Feed every 3 or every 4 hours??

[Chloevalentine]

My baby is 5 weeks old and he eats 4 oz every 3-4 hours. Normally every 3 during day And 3-4 sometimes 5 during the night. I see that the method suggests every 3 hours during the day. Why is that? Isn't th longer they go in between feeding the better? I also don't do the cluster feeds it just doesn't work for me. Should I be waking him every 3 during the day to feed? It just seems silly to wake a baby that is sound asleep. 
Also how to you get them to go longer through the night feeds like every 5-6 hours and when they do will they start going longer in the day?
This is confusing !

[Chloevalentine]

My 5 week old was doing great on 4oz every 3 hours. He would feed change diaper play and nap. So 1.5 hours awake and 1.5 asleep. And he would always awake at exactly 3 hours to feed. Now that he is sleeping a little longer we feed he's up for about an 1.5 and then sleeps for about 2hours. So his sleep time as increased but not his awake time. Sometimes he will wake at 3 hours in btwn feed and I'm not sure to feed him or wait until its been 4 hours. I felt like the 3 hours was much easier to predict. I knew exactly when he was hungry or tired. Help

[Buttonbobs]

Hi there honey and welcome to BW!

The reason for not feeding less often than every 3 hours in the day is that LOs (little ones) of five weeks need to feed very regularly as there tummies are so small. If you feed less often the LO might get hungry and/or wake more at night to feed then instead.

Have you read the BW book? If not, perhaps have a read here to give you some starting off tips:

Starting EASY - all you need to know and more!

Can you write out your day inEASY format for me and then I might be able to help a bit more.

[Chloevalentine]

I have read the book which is great. I was wondering how to easy schedule if he's eating every 4hrs because he can't stay awake for 2 hours at a time yet. Should I be feeding him 4oz every 3 hours or every 4 hours? He's only 5 going on 6 weeks old. What confuses me is that Sometimes he does look to eat at 3 hours sometimes 4 and 5 hours during one feed at night.

I will send the easy schedule too ....
Thank you

[Buttonbobs]

I would suggest offering him a feed when he wakes from a nap, which from the sounds of things should be every 3hrs or so. You don't need to stick to a 3hr pattern throughout the night, just feed him when he wakes and help him back to sleep if need be.

At this age, they really are so small, they usually do need to eat more often, even when they're bottle fed (which it sounds like he is). We wouldn't usually expect an LO to be looking to move to a 4hr EASY until quite. Bit older - nearer to 4 months really.

[Chloevalentine]

Thank you so much for the reply!!
Does this sound ok?

His schedule tends to look like this:

730 am feed 4 oz

Diaper change and awake/playtime ( playmat, tummy time)

9am nap

10:30 am feed 4 oz

Diaper change play time not as awake as early morning (play music walk around house talk etc)

12 pm nap ( i take him in car to park where we walk in stroller he is mostly asleep but sometimes awake for a little while )

1:30 pm feed 4 oz

Diaper awake time (tummy time, music)

3 pm feed 4 oz

Diaper awake time

4-6pm nap ( sometimes he takes a 2 hr nap here or 1 1/2 hrs)

6 pm feed 4 oz (dad usually does)

Awake time ( dad comes home and talks to him carries him around walks with him in arms outside for fresh air)

Bath time (usually every other day)

 730/8 pm bed for the night (he might sleep 5 hrs at this time def 4 hours)

12/1 am feed 4 oz

Diaper dark room quiet not talking keep him upright for a while as he tends to spit up put him down usually 35-40 min after I started feeding. I now change him and put him to bed on an incline which has helped !

4-430 feed sometimes only 3 oz
Diaper dark room no talking etc back to bed

7-730 back to 3hr schedule

730 am feed 4 oz

[Chloevalentine]

I have a few more questions...

So i should be sticking to the 3 hr schedule until he is about 4 months old? then how does it work? they are awake for 2 hours alseep for 2?  If he sleeps longer than 3 hours during the day should I wake him to eat?
Is there any other awake time activities I should be doing?
He sometimes is what I assume Is gassy where he pulls his legs up and passes gas. He also squirms around during burp time when feeding. He seems to be ok other than that. Sometimes if it seems bad I wil give him the mylicon gas drops. How will I know when he needs more formula at feeding?

Thank you so much.

[Buttonbobs]

Hi honey, the A times seem quite long for such a young baby. Have you see this thread?

Average A times- BOOKMARK ME!

These are just average A times but at this age babies can often only cope with feeding, having a nappy change and then having a little cuddle and a song before sleep (depending on how long the feeding takes of course). If the weather is nice you take a little walk outside for a short A time or just some tummy time or similar, but really you don't need to do much at this point.

It sounds like you're doing all the right things but maybe keep an eye out for tired signs a little earlier. Having said that, of you're getting good naps (1.5hrs) on those A times and only two night feeds then that sounds pretty good.

If your LO is finishing the 4oz bottles each time then you should add another oz or two. Often you will notice that it's time to transition gradually towards a 4hr EASY. BW is not really a schedule, but a flexible routine so now is a really good time to get to know your LOs hunger cues and sleep cues. You will hopefully then get some clues that your DS is looking for a little bit longer between feeds.

There are lots of good FAQs and threads on the EASY board about the transition if you want to have a read around.

I hope this is what you were looking for. X

[Chloevalentine]

Thank you so much!  By the time I feed change and burp him and sit him upright to avoid spitting up. Its really only 30 min of awake time where sometimes we just sing and listen to music. I then can tell when he's had enough And ready for a nap. Which usually he goes down for awake no problem. How long should he be awake for and how long should he nap for?

Am I to wake him during the day to eat at 3 hours? Sometimes he goes passed 3 hours to 4. Thank you

[Buttonbobs]

How long should he be awake for and how long should he nap for?

If you have a look at the link in my last post it sets out the usual awake times, but like I said, these are averages and you may find your LO copes with longer A times than other LOs. Just be careful to keep an eye out for short naps of 30 mins or lots of NWs in the early evening which can indicate OT.

Am I to wake him during the day to eat at 3 hours? Sometimes he goes passed 3 hours to 4.

I think this is a question of personal choice. I did do so as my LO was not gaining weight well and I was trying to increase my milk supply. Once I moved to bottle feeding at about 6 weeks I didn't have to wake E any more to eat during the day as she was in no danger of losing weight. One other reason for sticking to a 3 hour (ish) feeding pattern at this age during the day is to ensure that your LO knows the difference between day and night.

Perhaps you might wake him if he sleeps for a longer than usual time - perhaps say 3 hours?

hth x