all wrong!!

[rachfergie]

hi

I read the book before i gave birth and had all good intensions.....then it turned out my spirited textbook baby fell asleep most easily when on the breast. Which was ok, but now she's 26 weeks i think its getting me in trouble!!

She's crap at napping in the day and has now started waking at night sometimes for a while, sometimes for a long feed, I think she's not taking enough in the day because she falls asleep and so is hungry at night.  I'm not sure how to break the cycle 

Our day goes something like this,
 6.30 wake up (never wants anything yet)
7.30 breast feed
8.30 solid feed,bf top up
10.30 breastfeed,
then nap for 3/4 hrish
12.30 lunch solids, top up breastfeed
2.30 breastfeed -then a napp - often in the buggy because i take the dogs then.
4.30 tea - solids, top up breast
6pm bath
7pm breastfeed
7.30 bed

she usually goes in her cot semi awake at night ...after a final top up..

Breast feeds in the day are sometimes as quick as 5 mins, with her screaming if i offer her more.  The only time she feeds realy well (longer than 10 mins) these days seems to be the last feed at night and those during the night.

sorry to go on!!!

Rachel
Mia 13/05/05

[Aarismom]

Ok, just looking at your wake times...

It looks like she's overtired. She's about 5.5 months, correct? I think you might want to try to start putting her down after about 2 hours and maybe 15 mins of wake time max. Mine is almost 6.5 months and she just moved up to 2 hours and 45 mins.

Try to get rid of the feed before sleep, and focus on the bf after naps and such. Solids should come about half hour- an hour after the bf at this point. How much is she eating in solids? If she's eating more than 1-2 oz. in solids that might be affecting how much milk she drinks. Right now milk is still the staple of her diet, and will be for at least 2 more months.

The big thing is her wake time though.

Hope something in here helps!!

*HUGS*
Sonya =P

[GG]

I agree with Sonya.  First, you need to get her down for a nap every 2 hours or so.  If she's overtired, she'll tend to wake up sooner from her naps.  At around 1.45 hours or so, keep an eye on her to see if she's exhibiting tired signs.  These could be tired-looking eyes, rubbing her eyes, grouchiness, grunting, whining or even crying, and/or yawning.  (It's possible that she won't exhibit these, either, but if she's awake for over 2 hours, try putting her in her crib anyway.  If she wants to play, she's not tired.  If she complains or cries, she's tired.)

Second, do not offer bm before she goes to sleep.  She will definitely complain (you may have to do PU/PD for this) but you shouldn't give in.  I speak from experience... it's easier to stop this now than it will be later.  If you make sure that she eats well during the hour or so after she wakes up, she won't need that amount before the nap, and she'll nurse a lot better when she wakes up.

[rachfergie]

Thanks, I think you're right.  Problem is persuading her she needs to nap.  She goes almost manic and totallly bonkers when i put her down awake. 

will let you know what happens

Rachel

[GG]

Same here with DS.  You need to find a wind-down routine that works for you, though.  It's very hard, but you can find little things here and there that work and, hopefully by then, your little one knows that it's time to nap (and how to do it) when she's tired.