Not sure which road to take

[nikisin]

Hey ladies,

So here's the thing, my little guy Jack will be 4 months on July 2nd, he was born about a week and a half
early, so I guess his 4 months would be on the 11th of Novemeber. Anyhow, I've been struggling with the decision to DF or not. I've experimented with both. When I dream feed, his last feed is at 7, bedtime at 7.30 then I do the DF between 10.30-11, then he will go till about 3-4am,(4-5hrs strait) then I feed him(he's starving) and usually he stirs and take him anywhere between 30min to 1.5 hours to settle, but he doesn't sleep well after that, stirring and awake but eyes closed like he's struggling. Now when I don't do the DF, his last feed is the same - bedtime is the same...then he wakes at 1.30ish (6hrs strait) starving, I feed him and goes pretty much right back to sleep and wakes at 6-7ish. I don't know what to do, if I don't do the DF will it be hard to eliminate the night time feed? If I do the DF, will he eventually go right through???
A few times he's slept till 6 after the DF, but it's not consistant. Also my last visit to the Drs, she said not to DF, cause first of all he doesn't need the extra feed (big boy) and second it may be disrupting his sleep. I dunno, he still wakes for a feed, so I dunno what to do! At least when I DF I get a few extra hrs of sleep for myself.

Oh ya, his routine.

E 8am
A 1.5-2hrs
S 10am 1-2hrs
E 12
A same
S same
E 4
A same
S catnap
E 7
A Bath, bedtime routine
S 7.30-8 sleeping. Goes down awake but tired and goes to sleep on his own, sometimes with paci and sometimes without. When he wakes at night doesn't need the paci to go back down.

Sorry for being all over the place, any advice would be great : )

[nikisin]

sorry I meant he will be 4 months on November 2.   

[Bryony]

At the end of the day, it has to be your choice. Some people find that the DF disturbs thier LO's sleep and creates new NWs - but it doesn't sound as though this is the case for you. And yes the advantage is that you can do it eg at 10:30pm and then go to bed, and you get an interrupted stretch of sleep - and once he starts going through till 6 or 7am that's a good night's sleep!   At his age you would expect to need at least one night feed - I am not aware that the size of the baby makes any difference.

So sorry I am not much help - it's your choice.... it sounds like you have tried both ways and both are valid options!

Bryony

[momofclaire]

Hi,
I would advise not doing the df based on what you posted above. It sounds like he sleeps better when you don't do it.  I think you will be able to end that night feed when he is ready regardless of the df.  You could do a cluster feed around 5:30 which could possibly tank him up for the night.  As for getting a few extra hours of sleep, I would say that you should go to bed a little earlier since you don't have to stay up for the df. 
Myia

[nikisin]

Thanx for the replies ladies, always great to know that you guys are here to help.
I agree with you momofclaire, he does sleep way better, I tried the df again, and he just stirs all night. Going to bed earlier sounds like a plan...at least I know he'll sleep about six hrs strait, which is great, and he goes to bed way easier feeding him when he wakes. I'm gonna start to cluster feed him and see how that goes. WE'll keep you posted. Thanx again : )