Advice Needed from Moms Who Have Used Babywise

Every baby has its own schedule. They don't read the book so they don't know that they're supposed to nap according to someone else's schedule. LOL.

It's good that you recognize that it's normal she's not sleeping through the night so early on and that you are feeding here when she's hungry. Honestly, it sounds like she has a good sleeping schedule (even for the most part during the day) and, if she were my child, I wouldn't be too concerned.

Toss the Babywise would be my advice, and fast. There are much much better books out there that rely on scientific data no less. The Babywise author has no credentials in sphere of pediatrics or child development (he's a minister who never finished his undergraduate degree and who has since been kicked out of his churches no less).

Look into Happiest Baby on the Block. The dvd and book are usually available at the library. The methods and techniques were a life saver for us. Also, No Cry Sleep Solution was also invaluable for its insights and research on babies sleeping patterns.

Good luck!

First off if she's not tired how are you going to "make" her sleep? What do you do if you can't sleep? You look for entertainment. TV, books whatever until you get sleepy. And 11 weeks is SO early to be doing CIO. Seriously the man that wrote the book has never even had kids!

Parent with your heart and not what some quack like him says works! (and try swaddling for longer sleeping!)

Sounds like you are doing great. I did Growing Kids God's Way. It is written by one of the authors of Babywise. I have an 10 week old and he is doing the same thing.
I don't follow the book exactly. I take what works for my family and apply it. We used this with my three year old and she still takes an afternoon nap and sleeps ten to eleven hours a night. This helps a lot when there is an infant in the home.

I apologize for some of the negative comments. As parents we do what we feel is best for our children and there is no need for negative comments.

I am Mom to four, from high school down to preschool. I started to read Babywise once. Then I figured out the guy is a nut, LOL. Honestly, your little one needs comfort and love, and lots of interaction with Mom and Dad too. Parent with your heart, and not THAT book! I promise, in the long run, you will all be SO much happier. Yes, if you can TRAIN your baby (much like a dog???), you might have it easy. But will your baby be happy and more well adjusted? I highly doubt it!

It sounds like you are doing just fine. I used babywise with my first child and loved it. Babywise can be a great thing; I'd hold onto the book just a little bit longer. ;-)

Both of my kids were fussy in the evening time and they did the same thing like your little one is doing as far as not sleeping. A lot of my friends' babies do the same. It seems like the evening at the end of the day is the fussiest time for them. So just roll with it: hold, cuddle, play, tummy time, daddy time.

This is my suggestion: Keep her up in the evening instead of putting her down for her nap. Then when she starts to get sleepy or when it's "bedtime" then go ahead and feed her. It's okay if she falls asleep eating as long as she has eaten enough. (If not, then change her diaper half way through and then finish feeding.) I would make sure you hold her for about 5-10 minutes upright so she has a chance to burp before you put her down for the night. At night you can feed closer together instead of every 3 hours, like 1 1/2 - 2 hours. She might even sleep longer being more full. It will all even out anyway.

It you eliminate that last nap at night, she can start going to bed earlier.

You're doing great!! Enjoy these days, as long as they can be. Soon she will be almost 2 like my dd!

I used the babywise method with all 3 of my kids and it was wonderful. I needed a schedule to follow, I'm not good with just let the baby tell you when she's hungry. You are doing great. It's ok that she doesn't sleep great for all naps during the day, she will eventually get to 2 naps during the day and sleep longer at night. That's your goal and it sounds like you are almost there.
A few things I did during the fussy evening phase, I nursed more often. We were on the 3,6,9,12 hour schedule, so when my kids started getting fussy around 5pm(and with each one they did go through this fussy phase) I would nurse at 5pm instead of waiting until 6, and then I nursed again usually around 7 or so and then tried to stretch the night one until about 10 or so. We would stretch the time by giving the baby a bath and taking a walk outside or sitting outside on the porch, a lot of holding and rocking. It's a phase they all seem to go through and it will come and go as they go through growth spurts or as they change their sleeping habits.
You are doing wonderful and this fussy phase will soon pass.

C.,

I used the Babywise method with my second child because I had such a hard time getting my first to sleep at all! He is now 3 and after using it, and having many friends who used this method, I want to encourage you to just give it time. Actually, most everyone I know kind of put it on hold until the baby was about three months and then tried again. Something seems to click at 3-6 months within them that makes it easier. Also, remember that the goal is to get them to be able to put themselves to sleep and then back to sleep if they wake up, not to stay on a rigid schedule! You sound like you are doing great, hang in there!

As for all the other information about the author, I have never heard any of that and people should be careful with the information they put out. Any "self-help" book should be read with an air of caution, and remember, they are all recommendations and advice, not LAWS!

Our little guy did the exact same thing. We did the Babywise method as well. I would stick with it. We weren't the strictest with it but pretty much followed the 3 hour schedule. Our little man is now 18 months old and is the best sleeper. He took extremely short naps for a while but they eventually lengthened. We are now trying to get him down to one nap a day. He's still been taking two 1 - 2 hour naps a day and sleeps 11 hours each night. The days we can get him to take just one nap he sleeps for 2-3 hours. Having a good sleeper is such a blessing. He is extremely happy and loves his sleep. This method has worked so well for us and I wouldn't change a thing. Our second child is due soon and we will definitely do it again. We are in no way causing ill effects by getting them on a healthy schedule. We create schedules and adjust to them ourselves constantly. :)

I love babywise...it's such a helpful guide for sleep training. Regarding the shorter naps of 30-45 minutes, there is a chapter in the book about the 45 minute intruder. Read up on that to help in that area. BUT sometimes my baby at that age didn't go back to sleep after 45 minutes, but we're suppose to let them be in the crib and hope that they do.

Also, her vision is now a lot better at this age, and she may be so excited and overwhelmed by all the wonderful things that she's seeing and is less interested in napping right now. It sounds like you're doing great, and somedays are wonderful (full tummies, full naps, happy baby) and somedays are the poops(fussy, non-napping, ticked off little tooter.) It's a learning process for us as parents and also the baby is trying to figure stuff out too. Babywise didn't happen overnight for us; it takes time, and I remember referring to the book hourly and daily. Hang in there...it does get easier.

I also did Babywise and the mistake I made was going into her room after the 20-30 minutes, because then I heard her move around on the monitor and make a little noise. The next babywise book, states that they go through a sleep pattern of about 45 minutes and then they are hitting another pattern of sleep and that is why they move around, etc. After I read that, I started not going into the room, and letting her go back to sleep and she did. Even if she doesn't sleep the whole time, they state to let her have her rest time and as long as she is happy, keep her in there the designated nap time period. This way she will know that this is the nap/rest time period you have designated, even when she gets older. Mine is 3 years old now and she still takes a nap, even if she doesn't sleep, she has that rest time during the day. Hope this helps some.

Sounds to me like your little girl is a normal baby. Babywise is a great outline, but I don't think it should be followed exactly. JMO :)

It will come easier to you as she gets older, & an 11 week old baby is not going to sleep through the night just yet. Give yourself & her some patience. We all went through it, and you will survive. :)

I'm going to go with Wynn on this one. I'm curious if you've googled the book and the author? You do realize he's NOT a pediatrician correct? Along with several children have DIED due to his methods and following the book rigidly. There's many many things WRONG with this book and the methods. Babies are not supposed to sleep through the night so early on.

I hope it all gets better for you.

I loved Babywise! Is she laying in a room that's "busy?" Since it's daylight, she may be looking around and all the interesting and new things. She also may be a very light sleeper and waking up at all the sounds? Are you doing the sleep, eat, play routine? That worked for us, but babies are all different. It sounds like you are on the right track. It really sounds mostly like she's interested in her surroundings, and it's keeping her awake, but I'm not certain.

I used Babywise as a "guide" but was not rigid in my application. Mine slept thru the night at 12 weeks & at 14 weeks (my youngest was a premie). From your daughter's age you are probably about to start cereal. That will help. And you are doing everything just like I would advise you with the 10 o'clock feeding (I did 11, but I'm a night owl.) Give it a little time you are almost there.