[Valene Hii]

Hi Emma

I thought I would just give you an update – everything is working well! Although there are still no real schedule around usual nap times, she is now able to be put in the crib for her sleep once she’s drowsy. Hopefully we will start seeing more pattern around her naps soon. Thank you so much for all your help.

[Valene Hii]

Hi Emma,

Thank you for such a comprehensive plan! I’ll give that all a go. I’m glad we purchased your sleep program early since she is still very adaptive to any changes whilst she is this young.

[Valene Hii]

Hi Emma

Thanks for taking the time to understand my situation a little better – dont mind the questions at all!

1. You mentioned that her wake-up time is 7am – is this consistent?
   Yes, this is consistent and usually within a 30 min window of this. She will wake up between 06:45 am – 7:15am naturally. I have never had to wake her up – she wakes me up!

2. As she’s feeding to sleep, I’m wondering if you’re currently following a wake → feed → play → feed → sleep routine during the day?
   Yes, before she would be wake –> feed –> play — feed –> sleep. I had issues with breast milk under supply – hence I was triple feeding for a large proportion of the fourth trimester. This resulted in lots of “snacking” and baby constantly getting topped up. I have now made peace that I just cant produce enough milk, so am mix feeding with formula and direct breast feeds. With this change, I am hoping to more consistently transition to wake –> feed –> play –> sleep.

3. Does she use a pacifier at all, or is all her soothing currently linked to the breast?
   She does not seem to take the pacifier, and will only want the breast. In the past few days I have used my breasts to sooth, then proceeded with the settling pyramid. Now approx 50% she will be okay without needing the breast to soothe.

4. Do you have a nap routine? If so, could you describe it for me?
   Not really, she has such sporadic short naps. Often what will happen is she just drops off to sleep whilst I’m wearing her (at this time I will try and put her down, but she wakes up immediately). Shes never been a baby who is happy to play on her own in the play gym for long – she constantly wants to be held.

5. Based on what you’ve said, I’m assuming that to get her to sleep at nap time, you are sitting in a chair and feeding her to sleep – and then are you continuing to hold her for the duration of the nap? Or are you placing her down on your bed or in the crib? Or are you wearing her in a baby carrier?
   I wear her for most of the day. Sometimes she falls asleep while Im doing house work. Once she is a asleep I try to transfer her, which never works and results in a wake up (hence the “nap is only 5-10 mins long). Sometimes if I notice her early sleepy cues, I will take her out of the carrier and try the settling pyramid – but as soon as I get to the stage of laying her down, she starts crying again.

6. You mentioned she naps for around 3 hours per day – how many naps is she currently having? And have you noticed if the timing of the first nap has become relatively predictable?
   Her day time naps have now dropped to 2-2.5 hours. There is no predictability whatsoever with her naps. She will wake for approx 1 hour – 1 hour 15 mins, then sleep for 10-20 mins. This is repeated all day from 7am through to 8pm. She could probably sleep longer than 10-20 mins if I let her contact nap, but Ive been very persistent in trying to put her down, hence the day naps have never been longer than 20 mins.

7. Do you have a bedtime routine? If so, could you describe what it looks like?
   I’ll change her nappy, then I will feed her outside her room. Then I will pop on her sleep sack and walk into the room and sing to her while rocking her. Then I’ll try and put her down drowsy (but often have to rock her completely to sleep in my arms before I can lay her down). Bed time is the only time she will sleep lying down (but this is in our bed, not in a crib). She has good long stretches of night sleep of 4-7 hours (only 2-3 quick waking during her 8pm-7am night sleep)

8. Can you describe the room her crib is in (so it is cool, free from sudden loud noises and dark) – and is it currently in your room?
   Yes, the crib is off the side of our room, in a cool dark room. The room is silent during the night (so no sound machine)

9. You mentioned you’re co-sleeping with your little one – so I’m assuming she’s sleeping in a sleeping bag with her arms free overnight?
   Yes that is correct. I had given up on the crib quite early on (with plans to return to it later) given the first 8 weeks of her life I was contact sleeping on a recliner with her! After getting too fatigued to keep that up, I accepted co-sleeping. I follow the Australian red nose guidelines on safe co sleeping

10. Has she learnt to roll over yet?
    Not yet, though I see her kicking her hips as if she’s trying to.

11. When she wakes overnight, are you following the wake → feed → sleep routine? And do you happen to know the timing of these wakes?
    Yes I follow the wake –> feed — >sleep routine. Her night wakes are very short 10-20 mins, she feeds, gets a quick cuddle and she’s off to sleep again. The wake up times are variable, but on average she only has 2-3 wakes between 8pm-7am. The first stretch of sleep is a lovely long 4-7 hours, then the other wakes happen after 2-3 hours

12. You mentioned bedtime is around 10pm – is this occurring consistently at this time, or generally within a 30-minute window?
    Sorry I did mention that, but in the last week this has shifted and she is consistently sleeping around 8pm. Sometimes if she’s been extra fussy, it will take longer to settle her, but she will usually be asleep by 08:30pm

13. Are you able to let me know how long she is staying awake for between naps?
    Her wake window is probably about 1hour – 1hour 15 mins before shes getting grizzly and wanting a quick 10 min nap. If she’s stretched this wake window to 2 hours, she will sleep for 20 mins

Thank you so much again!

Kindly

Val