Figuring out A times and wind down routine for possibly touchy 10 week old

[Tabathagucci]

I have another question...paci and soothing related.  When she is OT, I've been giving her more help to get to sleep. This means holding my hand firm on her chest and either holding the paci in or replugging it instantly when it falls out. If I do this, I can get her to sleep fairly quickly.  If I leave her to do it on her own, I still have to replug the paci several times and it takes her forever to fall asleep as she fully wakes every time the paci falls out.  For example, I put her down OT tonight at 6:15. It's 7:08 and she's fallen asleep 4 times now and woken up each time the paci falls out, needing it replugged and then taking more time to settle and fall asleep again.   When I can get her down at the right time, she is ok when the paci falls out. 
Is it better to help her when she needs it or better to leave her be until she fusses so as not to get her even more dependent on the paci?  If I don't help her, she just gets even more OT.

[FPT23]

Hi!

I'm using the paci too so I might not be much help- but my situation is diff as I don't have to keep replugging the paci. It is a prop. Bottom line. Some are ok with it, others aren't. Guess it depends on your level of patience with replugging ....

But IRT your question, she will fuss for the paci either way-- you will have to help her. If your still going to do the paci replug at nights, then what's the point, yk? Either you get rid of it all together, and help soothe her through it and then it's a thing of the past (Basically your removing the prop) or you just keep doing what your doing...but she does rely on the paci to soothe herself to sleep. I don't think you can get her "even more" dependent on the paci- she already is dependent on it, kwim? If your going to remove it, remove it for good. She's going to need your help anyway kwim?

All in all, if your going to help her, or want to with the paci- you need to stay consistent. You can try Pantleys removal as we had discussed which takes weeks as it stated. But you need to stick with it every time. Regardless, she's already dependent on the paci. She's going to be OT either way the day you decide to remove it. You kind of just have to make a move and stick with it and later she/you will find a new way to sleep. She's going to have to sleep eventually right? Hehe!

Good luck! I myself plan to remove the paci even though I don't constantly need to replug but just so he learns another method and won't wake to ask for it at night when the day comes rather earlier than later when he's more used to it. It can be a great tool- every parent views it differently! If you don't mind replugging and such- then just ride it out until she's old enough to do it herself hehe

Xoxo

How old is your LO one now, sorry

[ireneasheard]

Agreed. I personally have 2 kids who have never taken to paci/dummy so I only made the observation that paci re plugging potentially an issue but as said above it depends what you're prepared to put up with. I personally  (me only and not saying it's what everyone should do) would not be able to put up with re plugging. A friend of mine had an extremely paci dependent babe that loved paci as bottle fed and clearly wanted/needed oral stimulation. When she was old enough she put a basket of pacis in so babe could get one for herself and pop ot in middle of the night... it worked for them. Do what you think is right with paci!

[becj86]

It depends a bit on how old she is and how well controlled the reflux is - if the reflux is well controlled, the paci is not AS necessary, so you could maybe continue your assistance in terms of hand on her but not replug constantly - it really depends upon what you're ok with. I think once she's asleep and you know she was OT, one way to help her not to get more OT is to be ready to resettle a 30min waking.

[Tabathagucci]

Thank you everyone! She's 4 months this Saturday.  We are about 1.5 weeks into the 4 month regression.  I can put her down awake with the paci and walk out at this point so that's good but if I miss the window then she needs the paci replugged sometimes once sometimes a few times.  I did this with my first and put 5 pacis in the crib for him once he was able to do it himself.  Worked out well for us actually.  So I guess I'll just keep on doing it!  And her reflux is under control but still wakes her up or makes it hard to settle at times, especially when she overeats, which she loves to do.
And the good thing about this being my second baby, I know she will sleep at some point as mentioned!  LOL

[FPT23]

Haha good luck!

[Tabathagucci]

Thank you! Ok so now need help with our EASY toward the end of the day. Naps are easier to get her down for with the longer A time but still short, anywhere from 25-40 mins, usually 30-35.  A time seems to be 1h45m, any longer and she gets all jittery and is hard to get down.  My issue is the end of the day and whether to give another nap or not.  Here is our day today.  Very messy as I think we're reaching the peak of sleep regression. 
A 5:40 (tried to get her back to sleep till 7, she fell asleep a few times but woke a couple minutes later each time)
E 7:10
A
S 7:45-8:52 (fell asleep but had to replug paci 4 times the first 30 mins)
E
A
S 10:39-11:11
E
A
S 1-1:20 (nap in carrier during ODS swim lesson)
E
A
S 2:55-3:25

The next nap would be at 5/5:15 depending on how early I can get her to sleep.  Which would make bed time awfully late considering she woke at 5:40 but if I don't do another nap, bed time is before 6 pm, which just seems ridiculous. So what to do???  Thanks in advance and sorry so many questions! Her naps are so messy because they're so short and I have ODS!

[Tabathagucci]

Oh and feel free to comment on any other part of the easy too! 

[Tabathagucci]

So I think maybe the above is too complicated so if someone can help me figure out an EASY for a 25-40 min napper with roughly a 2 hour A time that would be super helpful!

[Tabathagucci]

I've been nursing her every 2-3 hours, not right when she wakes but a little after to make sure she's not hungry part way through her nap.

[creations]

Hi there, sorry I'm not sure what you're asking, is it about feed times to fit around the short naps?
If so then many LOs are moving (or already moved) to 4hrly E now (I think your LO is about 4.5 months?) although of course it does depend on the LO.  I would just count E times and A/S times separately and record them so you can keep E roughly 3-4hr apart and nap when needed based on the short naps and A times.  if a nap time means the E will come a little later than 3 hrs that's fine, even 3.5hrs it's fine often LO will continue to sleep even if it is the E time as they know they'll be fed on waking.
If though you see a nap and a feed about to bump into one another then feed a little earlier.
With short naps though it's doubtful LO would have to wait long for the E.

[Tabathagucci]

Hi!  The feeds I've got down its how to fit 3-4 naps in and not have her be super OT by the end of the day.  With 4 naps, day is too long (too much A time) and with 3 it's too short, either too much A time before bed or too early of a bed time.

[Tabathagucci]

Maybe the answer is it will be messy for a couple weeks till A times lengthen out?

[creations]

Ah right.
Yes I seem to remember a phase of 4 or 5 naps per day from 3.5 - 5.5 months (our 4 month regression) which was a bit messy.  I'd be more inclined to put in the extra nap at the end of the day if she'll accept it, and then do a later BT.  It's a bit of a wing-it time though as one or more naps may be longer which shifts the day.

Sorry I don't have the answer for you.

[Tabathagucci]

Ok!  If she wakes at 6:30-7 is there a time I shouldn't do naps after?  I've been using 5 pm but then if she takes a nap from 3-3:30 that makes 2.5-3 hours before bed time which is a looking stretch. But a nap from 5:30-6 seems late and pushes bed time to 8.  So is the nap from 5:30-6 ok?