Author Topic: Getting started 5 weeks  (Read 1316 times)

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Offline Snowywhite

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Getting started 5 weeks
« on: June 11, 2018, 08:18:51 am »
I’m just starting some shhh pat with my 5 week old. I’ve done it for one nap so far and it seems to have worked. Took about 10 mins.
We’re already in a fairly good routine but I’ve been feeding her to sleep and letting her sleep on me which has been fine but I have an older child so not really sustainable.

My plan is to use shhh pat for bedtime and as many naps as I can. If I think she’s getting too tired or we’re out somewhere I will use the sling for naps.
I also can’t face shh pat for nightfeeds. If I feed to sleep on these is that really bad?!

One other thing, before naps, she often has a little cry, whether on me, in the sling or in the cot.
I’m always worried that she’s crying because she wants more milk or has wind. If I do shh pat, and it takes a while, how will I know if it’s because she’s hungry/windy or just taking some time to go down?

Offline jessmum46

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Re: Getting started 5 weeks
« Reply #1 on: June 11, 2018, 13:54:08 pm »
Hi and welcome, congratulations on your little one!

Your plans sound great :)  With two it's never so straightforward and there has to be a certain amount of flexibility and accepting that things won't always be ideal.  My second slept on me in a sling quite a lot in the first 3-4 months when we were out and about, and would settle well in the pram too - to be honest he was far easier to deal with than my first who would only sleep in her bed in a dark room!!

Feeding to sleep for a night feed is totally fine in my opinion.  They usually fall asleep anyway and no point in waking them again!  Just put her down and get yourself back to sleep as soon as you can.

A little cry before naps is very common - some babies always do it, almost like a way to let off steam, others may do it if they are a bit overtired.  Learning to tell the difference between a grumbling/settling (mantra) cry and and an 'I need you!' cry will be helpful when trying to decide what the problem is.  The EASY routine should help as well - if you know LO has fed well recently, the chances are a bit of crying at sleep time probably isn't hunger.  There's also likely to be a difference between an 'in pain' cry e.g. wind, and a tired cry.  It's all a matter of observing and getting to know your own baby :)

Good luck and let us know if you have any more questions x