Cheating on A time?

[Mrs C]

Hey,
I've been struggling with everything lately so sorry if this post turns into a hormonal mess!

I have a DD#1 whose 3 and a DS#2 that's 3 months old.
The past week or so I have been BF DS and putting him down within an hour of getting him up and he *usually* goes down without a fuss. ESp. the AM nap. He is awake when I lay him down. Sometimes the A time (diaper change, smiles, etc) seem to come before the E time.
 EX: E at 9am for 30 or 40 mins
      S at  10am for 2 hrs sometimes
 

Is this cheating because he's so relaxed from BFing?? I'm still having trouble keeping him awake during feeds but he sometimes pulls and yanks on me and I usually
offer the other side. When he's awake on the first side, he seems to not be swallowing much, then I put him on the other side and he gulps down for 10-15 mins and
drifts off! I guess this part should be on the BF board.

Is he really sleeping indepently or am I cheating? This is what's working right now most of the time. He doesn't get any A time but I haven't had to deal with a screaming baby
, either!!  If he's been up too long, nothing seems to work to settle him except laying him down with the bassinet canopy up and my hand on him while he cries to sleep.


Sorry this is so scattered. Is there an acronym for Typing with Toddler?
Any help would be great.
Thanks!
C   

[vadensmommy]

I don't know if this is the *right* answer, but from my experience with my lo, as long as there were at least a few minutes between bottle and bed, and she was awake during that time (even if  fairly drowsy) we didn't get into any trouble.  I try to keep the lights on and everything the same as it is when it is A time, and then do our wind down after she finishes a bottle - change diaper, swaddle, turn out lights, turn on sound machine, rock and sing, and in the bed to sleep.  There were and are times where short naps, or just life in general interferes with the ideal feed and nap times, and they are close together, and you just can't help it, so keeping the bottle separate from the crib, even if it is only a small separation has worked fine for us.  I think the thing you really try to avoid is the feeding to sleep and putting baby in the crib fully asleep, but others can correct me if I am wrong!  HTH! 

[Grace's Mom]

I agree, as long as your lo is awake then you are just fine. 

Our goal is to get our lo's nice and relaxed before a nap, which is why we have a wind down time and a nap routine so your nap routine just happens to consist of a nice long feed. 

Great job!

Melissa

[Mrs C]

Thanks for your advice! And encouragement.

I have tried doing a longer wind down routine but he is usually arching his back and squirming when I try to rock him or hold him for a few minutes in front of the bassinet. I still feel like I have been feeding him too long- his suck to sleep assoc. is really a habit now. 

Today has been all out of whack as I wanted to take the kids to my in-laws so I could go to the store but the car won't start. I could have let him sleep longer this Am!!
Now he is not a happy camper! I fed him and put him down within the hour (brief A time in the carseat!)but he was only quiet for a little while and was screaming at the 45 min mark. ??
I changed him and he was all smiles and coos but really active and tried BF him but he drifted off within 10 mins!! Not  hungry?? It had only been 2 hrs. since last feed.
I'm having a really hard time with his cues!!

Thanks again! GTG, the baby stitters are here!!

Cindy

[Grace's Mom]

https://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=65957.0

https://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=65943.0

https://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=52283.0

Some of these may be of some help.

Melissa