How does EASY work with an older child at home?

[curiositycat]

Hi everyone,
  I'm new to the chat boards. My name is Lindsay, and I live with my family in the Central Coast area of California. I have a daughter that is almost three and an 11-week old. I just started implementing EASY, and it's going really well. I was lucky to have an angel/textbook baby this time around--my older one is definitely spirited! Anyway, I'm currently on maternity leave so doing EASY is, well, easy. However, I'm finding that the days that my older daughter is home with me instead of going to preschool are challenging because those are the days we have playdates, outings, etc. How do I keep up with EASY but still go out and do things? I find myself carrying the baby a lot on those days, and often nursing her to sleep in my arms since we don't have a quiet place for her to nap while we're out (she takes about four naps during the course of a day). Has anyone been through this? Any advice to offer? Thanks! Lindsay

[ella&jack'smum]

Sounds like you are doing a great job at balancing the needs of both your children

It is very very hard! I think everyone finds their own version of EASY. You're exactly right - with an older child you can't imprison them in the house so your lo falls asleep independantly in a cot for all their naps, never nursing.

I guess it depends how happy you are with what you are doing and how it is working for you - if your lo has 1 or 2 naps a day which are not at home, but is then equally happy to go to sleep on their own in the cot at home without nursing, then I'd say don't worry about it. But if you feel they're becoming dependant on nursing at home then you may want to look at changing a few things. Is there anyone else (Grnadma?) who could take your older child to a couple of activities, so you get more home time with lo - might also seem like a real treat for the 3 year old. Could you break the nurising to sleep association by in the short term having your lo sleep in a stroller/carseat when you are out??

It isn't really clear from your post whether this is actually casuing you real problems, or if you are just thinking it should be striclty EASY. If your family are happy, then it sounds like there's nothing broken! Post back if you have any specific problems we may be able to help you with.

[curiositycat]

Hi Sue,
  Thanks for your input. Things aren't too much of a problem yet, but I'm starting to get a little worried. Like today, for example. I had to run an errand that couldn't be done when my husband was home to stay with the baby, so I tried to time the car ride to coincide with her mid-day nap. Well, as soon as I took her out of the car in her carrier she was awake and wouldn't go back to sleep. When I finally go a chance to get her to a quiet place to lie down, she was so overtired that it took a half-hour to get her to sleep, when it usually only takes five minutes. I certainly don't want to have to be a prisoner in my own home, but this going out business is really tricky! I might just go with the fact that it'll be easier to nurse her to sleep while we're out because she seems to be going to sleep fine without nursing when we're home.

Lindsay

[naunmom]

I'm in the same situation ... wondering how you guys are doing it.  My older one is in daycare 4 days/week unless he's sick ... My younger one is only a couple weeks old so am still working on establishing EASY.  When everyone is home - it definitely gets challenging ... basically I just "do what it takes" ... and break all the "rules."