Author Topic: Help - LO gone from 3hr to 2hr rather than 4hr!  (Read 1288 times)

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Offline ginger72

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Help - LO gone from 3hr to 2hr rather than 4hr!
« on: April 17, 2006, 13:44:33 pm »
I'm not sure how we've managed it, but our 4 month LO (who I've been gently stretching towards 4 hr EASY) has for the past few days gone backwards instead of forwards. He can usually stay awake for 1.30 hrs, 1.45 at a push but today particularly it's been more like 1hr or 1.15 (at one point after 50 minutes he was burrowing, rubbing his eyes and grizzling madly). Because he's only ever been a 45min napper, the routine has compacted dramatically - I'm then trying to BF him after each S which is only 2hrs - he eats for a few minutes and then won't eat any more. But he's so used to his E after S, he starts to cry if he doesn't get the offer of a bf after waking up. I feel like I'm going round in circles! I know EASY is a 'routine not a schedule' so should I just not worry about it and hope he goes back to nearer 3 hrs on his own? I don't want to feel like we're watching the clock all day but things do seem to be going backwards rather than forwards......Any advice?!

Thanks so much in advance, Michelle



Offline jer-76

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Re: Help - LO gone from 3hr to 2hr rather than 4hr!
« Reply #1 on: April 17, 2006, 13:50:09 pm »
Is he on a growth spurt maybe?
You could try the sleep-to-wake thing at the forty minute mark. He might then get his 1 1/2 hours & eat a decent amount?

Offline HeatherC

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Re: Help - LO gone from 3hr to 2hr rather than 4hr!
« Reply #2 on: April 17, 2006, 13:51:22 pm »
You don't have to feed him once he wakes if it's not time.  Short naps are a very common problem, and, thus, you just need to tweak the EASY cycle to something like EASAE.  Also, 4 months old seems to be a very whaky time for almost all babies just from what I've read about others on this board.  I feel that if you feed him just b/c he's come out of the S, that will possibly lead to a snacking problem.  Another option besides feeding would be to work on sleep training for the rest of the time that he should be sleeping (or 40 mins which ever comes first) or pacify him with an activity or soother.
Kelsey, Feb. 4, 2005
Landon, Jan. 2, 2007

Offline ginger72

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Re: Help - LO gone from 3hr to 2hr rather than 4hr!
« Reply #3 on: April 17, 2006, 14:00:58 pm »
Thanks so much for your advice - I've tried wake to sleep but it turned into wake to wake unfortunately! We've had good success with pat/sh to help LO off to sleep but it doesn't seem to work (as does pu/pd) to get him back to sleep. To be honest the 45 min naps weren't really a problem as I know that often babies sort out their daytime sleep later than nightime (when he's really good).

It just felt a bit mad putting him down for a nap 50 mins after he woke up (which I did this morning) - but there also didn't seem any point in stretching his A time when he's so obviously tired and grouchy.

He's just woken up from another nap having been awake for 1.15 - I purposely not fed him and am trying to distract him for a while until it's nearer his real feed time. I wasn't sure whether moving E to the middle or end of A would be a tweak too far....but I'm pleased to hear it's OK!




Offline HeatherC

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Re: Help - LO gone from 3hr to 2hr rather than 4hr!
« Reply #4 on: April 17, 2006, 15:17:54 pm »
When you put him down 50 after he woke for the morning, how long did he sleep?  I used the trick of putting dd down 1 hr after morning wake up to get her naps sorted out to a decent length, and it worked.  She started taking 2 hr naps.  Often, babies will sleep their best after coming out of a good night's rest.
Kelsey, Feb. 4, 2005
Landon, Jan. 2, 2007

Offline Gippie

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Re: Help - LO gone from 3hr to 2hr rather than 4hr!
« Reply #5 on: April 17, 2006, 17:52:40 pm »
Ginger,

I had the SAME problem at the SAME time ad I was manic!!!  I called the DR and asked about starting solids cause I was convinced she needed to eat more - she was feeding every 2 hours.  Now the bad part is that I cant remember what changed it - but we are now on a 4 hour EASY that sometimes varies in terms of the "order" of EASY.   The one thing that is pretty set is the E - and that is set about 3.5 to 4 hours apart - depending on what we have to do.   Sometimes DD whakes after 45 min (grrr) and we just see what her mood is - sometimes she stays up for the 2 hours and other times we put her down again in an hour - we just watch for her cues.   

Today she only took an hour AM nap and stayed up for 2 and is now down for what looks like 2.  We usually feed her when she wakes up (in a perfect EASY world) but today- dues to times - I fed her before she went to bed.  I know feed to sleep is not advised - but I can now see a HUGE difference between feed before bed ad feed to sleep.  She does not ever need to BF to go to sleep - just today the 2 events were close together. 

Advice - stick with it - you will turn the corner and be impressed.   I think it has to "start" at the top of a day instead of in the middle of a day - wake with the mentality that today will be a 3.5 EASY day and see what happens...if not - try again tomorrow.  We did and it DID work - but trust me - I NEVER believed it!!!!   I was creating a snacker trying to stick to the perfect pattern of EASY instead of forgetting the clause in there to ADAPT it to your child. 

GOOD LUCK!

Stacey

Offline ginger72

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Re: Help - LO gone from 3hr to 2hr rather than 4hr!
« Reply #6 on: April 17, 2006, 19:19:23 pm »
Dear Stacey & Heather,

It's great advice to start at the top of the day - I must admit I've been trying to stretch our LO most on that A time and perhaps I should try doing the opposite i.e. putting him down earlier rather than later in the morning. Definitely one to try in the morning!

Thanks again, Michelle