a little confused now..

[BoBoG]

thanks for the routine... You know, that I stop and think about it... on the 3-hour feed cycle I was actually giving him (and he was okay with) about 1 hour and 30-40 minutes of A time.... that was more like the 3.5 hour EASY wasn't it??    So, I'd like to try to increase that perhaps only by 10-15 minutes rather than jump to 2 hours or so of A time (as per the 4-hour EASY).  This way we'll slowly make our way to a full 4-hour routine. 

Just to give you an update, he fell asleep by 8 p.m. last night and slept through to 6 a.m this morning.  He talked for a while and then I went to start his feed by 6:30 a.m.  He had A time until 7:45 (started to get fussy)...we did our wind down, and he fell asleep just by 8:00.  What do you think about doing an almost-4 hour EASY in the morning, and then a 3.5 EASY routine for the rest of the day?  This way we slowly start working on 1 cycle at a time? any thoughts?

[corrina01]

By all means do this, if your DS can handle it.

Here is a little information about the transition.  Your DS is working towards it.

Here are some signs of needing to transition:
1. Not taking as much at a feed (baby not as hungry at 3 hours)
2. Erratic Night Wakings
3. They are extending their awake times
4. Starts taking 45 minute naps

A window opens up during the babies 4 month, that means they can stay awake longer ('A' time) and go longer between feeds. Keep a diary of when they eat and how much, how much activity they have and how long they sleep for.

If they don't eat very much on the 3 hour mark and take shorter naps this is the time to transition.

The fourth month window sometime coincides with a growth spurt, but unlike earlier growth spurts this one not only involves giving more food during the day but also extending the 'A' time between feeds. If you don't adjust his/her routine then this is the month when sleep problems start appearing.

Most four month old babies can stay awake for up to two hours during his fourth month, but if your baby can only stay awake for 1hr 30mins to 1hr 45mins, then you will have to transition him/her to a 3.5hr EASY, until he/she can stay awake for closer to 2hrs.


If you are on a 3.5hr EASY then 'E' will be 7, 10.30, 2, 5.30 and then top up at 7.


Then you can transition baby's onto a 4hr EASY.


Below is a guide in three day increments on how to transition from a 3hr EASY to a 4hr EASY

Days 1-3 you just observe and awake time is 1.5 hours and feed every 3hrs.

Days 4-7 You only keep  them awake an extra 15mins in the the first morning slot so we would keep them up 1.75hours BUT JUST FOR THE MORNING SLOT. all other awake times are the same at 1.5hours.

Days 8-11 You keep them awake another 15mins in the first morning slot so we would keep them up2hrs BUT JUST FOR THE MORNING SLOT. all other awake times are 1.5 hours.

Days 12-16 Obviously by now you cant add anymore awake time to the morning slot as we have alreay hopefully acheived the 2hr awake time and the morning feed should now be 4hr. So now we work on adjusting the afternoon awake time .

If you are on 4hr E.A.S.Y your 'E' times will be 7, 11, 3, 7.

[BoBoG]

Our son is certaintly showing signs of 3 and 4 below and doesn't show signs of being hungry at 3 hours.  In fact, regarding the 45-minute nap problem we started having problems with this about 4 weeks ago .... and come to think of it - there were days when even back then he could stay up for an hour and a half to almost 2 hours!!    Maybe we should have started the transition weeks ago!   

Well it's all starting to come together for me / him now...  his naps are getting longer - even if they're interrupted after the 30-40 minute mark (his morning nap for instance was 30 minutes - and then after another 'phantom cry' he settled himself after only 2 minutes and slept for an additional 1 hour and 15 minutes!!) - and he is definitely showing signs of development!!  His second A of today was only 1 hour and 30 minutes and he seemed to settle to sleep without any crying (clearly not overtired or overstimulated, as he may have been yesterday with 2 hours of A, twice in the afternoon).  So I'll take your advice and that of the BW and use the 3.5 hour EASY for now. 

Now our son has been waking before 7 a.m. (around 5:30-6:00'ish)... and I'm able to hold of going in to get him for a bit so that I've been starting our first feed of the day at 6:30 a.m.  Do you have any suggestions on how I can push his wake up time by just a bit?  Even if he's up at 6:30 he can talk to himself for a bit and then I can start to feed by 7.  Does this have any other effects on the routine?  I give him a final feed/top up at 7 or the latest 7:30 - and he's usually in bed and sleeping by 8 or just after.  We'd like to keep this time if possible, but I'm worried if it's pushing things a little late , especially if his day starts at 6 a.m.   Yesterday I fed him at 6:00 p.m. (part of the routine feed time) and again at 7:30 p.m. just before putting him down for the night.... this also ensures that he still gets his 5 feeds of the day (which he's been used to for sooo long) and that he's gotten enough calories in for the day to sustain him for the night.  Do you have any thoughts on this and whether we should start putting him down earlier, even if 1/2 hour earlier?? Will he then wake earlier in the morning? Other than having a different start time and subsequent feed times is there anything that doesn't/can't add up with the first feed of the day starting at 6:30 a.m.?? 

[corrina01]

You should be putting in down either 30-45 mins earlier.  He should not wake any earlier, babies go into a much deeper sleeper slowly than quickly if they are put to bed to exhausted.

Other than having a different start time and subsequent feed times is there anything that doesn't/can't add up with the first feed of the day starting at 6:30 a.m.?? 

Nothing at all, if you want to start the day at 6.30am you can.  I started the day at 7am for 6 months, now I am back at work I start the day at 6.30am. It suits me and DD alot better.