Sleep-eat-play-sleep routine...how does this work? And when?

[megenic]

It's from the Baby Whisperer, and her books go into great detail about it.

We put both our babies on EASY from the time they came home from the hospital and it was wonderful. It eliminates the guesswork of "baby is crying. Is she hungry? Tired? Bored?" It really helps the parent as much as the baby, and the baby whisperer says it's never too early to do EASY. It may take awhile, but it juts gets you into a good rythmn for your days. Makes them less stressful and more predictable!

[GEMQEMCABOOSE]

Originally Posted by megenic It's from the Baby Whisperer, and her books go into great detail about it. We put both our babies on EASY from the time they came home from the hospital and it was wonderful. It eliminates the guesswork of "baby is crying. Is she hungry? Tired? Bored?" It really helps the parent as much as the baby, and the baby whisperer says it's never too early to do EASY. It may take awhile, but it juts gets you into a good rythmn for your days. Makes them less stressful and more predictable!

ITA with this post! We love us some routine over here!
However, I actually learned this from the Ezzos nearly 14 years ago as part of their Prep for Parenting class. This eventually gave birth to Babywise. The Baby Whisperer and the No Cry Sleep Solution authors have republished many of the previous suggestions of the Ezzos in a more palatable way. . BW has such a bad rap on more AP sites like DS (let's skip the BW drama in this thread please) but this is actually the crux of the entire book IMO. My mother says this is all common sense from back when she was a child, so who knows where these great ideas really came from? OP, the cycle really does work amazingly well. GL with your newest blessing.

[ajane]

Originally Posted by CaylaEP We did this with ds. He is now an excellent napper (twice a day for atleast an hr or more each) and sleeps through the night ( usually 730-7). He started sleeping through the night at seven months and always goes into his crib awake and falls asleep in there and wakes up in there. We coslept till 7 months but he has gone to sleep without the boob since about 4 months. I learned about this method in a beyond birth class i went to for 16 weeks after ds was born. The key to it is catching them before they are over tired. The lady leading our class gave this little table saying how long their little brains could handle being awake and you should put them down right before that...like 90 mins when an infant, 2 hrs a little later and so on. I found it to always be right on. Going by this routine kinda puts you on a schedule but I find it flexible and easy. If my son wakes up sooner he naps sooner, if he napd longer he naps later for his second nap etc. When they are an infant it is more about helping them to get to sleep before they are too tired to get to sleep. The play can be a few minutes of tummy time or reading a book etc. Having a night routine (bath,lotion,book,lay down in crib etc) helps bc then they start to associate that with sleep and know what is coming next.

That is exactly right. I WISH I knew it with my first.

[missymay]

I've done this with all 3 of mine, for the most part, although I slip up sometimes and nurse to sleep if I miss the sleep cues and they get overtired and can't settle down on their own. I figure its better to avoid them getting even more overtired at that point and save working on going to sleep on their own for the next nap.

Another thing that helps with establishing a routine for newborns is to make sure that they are taking full feedings, rather than just snacking a little and drifting off to sleep. If they only get the watery foremilk, they are going to be feeding very frequently, because it is more of a thirst-quencher, without much calories or fat. The hindmilk (the last bit of milk that your breast produces) is the rich dessert that helps them last longer before they get hungry again. Of course, getting babies to stay awake for a full feeding can be pretty tough when they are only 1-2 months old, but it really helps.

[hilaryisinked]

I'm resurrecting this thread because I've been reading it multiple times a day.

How do I switch my 4 month old to this from nursing to sleep?? It's not working out at all.

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[el's mama]

Originally Posted by GEMQEMCABOOSE ITA with this post! We love us some routine over here! However, I actually learned this from the Ezzos nearly 14 years ago as part of their Prep for Parenting class. This eventually gave birth to Babywise. The Baby Whisperer and the No Cry Sleep Solution authors have republished many of the previous suggestions of the Ezzos in a more palatable way. . BW has such a bad rap on more AP sites like DS (let's skip the BW drama in this thread please) but this is actually the crux of the entire book IMO. My mother says this is all common sense from back when she was a child, so who knows where these great ideas really came from? OP, the cycle really does work amazingly well. GL with your newest blessing.

It definitely differs from Babywise though because it doesn't involve crying. Part of why Babywise isn't popular with AP'ing folks is because their former feeding schedule was causing many babies to have failure to thrive. Pressure from the AAP is what made Gary Ezzo modify the feeding schedule. Babywise is a much more harsh and scheduled program. I wouldn't call it common sense. I think the EASY routine sounds much more baby friendly.

[umphreysmommy]

Originally Posted by MamaWillow Wow this is amazing. I can't believe you all have babies that fall asleep on their own! I feel like there is something wrong with mine! DS would have never ever fallen asleep alone, and now it's looking like it will be tougher with DD2 as well. She always falls asleep at the breast, and then won't wake up when I take her off. If I let her sleep on her tummy (leading to my next thread....) she will stay asleep, usuallyhe. If I lie her down awake, she will fuss and fuss until it escalates to a cry, then a scream, even if I am with her, rubbing her back and shushing. We aren't doing a paci, so is that my problem? I get the routine but I just don't see how it works!

I don't know. I truly think it is a personality thing, I could have tried everything with DD1, she needed to be nursed and snuggled to sleep. I tried the crib countless times and she needed to be near us. She still wakes at 27 months. With my 1 month old she is just an easy going baby, I haven't done anything different, I hold her all day, co-sleep, breastfeeding, etc. she already STTN, I can lay her down to go get something and come back and she is sleeping, I can let her swing in a swing and she is happy and she doesn't comfort nurse at all (she pulls away when she is done). She is the exact opposite of DD1 and I didn't do any training or anything different at all (well except her having a home birth and DD1 being a c-section!)

[GEMQEMCABOOSE]

Originally Posted by hilaryisinked I'm resurrecting this thread because I've been reading it multiple times a day. How do I switch my 4 month old to this from nursing to sleep?? It's not working out at all. Sent from my iPhone using DS Forum

Hilary, what I would try is starting first thing in the morning. After her first nursing session like 6 or 7am or whenever y'all start your day, I would watch her closely. About 45-60 minutes after finishing eating, at four months, watch for the first yawn, eye rubbing or fuss. This is your sleep cue, this is the window where your LO is ready to sleep and is easiest for her to do so with minimal help from you. If you miss this, you will be in to overtiredness and sleep fighting. I put mine down at that first sleep cue and that's always been the ticket. If she needs a swing, swaddling, belly sleeping, what have you, being worn, I would do it at this point. I would work just on getting her previous body used to the routine. Where she learns to expect a nap an hour after eating. She will begin to recognize that time interval and that's how you wind up with babies that love to go for a nap and smile when you lay them in their beds and put themselves to sleep. Once your routine is established, then I would try to change some sleep needs like learning to nap in her own bed, or without a swing or wrap. You have 4 months of learned behavior to change so just be patient and keep doing it. She can learn new tricks! GL! PM if you want.

[hilaryisinked]

Originally Posted by GEMQEMCABOOSE Hilary, what I would try is starting first thing in the morning. After her first nursing session like 6 or 7am or whenever y'all start your day, I would watch her closely. About 45-60 minutes after finishing eating, at four months, watch for the first yawn, eye rubbing or fuss. This is your sleep cue, this is the window where your LO is ready to sleep and is easiest for her to do so with minimal help from you. If you miss this, you will be in to overtiredness and sleep fighting. I put mine down at that first sleep cue and that's always been the ticket. If she needs a swing, swaddling, belly sleeping, what have you, being worn, I would do it at this point. I would work just on getting her previous body used to the routine. Where she learns to expect a nap an hour after eating. She will begin to recognize that time interval and that's how you wind up with babies that love to go for a nap and smile when you lay them in their beds and put themselves to sleep. Once your routine is established, then I would try to change some sleep needs like learning to nap in her own bed, or without a swing or wrap. You have 4 months of learned behavior to change so just be patient and keep doing it. She can learn new tricks! GL! PM if you want.

Thanks so much

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[doodah]

The entire description of this style is from The Baby Whisperer. I've used that book to help with all my kids and my daycare kids. I don't let any of the kids nurse or take bottles to go to sleep, no rocking, no crying.....they are used to just laying down and sleeping on their own from a very early age (probably 3 to 4 months). I also use Happiest Baby on the Block too. The only time I have crying is when I have a new kid at my daycare or when the parents have really random schedules at home and so the little ones are on a routine here and then mom and dad just do whatever at home.