Help...feel out of control!!!
earthmama2011
member
Okay Moms, I really need some advice. I feel like I'm totally out of control when it comes to DD "schedule" or lack of schedule.
Her daytime naps seem to have no pattern, they don't seem to start at the same time or last for the same amount of time. And bedtime usually happens around 930, which I think is too late. She then usually eats again around 1130, sleeps until 5 and then awakes to eat and then sleeps until anywhere between 730 to 9!!!
Should I be waking her up at the same time each day? I never know what to do!!!!
I'm also trying to transition her from her bassinet to her crib, as she is out growing her bassinet. And she only naps when I'm holding her or when she's in her bouncy chair:( Any tips for transitioning???
Also, how often do your little ones eat during the day?
Please help Moms, I feel like I'm failing!!!
Thank you:)
Re: Help...feel out of control!!!
Let's start w/ the naps...
I just watch my daughter's sleep cues. If she has been up for about 2-3 hours, she is probably tired so I usually rock her to sleep/nurse her to sleep/or put her in the swing. After she falls asleep w/ me rocking or nursing her I put her in the crib. She only takes 30-45 minute naps about 3-4 times a day. It's pretty random but usually a morning (between 9am-11am), afternoon (1pm-3pm), late afternoon (4pm-5pm), and sometimes an early evening nap (around 6pm but only lasts 15-20min).
She used to go to bed around 9pm, then it kept getting pushed back because of that last nap. I started putting her to bed earlier and it has helped resolve that. Sometimes she just drops that last nap altogether. Bedtime is usually between 730pm-8pm. That's really the only routine.
We are still in the bassinet so I'm no help there. For about 2 months I have been putting her in the crib for daytime naps as much as possible. Maybe start there?
P is EBF and eats about 6x during the day.
You're not failing, there isn't any set way to do this! I guess some people do put their LO's on a schedule, but we are on a very very loose one. Mostly led by DD.
I'm lurking. From the 9-12 month board
anyways just wanted to put my experience out there,hopefully it helps. I was concerned with the same thing for DS but at 6 months he started to actually put himself on a schedule. so not much help there unless you want to wait it out and hope for the best lol I would say try to put her down around the same time each day. start off gradually-wake up at a certain time and start going through daily activities-breakfast,playtime,naptime,lunch,play,out for a walk,etc. Each day will get LO slowly in the routine-you just have to watch for when shes tired and put her down for a nap-rock her or whatever( I have to make DS sleep lol like rock him until he falls asleep)
As far as the transitioning, DS refuses to sleep in his crib,he wants to be in the same room with us-he slept in the crib while it was in our room but when we switched to his room he freaked so now he sleeps in the PP next to our bed. Wait until she's good and asleep in your arms then gently lay her down and stay for a minute rub her back and sing or talk softly so she knows you're still there.
Feedings-at 3-6 months he was on purees so we did breakfast was fruit and maybe some soft mushy finger foods like banana,then he'd BF and go for a nap,lunch was some veggie puree and then dinner was meat puree and then he'd get BF right before bed.
GL&I hope it works out for you soon!
It's up to you what you do. Is she happy and healthy? Then you're doing fine. If YOU feel like you need more structure in your day, she's certainly old enough for you to push for some. I'd do it gradually. Start with one thing. Maybe wake her up at the same time every morning for a while. You might find she becomes more consistent in everything else when you set one or two anchors in her day.
Feeding is the only thing I have a degree of scheduling with. DD was a preemie, lost a lot of weight in the NICU, then didn't gain well at home. So I do try to see that she gets enough food in her during the day. I aim for the 25 oz a day the BF articles recommend. She gets 3 oz bottles so that's about 8 feedings a day. We didn't institute this schedule but it's how it works for us - 2 bottles at home in the am, 4 bottles with the sitter and 2 bottles at home in the pm. Now when she wants to eat is up to her. She definitely lets us know! And now I think she's hit a growth spurt and is probably taking more than 8 bottles a day.
I also have to wake her to go to the sitter's during the week. Other than that she has no schedule. She naps and sleeps when she wants, eats when she wants, coos and giggles at me at 3 am... I just go with the flow. I don't expect her to be on a schedule so I can't feel like I'm failing if she's not! As far as transitioning to the crib I don't have much advice as we haven't done that yet. DD is a good sleeper though and will sleep in her crib when we put her there. I did try that lay the baby down when she's drowsy bit and it doesn't work for her. She has to be out cold asleep or else her eyes pop right back open! Maybe you can try putting her to sleep for a nap then transferring her to the crib. Some practice napping in the crib can prepare her for sleeping there.
We don't have much of a schedule here either. I don't feel that it's necessary. If I decide the first bottle is at 7am because that's what she had been doing for well over 2 months and then all of a sudden the past 10 days she has been getting up at 6am. So what......hold off for an hour??? She is starving! I can see waking up the baby if you have to go to work at the same time everyday, but if the baby wakes up an hour early hungry then what?? I feed her. I wish her naps were predictable but they are not. I would love to plan a lunch or doctors appointment and know that she is awake, but I honestly have no clue how to do this.
The only thing we have here is a general awake time of around 2 hrs and before bed her wake time can be up to 3 hrs. She usually takes 3 naps with one of those being a long one (1.5-2.5hr) and the rest are 1 hr and bedtime is always 7:30ish