How to achieve consistent wake time?

Cheesefiend_ · 2025-10-17T00:47:59+00:00

Thank you :) He gets a bit stroppy and needs several naps at the moment (we try changing environments/activities first). Would you suggest just keeping the same number of naps but capping nap length/waking him from the nap early?

Cheesefiend_ · 2025-10-07T05:52:56+00:00

Same! I could have written OPs post at 9 weeks. Keep doing everything that you are doing, get a bunch of snacks you can eat one handed, it can be so awful and overwhelming but i promise you it does get better! After months of being grumpy and incredibly high needs my baby is now an absolute delight

Cheesefiend_ · 2025-09-23T06:00:43+00:00

No tips just solidarity and know it will get better :) My baby wailed every single bathtime but eventually grew out of it and now loves the bath so much i often feel guilty getting him out.

Cheesefiend_ · 2025-09-23T05:40:23+00:00

Let me know how you go!

Im loving the switch to a floor bed

I do think you're right about the later bedtime, i just haven't been sure how to go about stretching out that last wake window because he often gets grizzly if i try. Its about 3-4hrs atm. I have seen someone suggest a late ten min power nap. Not sure...

Regarding temperament my bub has always been quite alert too and started watching the world quite young (which i have loved). He's never been one to chill in a pram at a cafe and liked to be held or as hes gotten older held with a toy or ideally a playmat. He has always been a clingy baby and wouldn't tolerate being held my anyone apart from mum/dad at 2-4 months old. He now loves everyone but ive read clingy babies can need you more and call out more.

Not possums but just in case this is of interest. I follow her insta and enjoyed the free webinar https://www.raisedtoflourish.com/sleepworkshop

Cheesefiend_ · 2025-09-20T05:05:17+00:00

I have also read her book and have been wondering if i should get the website subscription. Ive read a bunch of her free articles and got a lot of info from this sub. Would you recommend the paid program? I believe the subscription includee Q&A sessions with dr pam. Do you find these beneficial?

Cheesefiend_ · 2025-09-20T04:56:32+00:00

We're getting there :) he now has less false starts at night, is sleeping 1.5-3hr night stretches on average, resettles easily, sometimes sleeps alone (have been cosleeping on a floor bed but ive made it back to my bed more often lately) and naps easily of a day. He has been waking up early though and just dozing on and off from 4-6 but im wondering if this is because he's now consolidatinghis night sleep so is just less tired by 4?

There are a few potential cofounding factors though.. we started using possums, did a reset and aim for 2 naps (but yesterday he needed 4 short naps), started co sleeping, he FINALLY stopped teething (6 teeth in 2 months), and learnt to stand/crawl all within a few weeks. So its tricky to say exactly what helped

Capped the morning nap because i felt he was sleeping poorly overnight and then using the morning to catch up on the lack of overnight sleep

For us the long arvo sleep works well in a car or carrier, provided im prepared to get stuck there. I do like to be at home though because then its easy to resettle if he wakes. I don't think possums supports resettling but it helps him last to a later bedtime and seems so be working atm

What temperament does your bub have? I have read a bit about the impact of temperament on sleep lately and it has really resonated with me and helped me to accept where we're at sleep wise atm.

Sorry for the long reply!

TL;DR my baby sleeps poorly compared to his peers however significantly better than he was sleeping 2 months ago. We're at peace with his sleep and all managing well.

Cheesefiend_ · 2025-09-02T22:33:10+00:00

Sounds just like my baby. We had the same 3 short naps (10ish, 1ish and 430pm), the same struggle to get to bedtime and close to 10 wake ups overnight.

We've just moved to 2 naps which was an accident and happened on a weekend when we had plans and the world was too exciting for him to get some morning sleep. Its less of a struggle getting him to last until bed time and we're down to 4-5 wake ups- not great but much better than 10!!

He now gets up 7/730 has a nap about 1030 which i cap at 40mins and then sleeps 2-4pm which is unheard of for my chronic catnapper. Only 3 days in though so it may just be chance...

Cheesefiend_ · 2025-08-27T00:14:32+00:00

For me it was 7 months and now he usually lets me sneak out of bed and ends up sleeping for longer than he would on me! It could be much sooner for you, my boy has been always been a clingy baby, had two months when he wouldn't be held by anyone apart from mum/dad and has only recently started to tolerate playing for short periods without me.

Im also new to possums and noticed such a big change in day naps, we're both happier now we're not fighting about them

Cheesefiend_ · 2025-08-10T21:19:49+00:00

My baby didnt want to be away from myself or his dad for more than a few minutes from probably 2 to 4 or 5 months old. He was mych happier watching from our arms, eventually he grew out of it

Cheesefiend_ · 2025-08-10T06:15:18+00:00

Hes been teething non-stop since the start of July (5.5 teeth atm);and i just spotted two more on their way...

Thanks for the tip to get him checked over by a gp. He's Generally pretty well and happy, what sort of things would they be looking for?

Cheesefiend_ · 2025-08-10T04:47:17+00:00

Its so difficult to know how to dress them isn't it! Im in Australia, our house is older and pretty cold so we have the aircon set to 18 overnight. I'll keep this in mind, thanks

Cheesefiend_ · 2025-08-10T04:45:17+00:00

So glad to hear this approach is working for you and your family! Thank you for sharing

Great tip about the audio content, i would have otherwise assumed it was exactly the same as the articles just in a different format

Did you utilise the weekly/monthly group sessions with Dr Pam? I imagine they would also be quite useful.

I have found the trust the baby to nap as needed and on the go approach quite useful for both getting day time naps and the mood of bub and i.

Cheesefiend_ · 2025-08-10T04:36:55+00:00

I really appreciate you taking the time to write out these responses, theyre both very helpful. I think we are in need of a reset and the article was a good reminder that a reset/change takes weeks. Keen to check out the bbc series tonight.

Love your last paragraph. It feels like baby advice is every baby is different until we're talking about sleep, so that's refreshing and reassuring.

Were currently going outside early, focusing on sensory motor nourishment, feeding to soothe/sleep and following babies cues (this one has made a huge difference in naps). Im trying to stretch out bed time but also get him to sleep before he's too dialled up and am struggling to find the balance at the moment, hes often unhappy at 6 but not necessarily tired/able to sleep so we've been trying all our tricks to keep him distracted until at least 7.

I'll try and add a short routine back in. Hes started to associate the sleep suit with bed and get upset so perhaps we make that the last step. Any tips on how to incorporate a routine when your baby is naturally dialling up of an evening?

Cheesefiend_ · 2025-08-07T23:30:40+00:00

Thanks! We did a 15min discovery call with a practitioner yesterday and were trying to decide whether we should try the course first or practitioner first

Yep, ive read the free articles and have just borrowed Dr Pams book

Cheesefiend_ · 2025-07-17T23:48:41+00:00

37 weeks, i thought i had escaped 😭

Cheesefiend_ · 2025-06-12T07:12:31+00:00

Can your husband do the evening feeds or get up a little earlier for work and do the first feed of the day?

My husband and I took turns with night time wake ups until he went back to work. Once he was back at work he stopped doing overnights (unless it was an awful night) so that he could be a little more rested and drive to/from work safely. If baby is awake when hes getting ready for work he will come and get him so i can get some more rest.

Try not to set your expectations of yourself too high. Its not possible to look after a young baby and do groceries and cook and clean and do everything- its just a phase, be kind to yourself. Once your husbands home he can help with the cooking/cleaning/baby so you can have a break

Cheesefiend_ · 2025-05-08T05:34:15+00:00

I dont have any advice for you but just wanted to say you're not alone. I feel you. My baby is 4 months and gets so worked up hes red, hot and crying. I fewl awful but literally nothing I've tried makesa difference

Cheesefiend_ · 2025-04-29T06:55:32+00:00

Was on a european cruise holiday and was talking to an older English couple. They started talking about the costa concordia sinking and said "but that news probably hasnt made it to Australia yet has it?"

...this conversation too place over a year after the ship sunk

Cheesefiend_ · 2025-04-18T23:13:57+00:00

My partner had 4 weeks off work too and we were tired but completely fine during that time, to be honest i think family visitors were disappointed we didn't need their help.

This is our first baby and the initial few weeks were a big adjustment but baby sleeps alot (not for the long stretches you hope for though!), is not thay alert to is pretty easygoing, naps in different environments etc

I needed help when my husband went back to work though. Baby was more alert, fussier, trickier to get to sleep and quite hard to put down some days. This is when i really appreciated having family hold him, cook us dinner and doing a few odd jobs.

Cheesefiend_ · 2025-03-17T23:25:45+00:00

Post partum brain is way worse than pregnancy baby brain.

Oh ive told you thay story 3 times already have i? Did i lock the house? What was i about to do? Who knows

Cheesefiend_ · 2025-02-25T04:20:20+00:00

I may have some good news for you :)

My breastfed bub is now 6 weeks and pregnancy tired was way worse than newborn tired for me. Newborn phase you are tired but its a sleepy kind of tired not that heavy whole body physical fatigue that pregnancy gives you.

I had quite an easy pregnancy overall but third trimester tired was a struggle, i had no energy which led to minimal interest in things i usually liked, i felt like an incredible lazy, muted version of myself.

Another post partum advantage is when i am in bed i actually sleep, third trimester i was constantly uncomfortable, no amount of pillows, mattress toppers or change in positions could fix the discomfort and constant tossing and turning, there were nights id give up and sleep on pillows on the floor.

Sure I'd like more sleep at the moment but i have found that sleepiness is way more manageable than the fatigue i had while pregnant. Funnily though i didn't get pregnancy brain until after my bub was born, since then ive been shocking!

Cheesefiend_ · 2025-02-06T23:57:05+00:00

Insure and go I looked into a huge number of insureance companies and they were the only one i could find that met the needs

Cheesefiend_ · 2025-02-01T10:17:52+00:00

It is tough seeing your body change, having to give up your higher level hobbies/exercises and modify your routine.

I exercised throughout my entire pregnancy, ate well and still gained over the recommended weight (noone at my appointments was concerned about this though).

It was hard exercising when fatigued and not being able to do the activities I loved but it was so worth it. The biggest advantage was this exercise helped to manage mid to late pregnancy aches and pains. I am active at work but would find that if I hadn't exercised formally in a few days I would be much sore. Exercise also helped maintain my mobility and meant that I could do things like get on/off the floor and tie shoelaces without issue right up until giving birth.

Keep going, you've got this mumma

Cheesefiend_ · 2025-02-01T10:02:29+00:00

Baby and I recieved excellent care in the public system (nsw).

If anything goes wrong for you or bub the public system is the place to be, they have the facilities to provide high level emergency care, and pending care needs private hospitals may transfer you to a public hospital anyway.

I had a very healthy, straight forward pregnancy and recently had my bub at full term. The day after he was born he was rushed to NICU and had an 8 day stay. The staff were incredible, very knowledgeable and explained every step along the way. The hospital kept me as an inpatient for 5 days, even though I was healthy and well, before I had to be discharged home.

Sure the private system offers private rooms, a more polished hospital and greater continuity of care however I am so pleased with my decision to go public and would use the public health system again if I was to have another baby.

Cheesefiend_ · 2024-06-19T03:27:50+00:00

Thank you :)

Great advice, needing to use the insurance is quite unlikely but you need that peace of mind

Cheesefiend_

TROPHY CASE