IS EAESY ok vs EASY????

[marylou]

Hi,

I have a 4 mnth old little boy named Jacob who I am having major challenges with ....regarding short naps.

He seems to be going through a major grow spurt....and is always hungry.  He was born a month early...so I treat him like a 3 month old with regards to development etc.

I am having problems...with short naps and with getting him to nap ...period.  This is a new problem......he screams and screams to go down...and I end up pu/pd and shhh/pat until the next feed...unless I feed him to sleep.

I have read a few of the other ladies posts and they seem to sometimes nurse...(I am nursing and formula feeding--I have supply issues)...to sleep.....

I am just wondering if this is bad to do?  His daddy gives him his big bottle before bed every night and he sleeps through from about 730-800pm until 4-630am........

The only problem is daytime napping.......and cluster feeding like all day!!  He also drinks a substantial amount at EACH feeding...like 4 or 5 oz and bf!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Does anyone else have experience with doing EAESY vs EASY?  My instinct says if it works...do it.......but I wonder what you ladies think about this?

Thanks in advance for the help...AGAIN!!!

ML 

[stasztk]

I beleive one of the reasons Tracy says to put babies on e.a.s.y is so that they don't get dependent on breast or bottle to go to sleep. She also says you should encourage them to learn how to sleep on their own. So e.a.e.s.y is not what she teaches.  I can't help you more than that I am still stuck doing e.a.e.s.y too.

[Katet]

definitely not ideal, as your lo will associate feeding with going to sleep if that is what happens everytime he goes to sleep & it does encourage short naps & lots of night waking, as when he goes through a light sleep phase he will need the same conditions to go back off to sleep.

if you really think your lo needs the extra feeds, then it would be better to try EAEAS, but ideally you want to feed every 3-4 hours & not less often to avoid problems. Also if your lo is always falling asleep feeding, then you will have a snacker on your hands as if you are only gettting short naps, then the awake time is also short, so I assume he is feeding every 2 or so hours.

What does your day routine look like, how many naps etc? what do you do to wind down?

Also PU/PD may be too stimulating & if you do it then revert back to feeding, then your lo knows just to keep crying & you will eventually go back to what he trusts

PS occasional nursing to sleep is ok in a baby who can fall asleep with out nursing most of the time... I nurse my 3mo off about 2x week on days when his naps get messed up by activities for my toddler, but as he goes off on his own most other times it isn't a problem

[marylou]

Thanks,  I appreciate the responses.

I am wondering why my husband bottle feeds to sleep at 7 or 8 and he sleeps through the night......VERY VERY occasionally wakes up at 4am..but almost always wakes up between 530 and 630am.

So, for me...this way seems to be okay.  YKWIM?  We do not have any night waking issues with him...nor have we in the past since he started sleeping through his 2am feeding...a couple of months ago.

I don't want him to become dependant on the bottle/breast to sleep.....but I also have a feeling he is having a big growth spurt...and so in following the example in the how to get beyond 45 min naps post in naps forum.....we shall see!!

THANKS AGAIN!!

[marylou]

SORRY!!

I forgot to post his schedule for the day....with some variations, it goes like this!

E  600 up and feed both sides

A  630-730 play and read downstairs

E upstairs to eat again/if I am losing it,  in dim room and wind down...rocker for a few minutes and put into crib

S  pu/pd...shhh pat.........usually goes to sleep right away if fed......if not...struggle and either no nap as goes into next feeding time....or short, short nap..only occassionally has had a 1.5-2 hour nap....

and the rest of the day goes in order, but times vary

E

A

E

S

E

A

E

S


until bed time at 7-8pm...and then sleeps until the next morning...

how come he does not wake at night then??  do you think this will be happening again......(has not happened for a really long time)

THANKS FOR THE input!! 

[Katet]

If it works now it is probably ok, BUT the 2 people I know who were able to feed to sleep & get long night sleeps both became very unstuck, with lots of night wakings around 6-9months & one of them still has problems settling her baby nearly a year later

[marylou]

Thanks for letting me know that.............good to know!!