https://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=62100.0 - Starting EASY
https://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?board=82.0 - Other EASY FAQ's
Have a look at the thread I have given you the link to, this will help you establish an EASY routine. EASY is all learning to identify your LO's cries so you can act accordlingly. i.e
*All information is taken from "The Baby Whisperer Solves All Your Problems," by Tracy Hogg
E.A.S.Y. is "a routine that gives the day structure and makes family life consistent, which is important because all of us, children and adults, as well as babies and toddlers, thrive on predictabiltiy." "With E.A.S.Y., you don't follow the baby; you take charge. You observe him carefully, tune in to his cues, but you take the lead, gently encouraging him to follow what you know will make him thrive: eating, appropriate levels of activity, and a good sleep afterwards. You are the baby's guide. You set the pace." (page 16)
From page 17:
Why Go E.A.S.Y.?EASY is a sensible way to get you and your child through the day. It is composed of repetitive cycles of each letter. The E, A, and S are interrelated-changes in one usually affect the other two. Although your baby will transform over the coming months as she grows, the order in which each letter occurs does not:
Eat: Your baby's day starts with a feed, which goes from all-liquid to liquids and solids at six months. You're less likely to overfeed or underfeed a baby who's on a routine.
Activity: Infants entertain themselves by cooing and gooing at their caretakers and staring at the wavy lines on the dining room wallpaper. But as your baby develops she will interact more with her environment and move about. A structured routine helps prevent babies from becoming overstimulated.
Sleep: Sleep helps your baby grow. Also, good naps during the day will make her go for longer stretches at night, because one needs to be relaxed in order to sleep well.
Your time: If your baby isn't on a structured routine, every day will be different and unpredictable. Not only will she be miserable, you'll barely have a moment for yourself.
"Parents who establish [the] E.A.S.Y. routine quickly get better at figuring out what their baby needs and wants at a particular time of the day. Let's say you've fed your infant (the E), and she's been up for fifteen minutes (the A-activity), and then she starts to get a bit fussy. Chances are, she's ready for sleep (the S)." (page 17) While she's napping, you should take the opportunity to do something for yourself, and then when she wakes, you'll know she's ready for her next feed. (Assuming she's taken an appropriate length of nap).
Without a routine in place, life with baby can be caotic. It would be hard to determine if your baby was crying due to hunger, or due to being tired. You wouldn't be able to predict his nap times or feed times, thus unable to make plans for yourself and your family. "Eating affects sleep and activity; activity affects eating and sleeping; sleep affects activity and eating-and all of them will naturally affect you." (page 18)
E.A.S.Y. is not a schedule. A schedule is more about focusing on the clock, whereas E.A.S.Y. is about focusing on your baby and his cues and needs. Rather than following time slots, E.A.S.Y. follows a daily pattern of events. By doing so, we guide our children and teach them by repetition. "The most important aspect of E.A.S.Y. is to read your child's signs-of hunger, of fatigue, of overstimulation-which is more important than any time slot." (page 20) Tracy uses example routines in her books that include times. This is for informational purposes to generally advise on how to use EASY. But babies vary, and each baby varies every day, and you shouldn't panic if a feed time is off by 15 minutes, or if baby doesn't nap for 2 hrs. Also, not all babies wake at 7 am to start their day; some are early risers, and some sleep later.
I am also going to move this post to the EASY boards.
Hi
Could you give us more info
How old is your lo? How much does she take each feed?
Niki
Can you also post your current routine if you have one.
Lauren
