4 week old - Touchy Baby!! New to EASY

[VR16]

Hi, I have been recommended EASY by a friend today. I have a 4 week old touchy baby, many people have told me she is too young to be in a routine already but I am struggling with her during the day. At night she is brilliant. She has her last feed at 10pm and wakes at 2am and again around 5 or 6am. My issue is that from 6am onwards she is awake. She will nap around lunchtime but will only fall asleep in my arms (she doesn't do this at night) if I put her down she wakes almost immediately and cries. This goes on for hours until she is then overtired, grouchy and due another feed. I have tried driving her around in the car but screams if you put her in her car seat, I have tried taking her for a walk in her pram but screams, she eventually settles in the pram but the second you stop moving she cries, she just doesn't sleep during the day. I'll be lucky if she sleeps for 3 hours during the day. I am debating buying a baby carrier so I have my arms free. She won't let me put her down. She doesn't like her swing chair or bouncer and hates being led on a playmat. I am running out of ideas and I don't know how to implement a routine.. anyone else struggling with the same problem? She has just started cluster/fussy feeding from around 4ish.. I would like to start bathing her in the evening before settling her for bed but can't fit it in..

[jessmum46]

Hello, and welcome!  Congratulations on your new little bundle   They are gorgeous but exhausting aren't they?

I think a baby carrier is a great idea.  Soft stretchy wraps (Moby or similar) are lovely for newborns and very comfy to wear, and there are lots of other options for slightly bigger ones.  I agree that it is too early to be in what many people would think of as a 'routine' (set things happening at set times) as you are still getting to know her and her needs/preferences, but you can definitely start establishing a rhythm to your day with a loose EAS (eat, activity, sleep) structure.

There are some useful links here:
Starting EASY - all you need to know and more!
Starting EASY with a newborn-What to Expect
Getting started - how I survived the first 3 months

Basically you start your day with a feed (E), have a very short activity - at this age typically changing a nappy or just staring at Mum's face for literally a few mins - then settle LO for a sleep.  In time the aim will be for that to be in the crib with her settling independently, but that's something you can work towards slowly.  One of the biggest challenges to good sleep with a newborn is not recognising their tired signs.  Average awake time is only an hour at this stage and that includes everything from eyes open to eyes close, including feeding.  This link has average A times for you:  Average A times- BOOKMARK ME!   Getting LO to bed early enough can really help with settling - if they are awake too long they find it very difficult to settle into a restful sleep and this can set your day off on the wrong foot.

With her bath why not start introducing it earlier in the day for now, and then when she settles a little more in the evenings (tends to happen between 8-12 weeks) then you can gradually make it part of a bedtime routine? 

Let me know if you have more questions after looking through the links x

[creations]

Hello and welcome to BW forums
Lovely to have you join us.

I can see Katherine has already given you lots of information. I really just wanted to stop by to say that I was also introduced to BW when my DS was 4wks old and I started with the EASY routine right away - he has just turned 6yo and we are still big believers in the BW ethos.