When EASY isn't easy?

eltar08

LO is about 4 months. I have been keeping track of her natural patterns for sleeping and eating and trying to apply a flexible form of EASY. She has no problem with the eating and playing but getting her down for naps is such a challenge. Part of it may be compounded by her grandmother who watches her while I work having trouble following any kind of schedule, but for the sake of argument I will leave her out of it. Does everyone else have no problem getting their babies into EASY? I have been trying the 3 hour schedule and would like to get her onto the 4 hour one but it seems pretty challenging. I realize she is still young but was curious about the experience of others. TIA!

katfaz

I sympathize!  I too have been trying to do EASY and it hasn't been the easiest - seriously.  My LO is 5 months and does a modified EASY since there are often times where she misses her nap and ends up eating, then falling asleep shortly afterwards.  My LO fights naps like crazy and I feel like the planets need to align "just perfectly" in order for napping to work out.  When I can, I definitely follow eat, play, sleep, but as mentioned - sometimes I'll take sleep at any cost so we do eat, sleep play when we absolutely have to.  I am also on a 3 hour schedule with her -- having a hard time getting her to stretch to 4 hours in between feedings.  Although she is sleeping 11-12 hours at night with no wakings, so I don't mind the 3 hour schedule since she does so well through the night.

katfaz

Also, another thing I wanted to mention.  Catnaps are my nemesis lately so sometimes she isn't sleeping all the way until her next feeding time, so there is some play time after waking, before eating again.  Make sense?  I just go with it and hope that as she gets older and more active she will tire herself out more and her naps will lengthen.  Fingers crossed!!

eltar08

The same thing happens to me, she won't nap because she is a little hungry, or she will catnap and wake up because she's hungry.  It is such a challenge for us!  Hopefully someone has some tips on how to get into more of a rhythm.

jennygirlmt

You want your 4 month old to go 4 hrs in between feelings? My 11 month old still nurses every 3 hrs and wakes to eat twice a night. I think you should continue focusing on your baby's needs and cues and try not to worry about the clock.

eltar08

Don't get me wrong, I am not withholding nursing her when she is hungry by any means or trying to track to a schedule.  I am more looking for how to apply the order of EASY more than the times so she isn't snacking throughout the day, but if that is what she needs then I have no issue with complying.

poppyc8

For some reason easy didn't work for us. My LO likes to wake, play a bit usually 30-40 min. Then eat. Then play more then nap. I prefer this way too that way I know he is going down for a nap with a full tummy and not waking early from a nap due to hunger. He ends up eating every 3 hours. Some days he eats every 2 hours if he is going through a growth spurt.

andyyougoonie

My first daughter never stretched out past the 3 hour feedings, but she slept great at night so I was fine with that.  In fact, once she started solids, I felt like she was eating MORE often the older she got, not less.