how to adjust routine for early wake-up?

[katemom]

Hi,

We've been on EASY for only 4 days, so still some questions...

My daughter used to sleep from 8pm-ish to 7am-ish with only one night time feeding before we started on EASY.  But she wasn't sleeping well at all during the day, which is why we started the new routine.  She's sleeping good for daytime naps now but is doing some different things at night now, which sometimes causes her to wake up between 5 or 6am to eat, but then she wakes up at 7am because she's ready for the day.  It's too early to feed her, and she doesn't seem hungry, so she has quiet/activity time until she gets hungry.  By that time she gets worn out and then she tries to sleep through her bottle, and after it.  I feel so mean keeping her awake against her natural tendency, but that is the only way I know of keeping her on the EAS order of things.   Any suggestions would be appreciated.  I would love it if she would return to her previous night sleep habits and morning wake time, but if she doesn't, I want to be prepared with how to handle it best.

Thank you!

Kate's Mom (almost 11 weeks)

[AnnaBenwell]

I'M Not an expert or anything But i take it your on the 3 hour easy. Are you starring at 6? Cause what i did was 7, 10, 1, 4, 7, If my ds woke in the night 4 a feed i wood feed him and put him back down to sleep. Then i wood always wake him at 7am to start the day and feed him again at 7 to keep him on track. Sorry if not much help

[katemom]

so, would you feed him even if he wasn't hungry?  Like if he woke up at 5:30am, would you still wake him up at 7am to eat again?  Just wanted to be sure I understood what you meant.  My only concern with doing that is that my daughter is getting so chubby so fast, I don't want to overfeed her.

[*Natasha*]

Could you post your routine with sleep lengths.

[katemom]

Here is yesterday's schedule as an example of what we're trying to do, although nothing is very regular yet as we are new at this...

7:15 awake (and takes her meds for reflux)
7:35 eat
7:55 activity
9:10 sleep (until 10:10)
10:20 eat
10:40 activity
11:55 sleep (until 1:05)
1:10 eat
1:30 activity
2:55 sleep (until 4:45)
5:25 eat
5:45 activity
no sleep here, but got drowsy finally before next feed
7:25 meds for reflux
7:45 feed (fell asleep during bottle)
8:15 bedtime
2:00 feed (fell asleep afterwards)
5:45 feed (fell asleep afterwards)
7:20 woke up for activity, but did not want to eat until 8:45

[*Natasha*]

Ok first of all the reason for early waking is often due to being overtired which it sounds like is happing in oyur case especially if she is waking at 5/6am then you are keeping her up until sleep time that is a big awake time for an 11wk old.
Second of all you are having an awake time of 2hrs which is too long for this age and also a reason for causing an overtired LO. At this age if on 3hr EASY which you are on aim for 1.5hrs awake time 1.5hrs sleep time. Also have you thought about a dreamfeed at round 10.30pm to get your LO to sleep longer at night. So you could aim for:
E: 7.00 wake up and feed
A: 7.30 or 7.45 (depending on how long feed takes)
S: 8.30 (1.5hr nap)
Y: your choice
E: 10.00
A: 10.30 or 10.45
S: 11.30 (1.5hr nap)
Y: your choice
E: 1.00
A: 1.30 or 1.45
S: 2.30 (1.5hr nap)
Y: your choice
E: 4.00 feed
S: 5.00 or 6.00 or somewhere in between a catnap (approx. 40mins) to get baby through the next feed and bath
E: 7.00 (cluster feed at 7 and 9 if going through a growth spurt)
A: bath
S: 7.30 bedtime
Y: the evening is yours
E: 10 or 11pm dreamfeed