Need some advice & rreassuranse

[robynfuller]

Was nt sure where to post it all so I made one long one with my mixed up routine.
I have alot of EASY questions, aswelll as pu/pd I have posted it in the pu/pd post as "I need some advice"
Please help, I dont have baby whisperer book and only read this site please any suggestions, help, advice, reassurance, anything would really help. Please check it out. Really long to I have so many questions.
THank you
Robyn

https://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=58686.0

[LŠuren]

What questions about EASy do you have ?

[robynfuller]

You are a star, thanks so much for putting that link there. 

How can I get a a more structured routine? Do I need to?  All you moms seem to have such order, set times for doing things I checked out so many on the site.  How can I implement that so I can know better when I can have some Y-me time. (my house is a mess to scared to do housework during day incase I wake her, sometimes she is a light sleeper but pu/pd seems to be working so far.)

Questions especially with regard to early morning and afternoon naps and feeds. 4,5am is killing me, really tough on me and dh. Do you think I am feeding her to much? to frequently? she seems happy, always smiling and joyful. The lady at the clinic said i should stricly breastfeed up to 6 months. How do I know if she wants solids, would that affect her routine? iS her little system ready for it? I Feel pretty confident but I am just not sure if what I am doing so far is right, I know all babies are diffferent and I really would like to get a structured schedule going. Surely this would benefit her more in the long term? AS opposed to being different every day. I guess that is just the exciting part about being a mom, each day holds a new surprise  Or am I just bing ridiculous? LIttle one is waking
look forward to your reply
THank you again
RObyn

[KDawn]

Hi, I am new to site and not sure of all the lingo and abbreviations so I will apoligize in advance.  Keira will be 4 mos on Apr 27, and has been on 3 hr EASY for 1 1/2 mos.  Working quite well until a week ago.  She seems to be tired an hour after she wakes up all day long, sometimes I put her down after only 45 min.  She is strictly breastfed.  She also has put herself to sleep from starting easy, with no crying.  Naps have been extended up to 2 hrs, but she still seems tired.  She eats for about 7 min, she has always been a very efficient eater, so I don't quite understand the easy samples.  They seem to say a feed should take at least 20 min.  Do I need to try a 4 hr EASY, and if I do, how does it work when she seems to be tired all the time and only needs to eat for a few minutes.  She is usually in bed anywhere from 7:30 - 8:00  in the evening.  I tried dreamfeeding but didn't seem to make a difference.  She is now waking every couple of hours at night, not to eat, just to wake.  I had been feeding between 1 and 2 and then between 5 and 6.  That worked excellent.  Now I don't know what happened.

[robynfuller]

hi there, congratulations on getting the 3 hour easy right. I am also full of questions regards easy and getting it right. I have a few suggestions of other posts you could look at, they may be helpfull.

1. 3 & 4 hour sample routines and how to transition
2. Easy log downloads

I am sorry I cant be of much help trying to get 4 hour easy going aswell. You will find them on page 1 of easy forum. Seems my exclusively breastfed babe also likes to eat more frequently. She also gets very  tired after about an hour. Perhaps check ou ta few posts on the general sleep forums everyone here is very helpful. Good luck to you and your baby. let me know if you find something, information and knowledge is always a good thing.

Robyn

[LucyA]

Hi, just a few comments for you both.
Re moving to a 4 hour easy, I found with my ds (also exclusively bf) that he wasn't ready to go to 4 hours until around 5 months. For a while he went 4 hours between his first 2 feeds of the day, and the later ones were closer together. Now they are all 4 hourly, and have been for a while. You need to do whatever works.
KeiraandKimberly, nightwakings can be a sign that your baby is ready to go to a 4 hour easy. The theory is that night wakings start because your lo's tummy can hold more, but because you're still feeding frequently, she's only snacking, therefore gets hungry through the night. Sounds like it might be time to think about moving to four hours.
K&K, it's great that your lo settles herself and has long naps. So far as your short A times are concerned, you could start extending her A times gradually, 5/10 minutes every couple of days. The night wakings could also be due to too much day sleep - how many hours does she get during the day and at night?
Also, if she's an efficient eater, that's fine. Just means you have more playing and less eating in your A times!

The only parts of our routine that are really consistent are our E times, and the time of our first nap. I think you'll find a lot of mums on here are in a similar position. It's ok to have A time between sleep and eating, the main thing to try and avoid is feeding to sleep. If E and S are due at the same time, do a nappy change or walk around for 5 minutes in between, just so baby is not feeding to sleep.

HTH

[KDawn]

Hi, I am going to try to stretch her E.  I tried lengthening the A  this afternoon and it wasn't too terrible.  I find when she is over tired, we have to swaddle her.  I did this, and she slept for 1 1/2 straight.  She then woke, ate, and played which was about 1 20 min.  She went to sleep on her own easily again.  We will see how tonight goes.  In response, she had been napping for about 7 hrs through the day.  One problem I have is that my dr insisted I go on the pill at 7 weeks, not mentioning that it would dry up my milk.  (I stopped after 6 days)  It took some patience to bring back my supply after that, and now every month when my period should be my milk slows down considerably.  Lactation consultants told me that I should be feeding every 2 hours, which doesn't work with our routine.  I'm a little worried that going every 4 hrs won't be enough to bring my milk back in next month.

[Intransit]

Just wanted to add a bit in here....regarding your concern about your milk coming back in etc...I breastfed for the first 2 months...and a Public health nurse suggested I pump  to keep the milk quantity up. That would save you from feeding every 2 hours..if the reasoning behind that was to ensure milk supply wouldnt diminish. I see you posted something on the Breast feeding board..perhaps they could help you with that as well.
I am going to read your previous posts to see if I can add anything to the advice already given.
Keep going with EASY though--I remember it felt like the end was never coming (for sleepless nights etc) but it does...and after tweaking etc...it will all be worth it
Sarah

[robynfuller]

HI Calum's mum
things going so much better than when I posted that last messed up schedule. SHe seems to be sorting her feeds out on her own, also getting her to wake same time each day and then feed. which also seems to be helping. In the mornings she can sometimes go 3 1/2 to 4 hours on her own before a feed. but as the day progresses it gets closer to 3 hourly feeds. jUst going to keep at it, despite hiccups here and there (MIL and overstimulation) but at least we on the right track. thank for your help and for just being here.
robyn

[LŠuren]

Hi Robyn
Glad to hear you are getting things sorted out and on the right track. 

Yeh, I feel like I am here all the time 

Keep us posted on how your getting on.

[robynfuller]

Hi Calums Mum,

Things were going pretty well, then about a week or more ago. Due to birthdays, visists, mothersday, enexpected visitors, learning to roll, feeding more frequently, nightwakings, early wakings etc etc I can go on. Everything has gone of track again, reading the getting back on track board for some tips right now. I have posted on breastfeeding board to find out about other EBF mothers 5 month old routines, so I can have a few more guidelines to look through, I guess I am obsessive but I feel more information is better to make a descision regarding routine, any advice suggestions would be a great help. I have blocked ou t most of the light in our room and am trying to implement w2s. Also her feds have increased back to 2 1/2 - 3 hours depends on what time during the day, this is causing naps to go out the window 30-45minutes - I am tackling that on the naps board, the ladies are such a great help.

I have decided to just ride it out and take it easy and not be so hard on myself, this is going to happen, developemental.

Seems like I spend my nights reading as much as possible on these boards, so much to learn.
Any advice or suggestions?
Thanks
Robyn

[LŠuren]

I have blocked ou t most of the light in our room and am trying to implement w2s. Also her feds have increased back to 2 1/2 - 3 hours depends on what time during the day, this is causing naps to go out the window 30-45minutes - I am tackling that on the naps board, the ladies are such a great help.

Hi Robyn, just a quickie....

Can you remind me how long your Lo was going between feeds before, I seem to remember the method Tracy recommends is to try and hold them of in 10-15min increments, but using distraction methods or a dummy/pacifier.

lauren