Almost 2 weeks - too early for EASY??

[Wink's Marmy]

Hi. I'm a first timer with a nearly 2 week old daughter... Have been reading BW and really like the idea of the EASY plan. However, I am frustrated with the idea that this can work from birth. There is just no way I can get my baby on the schedule right now. For starters, she falls asleep everytime she feeds (BF). I have tried waking her for some activity time, but she wants to SLEEP. I feel like I am doing something wrong!

Also, she has been doing this little number on me where she falls asleep while being fed, or in mine or hubbie's arms - and when we lay her down in her cradle (sleeping in a cradle by our bed for now) she lasts about 5 minutes and then starts crying. I usually rock cradle and use a womb noise machine but doesn't work during these times. Today she did this from 7am - 1pm (with of course a few feedings in there, but only sleeping 10 or 20 min. at a time). How am I supposed to "heal and rest" when there is such inconsistancy?? Read the chapter on S, but nothing worked!!! HELP!

[Mrs. A]

Hi and welcome  
One thing you might try is shh/pat to help your daughter learn to fall asleep independently.   It's really tough in the beginning (at least it was for me) but if you hang in there it really does work.  Here's a link that explains how to do it.  Hopefully she will sleep longer this way.    shh/pat

Also at this age the A time is really very short.  Maybe 15 minutes of awake time before she's ready for sleep again.  It's important to make sure she stays awake during feeds so that she gets enough to eat. 

I hope that helps.  I'm sure that you'll get lots of help from the other great BWs on this site!

Lisa

[First Time Mom]

First, congratulations on your new lo! I think 2 weeks is too early to start an easy routine, especially if you are bfing. You are best to feed on demand to get your supply up and maintained. The "a" time for a 2 week old should consist of nothing but a diaper change as well, they are too young for too much stimulation. I didn't start easy until week 6, prior to that I did what worked- white noise, swaddle, rocking, anything that soothed. After that I started easy and it wasn't too hard to break the "bad" habits. Even once we established a routine we were never on an exact 3 or 4 hour routine, with bfing you have to be more adaptable and feed them when they are hungry so it may be 2.5 hours for part of the day and 3 for others.

[Mrs. A]

Here are a couple other links that I think may help!  

Lisa  

EASY

wind down

[rebecaq]

Hi there, and Welcome to BW! 

I totally agree wih First Time Mom, babies don't really do much of anything except eat and sleep for the first 6 weeks of life.  And you also need to establish a good supply the first few weeks of BF. I understand how that can cause concern with accidental parenting and a lack of routine. The way I dealt with it was to change my son's  diaper after his feed so he wouldn't make the boob=sleep association. Other than that he slept and slept and slept and I let him do it. To sleep is to grow with newborns. Also your baby is still getting used to life on the outside   

The best course of action until then is to tune in to her cues and meet her demands.  At 6 weeks you can start implementing EASY. 

Hope to hear from you soon

And congratulations on your new baby girl!! 

- Beca