willing to try anything HELP!!!!

[foreverjoyful]

 
DS is 4 months old.  I would like to implement EASY but don't know where to start!  He had a terrible night last night and so is having a terrible day today.  He has a cold and is just getting over it.  Any advice is welcome especially sample routines.  He had been co sleeping until Feb 24 when he moved into his crib next to our bed.  He wakes 3-4 times a night and last night every hour!!!!  At night he needs a lot of help getting to sleep after he wakes.  the initial falling asleep I can sometimes get him to do on his own.
How do you schedule feedings?  If baby is hungry, don't I just feed him?  I am breast feeding.  Oh and he is a bit of a soother junkie to boot.  And on a day like today when he is soooo sleep deprived, as am I, should I try to force his naps in the crib?  Or just suck it up for another day and let him sleep on me so that he stands a chance at sleeping tonight?  PM naps are a big problem too.

 I am at my wits end!

This is a typical day

500    Wakes up wants to eat, then play in crib for 30 min. 
530   Wants to be held to go back to sleep
630   Awake activity--usually exersaucer, tummy time, interacting with mum...begins to show tired signs at 1 hour
730   Eat
845  begin a nap routine -- and i can generally get him to self soothe fairly easily here
1015 Awake shows tired again by 1 hour
         Eat
1145  naptime routine
1200  asleep and i can get him to self soothe most times
100   Awake and Eat ---I try to keep activity more low key in pm
300   nap, if I am lucky for 1.5 hours but often 45 minute
330   Eat
500  Maybe eat here?  sometines a nap here for 30 minutes, and a cranky baby
600 --  Eat here or after bath  -or 15 minutes after he wakes from last nap  BATH
630 bedtime routine
700 asleep
 

[corrina01]

Hi there,

First of all you are on a EASY routine.  You just need to get your naps and sleep sorted out.

I will post my 4 month old routine

7am Feed
8.45 Sleep for 1hr 30mins
10.30 Wake and Feed
12noon Sleep for 1hr 30mins
1.30pm Feed
2.45 Sleep for 1hr 30mins
4.30 Feed
5.45pm Sleep for 30mins only
6.15pm Bath and bedtime routine
7.00pm Feed
7.15pm Sleep

You have to set a wakeup time say 7am and stick to it, so your DS can get his body clock to set to this time.

I will reply later on as my baby is awake, as to the naps and bedtime.

[corrina01]

Now with DS naps and bedtime.

Naps, I would go for the naps in the crib, not on you as this is accidental parenting.  How long are the naps? 45 mins?

Do you have a winddown routine at all?  If you don't I would suggest that you do one, so he knows what is coming.

I spend about 15mins on my bed as a winddown routine just talking with my DD, then I swaddled her take her to her room, pull blind down, draw curtains, put her white noise on and then a lullabye. Then walk out. She knows its time to go to sleep.

With DS naps are they 1 or 2 sleep cycle?

What do you do to help him back to sleep?

Is he waking up as soon as his soother falls out?

HTH

[dionne]

Hello Corrina01
I read your post and daily schedule for your 4 month old My son also is just 4 months and have a similar schedule however the 3rd nap (around supper time) he is very difficult to nap cranky wont settle and is often awake until 7pm bedtime.  He takes naps during the day fairly well goes down with a soother and generally talks himself to sleep however in the evening he always seems to fuss more and require several attempts.  thought he could be overtired but I try to catch his tired signs early
Any suggestions would be appreciated
he is bottle fed.....uses a soother at night and naps
wakes generally once a night for feed
not on solids yet

[corrina01]

Dionne

Could you post his routine and how long he naps for  please.

[dionne]

Corrina01
His routine is generally as follows:

7am wake feed 730 (60nces)
activity
8am nap 1.5 - 2 hrs
1030 feed (6onces)
activity
1200 (aprox) nap 1.5hrs
1-130 feed
activity
3-.....try to attempt nap may nap by 5pm 40min or not
to bed 6:30-7:30


During the day he will generally go to nap OK with soother.not much fuss
Seems towards the evening he gets more irritable and difficult to put for nap
I have not used PUPD technique yet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

He just turned 4 months today ....suffering from a cold at present

Also we have been struggling a bit with settling for bottle feeds (posted prevon feeding section)...He doesnt seem to settle for a feed even when I know he is hungry!!!turns head in towards me ....seems toooo nosey with the surroundings!!!!!!!!We use a fast flow nipple
Not sure if I should be going to 4 hour easy ....would that help???
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated

Thank You in advance!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[corrina01]

It sounds like a good routine to me.  I would suggest you move to a 4hr routine, after he has got over his cold. 

He won't be very hungry during his cold, and his naps would be erractic as well.  Be warned that when he is starting to get over his cold, he be will more hungry so keep on the routine you have now, he may wake up more at night, to make up for not feeding so well during his cold.

I would slightly extend your A time so he wants to be put down at about 8.15am-8.30am

When you move to a 4hr EASY, his naps might length to 2hrs in the morning and the afternoon, and 45 mins catnap about 5pm-5.15pm.

HTH