starting the easy routine

[snowboardgirl777]

Hi!  My daughter Ryleigh is going to be 11 weeks this Friday.  I came across Tracy's book on accident, and now I really want to start Ry on EASY.  The only thing is I don't know quite how to start.  Am I suppossed to try and wake her up at a certain time and feed her and then play with her.  Or do I just start writing down what she does and go from there?  Please Help!!! Im probably making this way harder than it is but Im so confused.  Thanks for all the help!

[Deb_in_oz]

maybe it would help to answer a few questions first so we can see where you are starting from.

can you give us an example of a "typical" day with wake times and eat times, etc

does she currently go to sleep independently or do you help her to sleep by nursing/bottle, pacifier/dummy, rocking, swing, any other props

have you figured out what her "type" is - if you have the original BW book the test is in there

is she breast or bottle or both?

where is she currently taking her naps?

[snowboardgirl777]

Honestly she really doesn't do anything at the same time every day.  That is why I want to start easy so that she has some sort of routine.  For now I just let her have her own schedule, looking for signs shes hugry, tired, etc.  She sleeps through the night from around 11 until 5:30, then I put her pacifier in and she will fall back asleep.  She eats around 6 or 6:30.  Sometimes she will stay awake other times she falls right back asleep.  She eats every 3 hours, and takes naps whenever i see signs of her being tired.

I currently rock her to sleep with her pacifier in her mouth.

Her type is definitely spirited. 

She is exclusively breast fed.

As I said before she doesn't currently have a schedule for naps.  It always varies from day to day.

[violet]

My DS (Spirited, Angel), and DD (also Spirited Angel, with a bit of touchy) did really well on EASY.

DS is now 18 months and DD is 8 weeks.

What I did first was to write down what they did for a couple days.  I also wrote down things they did that indicated tired/hungry.  For instance, my DD starts to kick her legs and wave her arms irratically, and eventually has a very frustrated cry as if to say "holy cow I'm tired".

Once I understood her feeding/sleeping times, I then started to incorporate EASY.  So, after she fed (also exclusively breastfed), I would go change her diaper, and then play.  I looked for the signs I noted during those couple days of observation (assuming of course DS would let me!), and then as soon as she was tired, I Swaddled.  I found this Extremely important for my spirited babies!!

Then, I took them into their room and made it dark (as if to say "it's time for bed) and I even say "it's time for a nap"  I still verbally say "it's time for a nap" and "I'll see you when you wake up" to my DS. 

So, swaddled, and in a prepared room, I sit with her on the rocking chair, but I sit still.  She gets her pacifier to calm down if she needs it, but she will pop it out when she starts to fall asleep.  After I feel her settle (pacifier still in or popped out), I lay her in her crib, and keep my hands on her.  She's not asleep, just calm.  Sometimes she fusses a bit, but I just keep my hand on her (or pat her on her back, while she lays on her side) and even "shhhh" gently in her ear.  Once she's settled (still awake but just relaxed) I move away.  If after a couple minutes she still content I will leave the room.  BUT I wouldn't do that until you've had her fall asleep on her own a number of times.

She usally sleeps 1-2 hours (1 hours naps in the am, 2 hours in the pm).  What Traci says in the book is true...Spirited babied need good afternoon naps for a good night!

Then, she wakes up and....it starts all over again. 

I find now after doing this for a month, my DD actually expects what's next.  And for my Spirited DS, it's a saving grace since he knows what's coming next.  I think it's made him more Angel than Spirited!

Sorry for the long note, but I really worked at it and appreciated others stories.  I hope this helps.

Sasha
Adam (April, 2004)
Gweneth (September, 2005)

[Deb_in_oz]

I think Sasha explained it really well 
 
 
snowboardgirl777  - since you currently rock to sleep i woudl gradually get rid of this practice since with EASY you are aiming to have an independent sleeper.  so for now try to limit it to rocking to the point of being drowsy but awake and place in the cot at this stage.  as fast or slow as you feel necessary/lo will handle, you can reduce the amount of rocking until you get to the point where you can swaddle/prepare baby for sleep and then put in the cot after finishing windown routine.

i suggest you read through the thread in this forum that is "suport group for spirited babies" or similar title  :?  as there are lots of things about sleep and settling and swaddling for spiriteds as they have a hard time (generally) letting go and giving in to sleep (you might start seeing this when you stop rocking to sleep - assuming you want to embrace EASY fully). dark rooms are very helpful for sleep, shorter A times than average are typical, harder to read tired cues seems par for the course, etc

if you want to teach independent sleep and have a hard time weaning her off the rocking, then seek specific advice / look at threads on the props board.  and the mods on the sleep board can help as well - there are great announcements on the sleep and nap boards explaining how to implement EASY for naps, etc

just remember that EASY is not a schedule but a flexible routine  that is  providing structure to the day, but basing things on your lo's cues for hunger and sleep similar to what you have been doing, but with more guidance from you.  i am not sure of how long she currently naps for, but on EASY if she were to sleep for 20 min and woke up you would try to resettle her rather than saying OK she must be done with that nap... KWIM? It is up to you whether you pick a regular start time for the day and work form that point (waking her if she is still asleep) or a latest wake time that you will  let her go to (often 8-8:30 woudl be the latest for many, others would start by 7-7:30, really depends on your lifestyle what suits your household)

[Peanutfesta]

I just bought Tracey's book yesterday and starting implementing EASY today but I was wondering, will it screw up DS routine if we have to run errands during the day? I have no problem feeding him if we are out but to put him down for a nap would be hard.  Do I just hope that he falls asleep in his carseat?  Am I thinking too much?  :wink: Thanks for any advice!