Troubles adjusting naps in 4 hour EASY

[leahbeth]

Hi there,

We have slowly moved our LO to a 4 hour EASY after being stuck at 3 1/2 for quite a awhile. She is very capable of lasting 4 hours between feeds as she is 5 months old. The two hour nap is what is causing us grief!

In the morning she is able to stay up for two hours, the last 20 min. are me walking around with her and she goes down quite nicely now. (We've been battling naps for quite some time and are SLOWLY making progress!!) With the help of  w2s I'm able to get 1 1/2  to  1 1/4  hours sleep from her. She is tired after this and I try various things to extend her nap but it doesn't work and then it is time to eat. The problem comes in here.

How long do I keep her up? She is ready to go to sleep after two hours from her wake up time but this is 2 1/2- 3  hours away from her next feeding. Do I just follow her sleepy cues and work in feedings every 4 hours around that? If so, by the end of the day my routine is so messed up and is no longer EAS.  Do you think that maybe it will take awhile for her to get used to sleeping for 2 hours in the day?? Do I keep her up until 2 hours before the next feeding? I know EASY is supposed to be more routine than schedule but I'm very confused!!! If I put her to sleep when she wants to go we no longer have a routine, she will have A time before eating sometimes.

Thanks,
Leah

[Mom to M&M]

At 5 months, I'd shoot for 2 hours A time before first nap and then 2:15 before second nap and catnap. Don't worry if she wakes early - you can have a bit of activity time before the next feed if it's not time/if she's not hungry - we often do the same. Just make it AEAS!

[Nay - Mateo's Mom]

Hi Leahbeth... Mateo, a spirited little guy, is also in the same boat. So our EASY now looks more like AEASY. Apparently this is pretty common too, and it works for us, so we're sticking with it! The only thing is that his A time of about 1 to 1.5 hours is now split into 2 parts. Regardless, just watch for sleepy/tired cues and go from there. If there's anything I've learnt over the past little while it's that it's more important to watch your LOs cues rather than the clock! Especially if they're as spirirted as Mateo.. he makes sure we know what he's thinking/feeling at ALL times!LOL.

Nay

[Wiki]

We have the same thing, most of our day is EASAE etc. Its pretty rare that Caspar doesn't wake up from a sleep until right before a feed. Mostly he can stay awake 2 hours now and naps are OK. I figure its better they go to sleep when they want rather than risk a screaming fit keeping them up. His nap lengths are erratic though so I feel for you.

[leahbeth]

Thank you for your replies!
I'm at a loss for what to do. Wiki and Nayade- are your LO's content having A time when they get up from their nap before eating? My LO isn't. She won't let me put her down. I believe she thinks she is supposed to eat and I'm quite confused as to whether or not she is actually hungry. Is it possible that at 5 months (she was also 3 weeks early) she is not ready for 4 hour EASY and better suited for 3 1/2 EASY. On 3 1/2 hour EASY she seems happier.

 Does it take awhile to get used to 4 hour EASY? Today wasn't good. I felt like I was in the nursery all day. This is what today looked like..

E: 7:30 bf
A
S: 9:30-11:00 Good start!!!

E 11:30 formula/bf
A
S 1:00-1:45  It goes down hill from here on.

E 3:00  bf (I fed her because I had tried for an hour to put her back to sleep with no luck and she was upset, she took a full feed)
A
S 4:00-4:45

E 5:00  (2 oz. prune juice ped. recommended for constipation)
A 6:45 BAth
E 7:15 bf
S 7:30

As you can see, this is so messed up. She starts off okay but then gets hungry/tired as the day goes on. She was so cranky and I spent much of the day carrying her around.
Please, any suggestions? Should I stay on 3 1/2 EASY? When will I know she is ready for 4 hour?
  Leah

[Wiki]

Caspar is fine on A time when he gets up. In fact, its fairly normal for him. I don't think he's really woken up ready to eat since he was quite small. I think if you distract her, she should get used to it. I now put Caspar in his chair with a toy when he gets up, as he cries on his playgym, I think its cos he's just been lying down for an hour he doesn't want to any more. Do you have a door bouncer? My friends with 5 month olds say all they want to do is be upright/standing right now, so that might help? I also sometimes put him on his tummy when he wakes up, as he has quite a bit of energy then and can do 5-10 mins (with less posseting!).

[leahbeth]

Thanks Stacy and Wiki for replying.
So do you both believe I should go to 4 hour EASY and be patient for her to get used to it? I am really tempted to stay at 3 1/2 because it seemed easier but deep down I know I probably won't be making any progress this way. After a rough night last night, I think change is needed. 
Just when things seem to have gotten better, it always regresses.

[leahbeth]

Thanks Stacy, I'm going to do 4 hour EASY again today and hope for the best. I'm going to just focus on eating every four hours and let the naps fall where they may! Sorry, but I have just two other questions maybe you can help me with.

1. On 4 hour EASY, can you do a cluster feed at the end of the day to tank her up or does this defeat the purpose? . (I don't do a df, think it may be to late to start)

2. Totally off topic but...in the middle of the  night when I feed her is it okay then that she is nursed back to sleep if she takes a full feed? Or, should I be waking her after the feed and put her to bed awake?

Thanks Stacy!

[leahbeth]

HI Stacy,

I've been using the prune juice in the evening as the first cluster feed to satisfy her after her catnap. Emma has only a few BMs a week, never at night. This is an improvement, she used to have only 5 a month!!

As for the cluster feed, good idea, I'll try the bottle then and see if she is taking a full one!

Thanks for all your help and encouragement!
Today is a new day. I needed some BW website comfort this morning to see me through the day!!!
  Leah

[Nay - Mateo's Mom]

Hi Leahbeth...
Mateo wakes up about 30-40 minutes before a feed is due. I just carry him around with me until it's time to BF or let him play quitely...

I agree with Stacy...we keep the feeding times regular and the naps just fall where they may..somewhere between 10-40 minutes before or after they are 'scheduled'.  I'm now keeping track of when Msteo is showing tired cues, rather than forcing him to sleep at those times. I'll keep track for a week or so and then use t ;)hat as my 'template'.

HANG IN THERE!!! You're getting to know your baby better...and what better outcome could you ask for??

lots of hugs...Nay.