Author Topic: DS approaching 11 mos. & think our routine needs tweakin  (Read 1495 times)

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Offline Portia

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DS approaching 11 mos. & think our routine needs tweakin
« on: September 06, 2005, 15:48:42 pm »
Hi friends,

Andrew, my DS, is almost 11 mos. old & think I've just realized our routine needs tweaking...Feel so naive (1st baby)...!  We started the E.A.S.Y. routine at about 9 mos. & had to correct lots of accidental parenting...Our life is becoming more & more orderly now, but something's still not quite right w/ sleeping during the day...I think it's b/c we're using the 4 hour routine & need to extend it, could use some help as we don't want to do something drastic or wrong that would have a bad affect on Andrew...Here's where we're coming from:

E 7:00-7:15 wake up & bf
A diaper change, dress & play until brakfast
E 8:00-8:30 breakfast
A brush teeth, wash face & play until 8:45 (think this s/b extended :?: ), nap routine
S 9:00-11:00 nap #1 (wishful thinking :( )
E 11:00-11:15 wake up & bf
A diaper change & play until lunch (usually pack lunch & go to park)
E 12:00-12:30 lunch
A play/outing until 1:45, nap routine
S 2:00-4:00 nap #2 (wishful thinking :( )
E 4:00-4:15 wake up & bf
A diaper change & play until dinner
E 5:15-5:45 dinner
A play until 6:25, bath or PJ's (depending on day)
E 6:40 bf (not in nursery, to separate from bedtime routine)
A 6:50 bedtime routine & in bed 7:00ish
S past couple days he's been asleep by 7:30 & makes it until 7:00am  :)  :!:

I think what's been helping is putting him down earlier in the evening (bedtime used to be 8:00), but I know I need to adjust activity times...Since napping has been all over the place, we've been trying to get through a lot of overtiredness & it's been hard to read the cues correctly  :? ...

I reviewed the posts on sample E.A.S.Y. routines for 6-12 mos. & noticed that some around Andrew's age have switched the order of bf/bottle & solid meals...Is this something I should be doing, any hints on transitioning :?:  We're planning on weaning to whole milk once Andrew's a year old (want to avoid formula, if possible)...

Today, I waited until 9:35 to start the nap routine & put Andrew down by 9:47...Did PD 20x (+/-) & he settled to sleep (whew!) by 10:25, woke exactly 45m later & I did PD 2x & he resettled within 10m  :!:   Not sure how the rest of our day should go, but think I'll stick to bf upon waking (no later than 12:00) & then lunch an hour later w/ nap @ 3:00...Any feedback on this :?:

We've read Tracy's 1st book, are focusing on E.A.S.Y. & teaching sleep chapters & also begining BW for Toddlers...It's hard to keep up while in the midst of caring for DS w/o much daytime sleep...

Started using PU/PD for naps a while back & had some success but have regressed (possibly due to inappropriate routine :?: )...Got to a point where we could leave the room immediately after putting Andrew down & no crying, but he'd play & do laps around the crib for 1/2 hour or so & then get fussy :? , guess we should have stuck w/ PU/PD longer :?:   Now we are back to PU/PD as of yesterday, hard road but we're committed to seeing it through...

Thanks in advance for any help,      :)  Portia

PS: Sorry for the longwindedness :!: :!:


Offline Noelle

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DS approaching 11 mos. & think our routine needs tweakin
« Reply #1 on: September 07, 2005, 01:44:06 am »
Hi...
I'd say your routine looks pretty good.  Around this age, Tracy recommends having "set" nap times for the most part.  With a 4hour schedule starting at 7:00, her suggestions are 9 and 1.  Now all babies are different so you'll have to decide what works (maybe 10 and 2 for you).  I just mention that because I see the second nap doesn't start until 2?  Maybe he's overtired then?  I think too that you can start to combine the bf and solids, or switch them around like you mentioned.  I believe the common goal is to have 3 meals a day with 2 snacks in between...or basically how we eat.  Does he take a sippy at all?  If he takes a sippy of ebm, you could start incorporating that with one of the meals vs bf separately?

Don't know if that helps at all.. :D
**Noelle**  Formerly JohnandZoesMom



Offline Portia

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11 month old routine tweak
« Reply #2 on: September 07, 2005, 15:08:25 pm »
Hi Noelle,

Thank you for the reassurance & suggestions, REALLY appreciate...!

I'm a little surprised that a 4 hour would still be appropriate for an 11 month old, DS really fights that 9:00 AM nap & usually won't go down until we've gone through a 40m round of PD...Could I be doing someting wrong...?

Yesterday & today, I put DS down 9:40-5 AM & both times he fell asleep @ 10:20-5.  Is that an indicator that he should have more activity time b/4 nap...?  I'm thinking a 10:00 AM nap would be a goal, should I keep trying or revert back...?

I'm eager to do the right thing w/ feeds, but also concerned that he get enough bm & liquids in general (bf'd well in the AM y'day but all other bfs were only 5m +/-)...Maybe if I "combine" the 2 mid-day bfs, I can offer a snack instead of bf'ing when DS wakes from nap #1 & feed lunch an hour later w/ a bf sometime between lunch & nap #2, any feedback here...?  DS takes a sippy (water) with meals, usually consumes between 1-3 oz. each time.  Having trouble getting enough ebm, maybe I'm not pumping at the right time...?  Will spend more time on the E forum as well, just want to make sure the routine is not the problem here...

Thanks again for your support...!

Best regards,     Portia