W2s in the early hours - am I doing it right ?

[October]

Hi,

I've been working on my LO's early a.m. for a few nights now and want to check I've go the right plan in place. He isn't waking through hunger (takes 38oz/day, is 17lbs and even w/o food doesn't always manage all of his 7am feed !) and takes a good deal of time to get down but we've had some progress (except last night).

He was waking at 3.30am so I did w2s 3 times at 2.30am and he woke instead at 4.30am. Then when he woke I spent time (up to an hour !) re-settling him... He eventually went down till we woke him for his 7am feed. The night b4 last I didn't do w2s as he had had a very poor nap day and I didn't want to mess around with his sleep. He woke naturally at 4.30am. So, last night I assumed he'd do the same and did w2s at 3.30am ...he woke at 4.30am and wouldn't re-settle (guess it didn't work !!). Not hunger...he seemed to want to get up !!

Apart from the getting-him-down-again issue which is draining me...... :-( I need to know if I have this right, continue doing w2s till they go all night ? The problem is him waking near 5am and refusing to go back down.

I'm also trying to extend his A times but this a.m.'s failure means I can't. Going a bit back and forth now and it's frustrating !!!!!!!

Am I on the right track ?       

[Colin Macs Mom]

W2S can take at least 3 days to show results, often a week, so you need to be consistent and stick with it. You can also try and different time frame - Tracy suggested doing it between 30 and 60 minutes before the wake time.

[October]

Thanks ! Didn't know about the 30-60 minutes timeframe and the suggestion it's varied till it works.

If it works the theory presumably is that my LO won't wake till his 7am feed ? He tends to wake an hour after I expect him to but I've been going in one hour ahead of time...

[Colin Macs Mom]

Yes, that's the theory. You might try 30 minutes instead and see if that makes a difference.

[October]

Sounds good to me...I get to lie in till 4am too !!!!!! Yippee !! 

Thx

[Ruggie]

Hi,

I amstruggling with my LO early am too. Just want to know how do you W2s?
and how awake do they need to be?

Thanks

[October]

Hi Loanne,

I go in and stroke my LOs arm's head or whatever I can reach w/o him seeing me (he's spirited !) and when he stirs I know it's worked. This a.m. it clearly didn't work as he stirred enough to wake a few minutes later.

When I do it w/o waking him at the moment he still wakes 2 hours after I stir him but when it really works he'll sleep through till his 7am feed. I'm told it may take a while. I had some success with w2s for naps so it can happen !

Roll on THAT day !!!!!!!!!   

Good luck with your LO. How old is he/she ?

Debbie

[Colin Macs Mom]

Just remember that you don't want to actually wake LO, just make him/her stir and change sleep cycles.

[Ruggie]

Thanks Debbie

He just turned 1. I am keeping the W2s idea as a backup. I am currently working on removing my presence as a prop, which I think is what he is looking for in the wee hours.