respecting her needs - and that's certainly a key part (the key part?) of BW Tracy certainly acknowledged that EASY might look a bit different for some LOs, but she couldn't cover every single possibility in a book

[lily_layne]

Tracy certainly acknowledged that EASY might look a bit different for some LOs, but she couldn't cover every single possibility in a book

Very true. In fact, she actually didn't want to put any example routines in the book because she knew people would interpret it as the "right" routine and forget that routine can vary a lot from LO to LO.

[Scottishmummy]

Thanks both, that's so encouraging. I spent a lot of time with my first baby (DS) worrying that he wasn't on the "right" routine & stressing when he didn't follow a textbook example. This time round it's easier to listen to DD, observe her and follow her cues, & be happy to do that.

Nights still a bit broken but easier to resettle so hoping we're turning a corner... Until the next regression of course! 

[trimbler]

Glad the resettling's getting easier

[Scottishmummy]

So DD is doing a lovely 2 nap routine now but is STILL waking frequently at night.  The early morning (4/5am) wake up has gone now she has a longer A time to bed, but she's often not going back to sleep after night feeds. I then settle her but then it leads to her waking more frequently again wanting me to resettle her. Yesterday was pretty typical:

Milk at 7;11;15.00 & 18.15.  Solids at 8,12, 17.00
WU: 6.45
Nap 1: 8.50-10.10
Nap2: 13.10-14.45
BT & Sleep: 18.45

NWs : 9.50-10.15 (feed) 1-1.30 (feed) 2.30-3.30 (try to resettle, feed at 3am soothe, change, soothe); 5,30 (soothe), 6,30 awake for day.

3 NFs is unusual, usually it's 2- around 10.30 & 3am but the frequent & often long wakings are typical.

I wonder if the NFs are becoming a habit and disturbing her sleep? Maybe I should try night weaning?

[trimbler]

Do you feel like she's just more wakeful at night, like she might need a touch more A time during the day? Or is she more upset or acting like there's something else bothering her? Teeth, perhaps?

[Scottishmummy]

It varies, if she wakes before 10, she's upset- like OT screaming and wanting to go back to sleep.
 If it's after midnight, she's often just wakeful and hard to get back to sleep, so maybe I do need to increase that first A time a bit.

This morning she woke for the day at 6am, I kept first nap at 9.00 (3hrs A instead of 2) and she's taken a 2hr nap.

I do also wonder if 2nd night feed is becoming a habit rather than need though, she's hungry for first feed but more lazy feeding on 2nd.  I only fed one side last night at 3am and she was fine until morning feed. I'm going to try gradually weaning off 3am feed and see if that helps too.

[trimbler]

It sounds like you have a good plan