any one want to chat how to 4 hour easy and beyond

[Sylvia.]

yes i guess so sharon, possibly the root of all your problems..

do you have a real good wind down routine

how old is you ds again? it does sound like he is all over the shop, here is what i would try, i would take him back to a shorter easy, an extra feed and an extra nap, and i would feed at night but only for a few nights and see if that helps, if it did i would then try again and start extending towards 4 hour easy

i find that dd cannot stay awake as long between wake for the morning and the first nap, sometimes even though we are basically on 4 hour easy that she goes down 20 minutes early

i am here if you want to chat some more, i can so relate and i can so understand what it feels like, i just want to remind you that i had a hell of a first 4 1/2 months with dd and things are only just starting to improve, i feel like a new women with so much energy and desire, hang in there you can do this

sylvia xx

[Sharon P]

Hi Sylvia,

Thanks so much for the support. DS is 5 months tomorrow. I put DS down early tonight and he managed to sleep through to his DF and barely stirred through the feed. SO fingers crossed it will be a better night. I am feeding him during the night. He just wont have a bar of being resettled. Those days are long gone since ditching the dummy 1.5 months ago. Becasue it has only been once a night up until recently I haven't worried about it and I'm hoping if I get things back on track I wont need to.

Since writing my post I have really thought about the tiredness factor. I am really going to work on that.

As far as a wind-down goes I'm a bit shaky in this area. Currently I do around 10mins of books and lullabies, but it is an emerging strategy, so open to suggestions. I do think DS struggles to switch off (spirited LO) and think that a lot of our trouble has come since moving to 4 hr EASY, about the same time as you starting this thread, which could be over stimulation. So hence I have been increasing the wind-down, but haven't found a consistent approach worth sticking to.

He is also going through so much right now. A holiday last week, daylight saving changes, a mild cold, teething (probably) and learning to roll. Oh what a list!

Thanks again, I will perhaps go back to a 3.5 hr EASY and see what happens.

Sharon.

[rinajack]

Sharon

with all that is going on I think if you try to be consistant then you will eventually get back on track.  How long A times for your lo?  With spirited babies (I have one), I actually found that when the tired signs hit, she is tired instantly, so did not do any wind down at that age.  Have now started doing stories becuase some times there are no tired signs.

It is normal for sleep to be bad when developmental milestones are hit, so persevere.  Also, if worse comes to worse your lo is old enough now for PU/PD.

Also, around this age, I found that shh/pat didn't work anymore, so now I stroke her leg gently or gub circles on her bum (she is a tummy sleeper), so experiment a little, it may help.

4 hr Easy will only work if you can consistantly do 2 HR A times, so if lo can't, then 3.5 hr easy is def the way to go.

[Sharon P]

HI Rinakack,

Thanks for your thoughts and support. I think that DS can manage the 2 hrs A time, though he seems to get a second wind, so to speak, in the last 30 mins and then does not seem ready for sleep. I was wondering if he has become over tired. It seems to be the eating that he struggles with, but only when he doesn't get through to his second sleep cycle.

This morning there were no tired signs, despite taking DS to his room 30 mins before to try and do some quite activities in his room. Eventually did read books, despite much gurglling and wriggling and scooting eyes about the room. He wasn't happy being put to sleep, but went down after only about 5-7 mins of crying. He just switched it off! I am reluctant to try PU/PD as he has never been easy to calm in our arms, so I can't see how it will work. Having said that I have to read up on it again to be sure. I do play around with the settling strategies. Just can't seem to hit anything at the moment. It all seems to be a matter of DS letting go, rather than something I am doing to help that happen. I am definitely trying to be consistent with EASY. I plan to do the best I can for the next few days and then on Sunday start a record and try to remove external factors (bw now and then many things going on that make it harder).

Must fly, have to do some work before DS wakes.

Thanks again,

Sharon.