Sleep Cues for a Spirited baby

[bibblybee]

hello,

I have been using the EASY routine for 2 days now and it definately helps my 6 week old sleep through the night, last night she slept from 12 till 6:30, and it was our first night.

During the day though I have great problems getting her to nap anywhere else other than on me or hubby. I either seem to miss her cues or put her down too early. I've read some of the book and know to look out for wild limbs but when I put her down at this time she soon starts crying.

What other sleep cues should I look out for and does anyone have any advice on getting a spirited baby to nap for long periods of time? The only long nap I get out of her is during and after our 11:30 walk.

Thanks
Liz

[joyfulmom]

I had the same problem with my lo  at 5-6 weeks.  I started putting him down almost right at the 45 minutes of awake time.  This helped tremendously.  I also used a paci and still do.  I would go in there and calmly put in the paci until he fell asleep.  I think, for my lo, the key was consistency.  Eventually, he learned that when I lay him down in the crib and he cries, all he gets is the paci.  Now, there is already at least one nap a day that he doesn't even need the paci and he hardly ever cries.  He is now 9 weeks.

As for the signs of getting tired, they will come.  Just keep a watchful eye near the end of the 45 minutes.  As she gets older, they will be more obvious.  I remember at your stage worrying that I would never know when he was ready for nap and always missing "the window".  It only took a couple weeks until the signs became really obvious.  My son starts to squeal little squeals when he's ready and he also starts to march (what looks like a marching motion with his legs) while rubbing his eyes (that just started).

I hope this helps.  Good luck!!

[bibblybee]

Joyfulmum, thanks for the advice. Could you tell me what a paci is please, thanks

Stacy, I will post my EASY routine later, She's shouting at me right now! She has always been fairly good, if not noisy, overnight. I must admit though, my dream feed was a bit late as I fell asleep, oops.

[joyfulmom]

Sorry...a paci is a pacifier, dummy, fofo or what ever else one calls it.

[bibblybee]

Stacy,
I only started recording her full EASY routine today, but have noted her feed and sleep times for the past few days. Here is what we did for the first night:
E: 17:40 - 4.5 FlOz
A: ? (sorry didnt record this, but I know she had a bath about 7:00)
S: 1/2 hour of unsucessful shush/patting
Y: none
E: 20:00 - 2floz (very sleepy at this feed, dont like forcing her to eat due to her reflux)
A: nappy change and swaddled
S: 20:30 BEDTIME
Y: Food, SLeep
E: 11:30 - 4.5 Floz
A: none
S: 12
Y: Sleep
E: 6:30 - 5floz

her bedtime is about 8 - 8:30. Last night I was even later with the dream feed as I set my alarm wrong, so it was more like a night feed! but she slept from 12:45 - 05:15. Which I can't complain about.

Liz

[bibblybee]

That's the problem...I don't really have a nap routine at the moment because she gets reflux after some meals so I have to keep her lying on my chest to help her and so she often falls asleep there. I'm beginning to get her cues now, but when visitors or hubby are here they can never resisit playing with her or talking to her even if I tell them to leave her to chill out. This evening I sensed that she was tired so left her sit and ignored her, I gave her dummy back  when it fell out and it was fine. I heard her squirming at one point though so went to put her dummy back in but hubby got there first and had picked her up...the result was a very wired baby!

Anyway, here was yesterday's routine, she was very good yesterday as I had my mum and dad here so didnt have to do any chores and could let her sleep on me (naughty I know but I do what I have to when she's in pain.) We also went for a really long walk which helped.

E: 08:30 - 5 floz
A: 1hr40 (!) Nappy, VISITORS, top and tail
S: 30 mins
Y
E: 11:30 - 4.5Floz
A: 20 mins story
S: 2 hrs
Y:
E: 14:30 - 5.5 floz
A: 25 mins nappy, sit and cuddle outside, people
S: 1 1/2hrs while walking
Y:
E: 17:30 - 3 floz
A: 1 hr sit in bouncer, nappy, bath
S: 1 1/2 hrs
Y:
E: 20:40 - 4.5 floz
A: 10 mins nappy and swaddle, very sleepy after feed
S: 3.5 hrs
Y: Sleep as well!
E: 00:45 (oops) - 5.5 floz
A: none
S: 5 hrs
Y: SLeep
E: 06:00 - 4.5floz
A: 20 mins cuddle and nappy
S: 1.5 hrs
Y: Sleep

[bibblybee]

The doc has diagnosed reflux, but because she is 6 weeks old and is a silent refluxer, she is gaining weight well and so they think that meds are not the best way to go yet. I am already talking to people on the reflux board who are giving great advice, and so will just make sure that my LO has alone time when I think that she needs it.

When I said in my previous quote about ignoring her, i didnt mean that I leave her to cry I cannot do that, I just hear her moaning because her dummy has popped out and she is usually ok if I just give it back to her. Hubby though thinks that she is bored and plays with her, makes her cry and then hands her to me for hours of shushing and a dry mouth!