New here, need a few answers please

[mammajo]

Hello,

I am new to the site, but have seen the Baby Whisperer show.  I really like what she has to say and also am curious about this EASY thing.  I see that it is a type of sleeping/eating schedule but can't seem to find where it is explained.  My son is doing really well but at 4 months doesn't seem satisfied after I breastfeed him.  He used to sleep through the night but now is waking 2 or 3 times to feed and will take a full feed before going back to sleep.  Does anyone have any suggestions?  And also, what book is recommended?  Where can I get more info on EASY?

Thanks in advance, Joanne

[Intransit]

Hi Welcome to BW! I too saw Tracys' show--and ran to the internet--then to the mall to buy the book!!! First, the book I bought(the only one so far) is Secrets of the Baby Whisperer: How To Calm, Connect, and Communicate With Your Baby--a paperback which was the best 22.00 CDN I ever spent!!!
What is your routine for your son right now? That can sometimes help with pin pointing why he'd be waking up hungry and then we can see where he might need an extra feed. EASY has something called a dreamfeed--done about 10-11 pm every night, to "top up" your Lo, so they will last through the night. Just a matter of feeding them while they are sleeping...trying not to wake them, then settling them right back into their crib, as though it didn't happen.
HTH for now..anything else we're all here to help!

[estherofi20]

Hi welcome to the site!!!

I would also suggest to by the book "The Baby Whisperer solves all your problems by teaching you how to ask the right questions" by Tracy too, this was her last book and it will hepl you undestand many things too!! its deffinetly a keeper!!!! it was a lifesaver to me! There you will find all about EASY, sleep issues, eating issues, and lots lots more!!!

On regards of your Lo waking up at night, i think it may be a grow spurt, so you should increase his oz at day.
Also if you can post your usual day for us, so we can have a better idea of what's his day like, and we can help you better!

[mammajo]

Thanks for your input, I am really thrilled at the prospect of having a resource available to me like this book, website and you other helpful moms.  I went to the bookstore today and ordered ( I live in a very small town) a book by Tracy Hogg called The Baby Whisperer but it wasn't either of the books you suggested.  It said something about solving all your problems with eating sleeping etc.

ANyway, my little Wilson is 4 months old and 15 pounds.  He is almost exclusively breastfed with the occasional bottle of formula to top him up or give me a break.  In the last week I have also started him on the rice cereal but he spits quite a bit of it out still so I don't really count that as eating.  He is a good napper, usually takes 3 naps a day - the first about 2 hours after he gets up.  Sometimes it's 45 min, sometimes over an hour and a half so I am never really sure what to expect.  Here's his usual day...

9 am - awake to feed
11 am - nap between 45 min and 1 1/2 hrs
12 or 1 - feed again
2 or 3 - nap between 45 min and 2 hours

then he'll feed as soon as he wakes up and feed sort of off and on for the next few hours until bed at 9 or 10.

He sleeps well from bedtime until about 2 or 3, then up for a full feed and down right after he eats.  Then up again at 6 or 7 for another full feed and he'll usually go down again but sometimes he's up for the day at 7.

Any suggestions?  Last night my husband gave him a dream feed at 12:30 but he only took half a bottle (3oz) and then was up for a full feed at 6am.

Thanks for your support and  kindness..and thank god for this Baby Whisperer!

[estherofi20]

Your LO looks so cute!!!

When you give the Dream feed try not to make it past 11, 'cause then it counts like nightfeed, i would also suggest to try to meke the bedtime a bit earlier , say perhaps at 8pm.

To star your LO on EASY, you try to follow the order of things firts, EAT; ACTIVITY; SLEEP (and of course when he naps you have your free time), that is the main thing to keep to the  order,  just so you can see here's how my DS had his routine at 4MO:

E 7:30 wake up and feed
A 8:00 activity and  play time
             9:30 wind down (play something quiet or read a book)
S 10:00 1st nap
Y
E 12:00 feed
A 12:30 activity time
             1:30 wind down
S 2:00 2nd nap
Y
E 4:00 feed
A 4:30 activity
             5:30 wind down
S 6:00 catnap
Y
7:00 bath and massage
7:30 feed and book
8:00 bedtime
11pm Dream feed

He didn't wake at night to feed.

I think if your LO is taking 3 naps a day,, it will be faster  to put him to EASY. Hope this helps.

[LŠuren]

Thanks Esther 
It may be that he has started waking during the night becasue he wants fed 4hourly during the day - not to sure from your post how often he feeds.

The books are well worth having as a guide, the first book; the sectrets of the babywhisperer, goes through EASy in fine detail. The second book follows on from there and looks at problems occuring in each area - well worth having both if you can.

[mammajo]

I have tried to follow the 4 hourly routine and he seems pretty willing to follow it...mind you I've only done it for a day and a half.  Why would feeding him every 4 hours, rather than every 3 help him sleep longer? 

Also, I put him to bed by swaddling him and rocking him with his head on my shoulders.  He'll doze off there after 5 or 10 min, then I"ll put him down.  When I put him down he always opens his eyes for a second, stirs then falls asleep.  Is this frowned upon by the BW?  Should I be trying to put him down fully awake and then do the pu/pd until he falls asleep on his own?

Thanks again, Joanne

[estherofi20]

Joanne, well the reason to feed him every 4hrs, is 'cause he probably isn't hungry at the 3 hr mark, so you can get him to eat more every 4 hrs. I think its great that you swaddle him, but try not to rock him to sleep, what you could do is rock him just a bit and with his eyes opened put him in the crib (don't let him falll even only a bit in your arms), and if he fusses try a bit pat-shush (that's what i used), you don't have to do PU/PD if he is not crying(i personally have never done PU/PD, 'cause DS can settle when he needs too with the pat-shush only). The PU/PD method is only when they are really upset
Hope this helps!