Going out a problem

[hamsgirl]

Hi - I'm new here.

I have a 20 week old (4 weeks early though) and I've recently started EASY (4 hour) although he was on a sort of structured routine before that. Since about 12 weeks he has been able to settle himself from awake for nighttime sleep and naps but I started doing a more strict EASY with pu/pd last weekend as we had run into the 45 minute nap problem. It is going well and his naps are getting longer - he will be in bed for about 2 hours for the first 2 naps (about 9am and 1pm) although he usually has a period of about 30 minutes after the first sleep cycle where he will be trying to settle himself so he wakes up quite a few times before settling for good (I am still having to do pu/pd a couple of times if he gets frantic).

Anyway, I'm pleased with this progress (touch wood) as he is in a much better mood for the time he is awake.

I decided to stay in as much as possible for this week and most of next to work on his naps. However, I'm not sure how we will ever be able to go out again! He is not a good napper in his buggy and I'm not sure he will be able to settle very well in someone else's house (he never could before although who knows - maybe he'll be better with a better routine). I'm also worried that if we get the nap problem sorted (fingers crossed), we will revert back if I go out too much.

He can only stay awake for 2 hours and so including feeding, that gives us very little time to go anywhere. I'm not that bothered for myself but my LO does love being with other people and other babies so I'm worried he's missing out.

What do you all do? How long after establishing the routine do you think it would OK to try our first outing?

[corrina01]

Hi, and welcome to the boards.

I always go out with my DD during her awake times.

Have you a park near you or shops? You could take him for stroll for 30 mins during his A time, so he meets other people. 

A few mothers have often said, that when they go out and that interrupts the babies nap time, they make sure they stay at home for next day so they can be sure the babies naps are not affected.

HTH

[hamsgirl]

Thanks - that's a good tip about staying in the next day.

I would be able to pop to the shops or park, but I'm thinking more about organised post-natal groups etc which tend to be at a set time. I have one this afternoon which starts at 2pm - bang slap in the middle of his second nap. I'm going to miss the first hour this week but I (and my LO, when he's in a good mood) really enjoy them so I would prefer not to have to do this every week. I suppose we'll work something out though once his routine is more established.

[¤ Efka ¤]

I am sure you could figur something out, to make it work

[olleezmom]

Hamsgirl,
My LO loves his playgroup as well!  We are lucky enough to be part of a group with babies of many ages.  While the older ones play for hours, we younger folks can only stand about an hour max of group time anyway, so we arrive when we can...before or after naps...and stay as long as we can so as not to interrupt naps.  DS and I are usually some of the first to arrive, and some of the first to leave.  I agree with corrina though...if you do mess with naps one day, do your best to stay on track the nextt day or so, so that you don't create bad habits!

[HeatherC]

Another thing to consider would be that you could tweak the start of your day so that a nap doesn't fall when your group meets.  Either wake lo up an hour earlier for the day, thus all the naps would be earlier, or let him sleep in a little extra and his naps would be later.  Just a thought, but probably easier said than done!