Only two naps at 4.5 months? Plus other questions

[Seans mommy]

I have using EASY for the past two months and it has been absolutely wonderful.  DS has worked up to sleeping 10 hours straight during the night, up for a 20-30 minute feeding and then sleeps another 1 1/2 to 2 hours.  Our schedule has been:

8:30 wake
8:30-9:00 E
9:30-10:30 A
10:30-11:30 S
11:30-12:00 E
12:00-1:00 A
1:00-2:00 S
2:30-3:00 E
3:00-4:00 A
4:00-5:00 S
5:30-6:00 E
6:00-7:15 A
and at 7:15 we start bath, massage, a bottle and then bed by 8:00-8:30 (that seems to change)

The routine usually goes that way but varies based on the time he wakes up -- sometimes he sleeps until 9:30!  The problem we have started to have over the past few days is that he screams and cries with tears streaming down his face when we try to put him down for his last two naps.  He'll cry until he is allowed to stay up longer and then he doesn't look tired at all any longer!  I'm starting to wonder if based on the fact that he is sleeping 11-12 hours a night that three naps is too many.  Any advice would be appreciated!!!

The other questions DH and I are having are when to move him to his own crib in his own room instead of being in the bassinet next to our bed (it's definitely getting a little too small for him  ).  He is starting one full and two half days of day care in three weeks and we don't want too many transitions for him at one time.  Any advice about putting him in his own crib?

Last, daycare......a big issue.  I have fallen into the bad habit of feeding him a little before putting him down to sleep.  But since he's been such a great sleeper and we have such wonderful nights we figured why fix something that isn't broken?  We're worried about him napping at daycare and how bad naps have become.  I have become terrified about going back to work because of this.  Did anyone have their daycare continue EASY with their child?  How did it go?  Any tips?

Sorry this is long... a lot on my mind lately 

[Seans mommy]

Still hoping for help    Also wondering when everyone stopped swaddling -- is 4.5 months too old?

[meltown]

Hi seans mommy glad to hear things are SO MUCH BETTER FOR YOU!  I remember all the posts before. 

We moved my son to his crib at 6 weeks.  he was sleeping about 10 hours at that point (12 usualy now) and I didn't feel it was that neccisary to have him close to me.  he sleeps great in his own room.  I would recommend doing it as soon as you can because it will just get harder and harder as he gets older.  I would definatly do it really soon before daycare starts.  Have you talked with your daycare about doing EASY? are they familiar with it?  I would be sure to find out what they know and be sure they know exactly what to do if you plan to continue. 

It is funny that you mention the screaming.  I have no answer for you.  my son who is almost 4 months is doing the same hting.  I have been trying to figue out what is happening and the only thing I can come up with is that he is either overtired (he takes 45 min naps all day ) or that I am eating somehting earlier in the day that is causing him to have a hard time.  I am BFing so maybe it is that.  I assume you are BFing too because of the timing of your EASY so maybe it is the same kind of thing.  If anyone has other suggestions I would definatly be open to hearing them as well. 

We also just transitioned him to a 3.5 EASY, if your LO can go that far between feeds maybe you shoudl look into transitioning as well.

[Seans mommy]

Thanks for your advice.  I have talked to them about EASY and they seem willing.  I'm just concerned about...I don't know, everything in regards to leaving him with someone else!

I'm still wondering if swaddling at 4.5 months is too much.  It seems that his arms just start flapping when he's put down and they wake him up.  His miracle blanket is getting too small and I'm not sure what to do.   

[meltown]

um, are you still on a 3 hour EASY?  I just realized it was 3 hours between feeds and that your LO is only haveing 3 hours of nap time a day.  that may be causin the problem.  have you tried extending him a bit to be on a 3.5 hour schedual.  most by 4 months are on a 4 hour schedual but my on just switched to a 3.5 and will be 4 mo in a couple days.  this may help you to get him to sleep a bit better.  he may have gas to he may be overtired because he needs more nap time in the day.  on a 4 hour schedual you have 2 naps 2 hours each. so giving him 2 naps 1.5 hours each and then a cat nap may help.  also it looked like you had a really long awake time before bed.  how does he do with going to bed at night?  if he is fine with it, I definatly thing he could do a longer EASY. 

as for swaddling, I don't have many answers for you on that.  my son was rarely swaddlesd and once he found his fists we stopped doing it.  he is a really deep sleeper and hitting himself doesn't bother him.  if it does with your son, I say keep swaddling untilhe has a bit more control.  or you could try the aussie swaddle some people have found great success using that.   

[Seans mommy]

I told DH about switching Sean to a four hour schedule and he responded, "He may have a problem with that" mainly because at around 1.5 - 2 hours after he wakes he starts what we call "eye clawing."  The first eye claw and we put him down for a nap.  I did notice today, however, that he was up for 2.5 hours after his first waking and he went down for a nap easier than he has in a while.

As for nighttime, he's an angel  .  He goes down at 8:00, we don't do a dream feed, he wakes around 6:00 completely ravenous but only eats for about 25-30 minutes before he goes back to sleep for another two hours.  This morning he even slept in until 9:00 (which I let him do because I was sleeping as well and needed the rest).

Thanks for the tip about the Aussie swaddle.  For some reason those arms just start grabbing at the sides of his bassinet even though he's totally asleep and before we know it he's startled awake and starts crying because it seems like it completely surprises him.  Swaddling stops that.  The website about the aussie swaddle says to stop when he starts rolling over.  I guess we only have a few more weeks with swaddling then 

[meltown]

on the 4 hour EASY the AWAke time is 2 hours, then a 2 hour nap twice a day, then a cat nap before the bath and such.  the only thing that would switch would be his nap would be longer and happen less frequently.  you could maybe try a 3.5 and see if he can do it.  I am tranisitioning my son right now to a 3.5.  here is the sample schedual someone gave me.  maybe you could see if it would work for you, or tweek it to work for you if you want.  with a 3.5 schedual it is 1.5 hours awake and 2 hours sleep, or 2 hours awake and 1.5 asleep.  maybe that woudl be better for you because then you can gradually extend his nap as well as his Eating.  He may have a hard time later int he day because he is overtired by that time.   

[meltown]

opps I forgot to post this in here!!!  this is actually the one from the link on how to transition.  here it is https://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=63161.0

E: 7.00 wake up and feed
A: 7.30 or 7.45 (depending on how long feed takes)
S: 8.30 (1.5hr nap)
Y: your choice
E: 10.30
A: 11.00 or 11.15
S: 12.30 (1.5hr nap)
Y: your choice
E: 2.00
A: 2.30 or 2.45
S: 3.30 (1.5hr nap)
Y: your choice
E: 5.30 feed
A: inc. bath time
E: 7.00/7.30 (cluster feed)
S: 7.30/8pm bedtime
Y: the evening is yours
E: 10 or 11pm dreamfeed