Changing routine and getting rid of the paci

[Tessy]

Back again with a new question!!!

Because I got up yesterday late our routine started one hour later and so my LO went to bed one hour later (8.30 pm, slept finally at 9.00 pm). He got a DF  at 11 pm. And slept till 7.00!!!!

Should I take him to bed now always an hour later?? Or is that not enough sleep? Or should I continue to try to extend the hours untill 7.00 am!?

Thanks for reply

Tessy

[* Paula *]

Hi

That is geat news that he slept unitl 7:00 

It is entirely up to you how you go about it.  Follow your lo's signs, and if it looks like he can stay up a bit longer, then keep him up.  Just make sure you watch his cues, as you don't want him to get overtired.

HTH

Paula x

[Tessy]

So let's see where we are now. I couldn't Cluster feed yesterday because he didn't eat well yesterday anyway. I think he had a upset tummy or something. He was screaming when I tried to latch him on so I was just trying to get some in him.

Anyway he slept till 5.00 this morning and took a whole feed. Then we slept till 7.00 and started the day then. He was quit happy in the morning and went to nap in the pram while outside with the dogs pretty well. The 2nd nap was a nightmare.

Getting him to sleep is getting worse.
I thought it might be too much A time, that he can't go for 2 hours yet so I tried to put him to bed a bit earlier but with the same result. So I think he isn't overtired. I must do something wrong, but can't see it.

Let me tell you what I do. I change him and put him in his sleepingbag, well went back to swaddle again now to have him more calmed. Then we go in the bedroom. I sit down with him and the playmobile plays a lullabie and I sing it to him silent too. When he is calm (which he isnt anymore the last few times) I try to put him in his cot saying "It's okay, you just gonna go to sleep!" (well in german tho  . He starts crying of course (the 2nd day he didn't in the afternoon and I thought I made it!). I try to calm him with shush/pat in the cot (which never works!) then I take him out, sit down and have him on my shoulder doing shush/pat. He goes lunatic, cries his heart out, like I wouldn't even be there. After 10-20 minutes he calms down (so he cries that long in one strech  ). I wait till he starts staring and his eyes are going heavy then I put him in his cot, do shush/pat and wait a bit longer then he felt asleep. 10 Minutes later all over again for 2 or 3 times.

After 45 minutes he wakes up every second nap and we start all over again. He doesn't wake up again at night time tho. But it took us 1 hour yesterday evening too.

Has anybody got a clue, what I do wrong? Should I continue shush/pat 20 minutes long so he is in a deep sleepo? Wouldnt he wake up and not settle down on his own after 45 minutes anyway? Or should I maybe dont shush/pat as long as I do and put him more awake in the cot?
At the moment I think I do everything wrong and it feels like I have never had him sleeping before on his own. But he was such a good sleeper. Well until I got rid of the paci 


Should I write this problem in the general sleeping area?
Thanks for help again.

Tessy

[* Paula *]

Do you think he is ready for he 4 hour EASY?

From what you are saying - it is taking ages to settle him etc - It could be due to the fact that he is overtired.  Were you on the 3 hour or the 3.5 hour before you switched over?

[Tessy]

I was on 3.5 hours, I was doing the transition from Tracys book. Do you think I should go back to 3 or 3.5? The thing is, he eats much better now on 4 hours and that was such a success.

I am looking for signs of being tired . If he shows yawning or something I always try to put him to bed earlier. So I am not insistence on the 2 hours A time. This afternoon he just had a short catnap of 20 minutes because I had to pick up my husband suddenly. (5.10 to 5.30 catnap). I put him to bed at 7.30 and he went down pretty well!? Midday I tried to put him to bed a bit earlier because I wanted to see if it works better after 1 1/2 hours but it was a fight.

So would you advice to go back to 3.5 hours for some days and see how it goes? Or is it too much changing routines?

[* Paula *]

If you are finding that he is not able to handle the 2 hours A time, but that he is not hungry at the 3.5 hour mark, it might be worth while trying for 3.75 and then aiming for 4 hours.

If you think that a cat nap in the late afternoon helps, it might be worth sticking to it.