4 hour EASY without DF?

[fiona1274]

Can this be done? My LO is 15.5 weeks and I keep thinking we should be stretching things soon but she doesn't seem ready for more A time her routine looks a little like this
E - 5 am
A - only 45 minutes including feed and back to sleep
S - 3.15hrs until 8.30 - 9 am
E - 9 am, usually have to wake for food
A - 1.10 till first yawn usually takes about 20 minutes to wind down and sleep
S - 1.5 hrs
E - 12 woken from nap for food
A - 1.10 - 1.20
S - 1.5 woken from nap
E - 3 woken from nap
A - sometimes as short as 45 minutes here sometimes longer, some nights she fights the cat nap
S - only let her sleep for 45 minutes but she is always back up for 5.45pm
E - 6pm
A - bath and bed for 7 or first yawn. Settle quickly and most nights in last 3 weeks (apart from last 2) has gone through till 5am.

I don't dream feed and these are all ideal days when I don't have to leave the house for any reason. If I do she may have skipped a nap or had a short nap as she wont sleep when out and about.

I think the routine we have looks OK but think we should be moving on a bit and not sure how to stretch her. Her sleep signs are pretty definite and on the days I have tried to stretch her a bit she is pretty adamant she doesn't want to stay awake!!

[Grace's Mom]

If she is tired and needs a nap then go with that.
You don't want to stretch her if she's not ready
That will only cuase an OT lo.
My lo didn't move from a 3 hour EASY until almost 5 months and did it cold turkey in one day.
All babies are different and move a different times.

If your lo is waking up at 8:30/9am for the day, bed time should be 8:30/9pm.
Babies only need 10-12 hours at night

Is she taking full feeds?
You can let her sleep past feeds as long as it's not too far past a feed...that might help stretch your day out some.  You don't have to feed exactly to the clock...our days usually were with in about 30 min. either way give or take.

You can go to a 3.5 hour EASY feeding wise if needed

My lo never napped out either so we were always home for naps, except that cat nap as she would easily get OT and then have a rough night.

If your lo won't nap out be sure to be home for at least some of the naps and then help her get back on track the next day.

[fiona1274]

Thanks for that I always counted the first feed and start of day as the 5am feed. So then I was stretching her to a 13 hour day and an 11 hour night if that makes sense. I can't bear the thought of her being up as late as 8.30 my other two are in there bed by 7 - 7.30. If she wakes at 5 for a feed I am going to have to be more disciplined and get her up at 7 and top her up, have been bad for this but not doing it is probably messing our day a bit.
The last 3 days she has woken through the night and think it may be a GS but not sure. Will give it another few days and see what happens. It has never been at the same time so I assume it is hunger and she is taking a full feed and going back to sleep.
Such hard work as we do need to go out most days for nursery run, swimming lesson, grocery shopping, but try only to disturb one nap if possible. Hoping once she cracks thumb sucking that sleeping out will get easier for her.

[Grace's Mom]

Yeah, if you want her in bed at 7pm...which is a good time since your other lo's are in bed then, you'll need to get her up at 7am.
-5am should not be considered the first feed of the day since she is eating and going back to bed.  Plus you honestly don't want your day to start at 5am 
That should be considered a night feed. 

If you first feed is minimal with a 7am wake up, it's always a sign that that 5am feed needs to start cutting back as you want them to get most of their calories during the day....and you don't want day time feeds to be small due to a night time feed.
You can just start to put less and less calories in the bottle yet still have the same amount of ounces....just add in extra water....until you are left with just water and that first feed is nice and full again.

[fiona1274]

Unfortunatley or fortunatley we are still breast feeding so I have to go with the flow somewhat. I got her up at 7 am this morning and intend to continue. She was up at 4.30 for a feed but it wasn't a big one seemed quite sleepy. We have just started unswaddling her so she is finding her thumb. I am hoping once she gets efficient at this she will pop it in and drop back off at this point and not ask for food.
Anyway the plan is to be a bit more strict on the routine and extend to 3.15 for the next wee while and see how it goes. I think this means 3 good naps and no cat nap.

[Grace's Mom]

With BFing you can just lessen the amount of minutes you feed at that early morning feed.
Hope the thumb sucking goes well for you all and that she is able to put herself back to sleep

When on 3 naps, you still have a cat nap....2 longer naps (1.5-2 hours) and a 30-45 minute cat nap.
Just be sure to follow cues....if she's not ready you'll end up with an OT lo who will have multiple night wakings and short naps all day long, which is no fun.   

Let me know how things go.