Night Feed amounts

[jimmiejobs]

I'm new to this EASY routine and have just started it today with my son who is now 7 wks old.  Up until today, I've been basing my routine on Gina Ford's book but her 4 hourly feeding intervals mean that Thomas is absolutely starving and starts to get upset way before each feed is due.  Up until now he's been doing pretty good and weighs 10lb 6oz + today he took 180ml / 6oz at each feed except the 7pm feed where he only took 5oz.  I'm trying to get him to sleep longer through the night, he's currently going from 11 'til around 3.30 but then wakes up at hourly intervals 'til i feed him at 6am.  With Gina's routine, the night time feed should be no more than 60ml / 2oz at his age but I'm assuming with the EASY routine, I can feed Thomas as much as he'll take in the hope he'll sleep better during the second part of the night.  I've yet to try the DF at 10.30pm, my husband currently wakes him up to feed him / change him + stimulate him as per Gina Ford's book but tonight he's going to try the DF.  I hope it works out as Thomas has only woken up twice before 10.30pm to be fed.  Can someone confirm my night time feeding amounts query - thanks!

And also the Cluster Feeding - does this mean give as much as he'll take at 4pm, 5pm and then 7pm (with bath inbetween)?  Wouldn't this affect his DF amount? Is the aim of the DF to get him to go longer through the night?

[Leah's Mom]

Hi! Welcome to the boards! I am positive that you will find EASY and wonderful way of life for your LO. At 7 weeks, I would feed him as much as he wants when he wakes at 3:30. This should help him sleep longer so you don't have to be up every hour! At this age, four hours in between daytime feeds is too long. I would aim for a schedule similar to this:
E: 7:00 wake up and feed
A
S: 8:30 (aim for 1-1.5 hours)
E: 10:00
A
S: 11:30 (aim for 1-1.5 hours)
E: 1:00
A
S: 2:30 (aim for 1 - 1.5 hours)
E: 4:00
A
S: 5  catnap - 30-40 minutes
A - Bath
E: 7:00 and then in bed
Dream Feed: 10
One feed in the night

This is just an example of a schedule for around 7 weeks. I hope it helps a bit. I would cluster feed if he is going through a growth spurt. 4, 5:30, then 7

[jimmiejobs]

Thanks very much for your advice.  Since feeding him a larger amount in the night, he's been sleeping almost an hour longer 'til 6.30am which is a much better time to be woken up!!  However, he was taking 180ml / 6oz every 4 hrs which i've reduced to 5oz every 3hrs as he keeps leaving some.  The DF is not going too well as both nights my husband has had to change his nappy but we'll keep trying.  He does go straight back to sleep after being fed though.  I feel like i'm finally getting somewhere at last!  Is it worth trying to give him extra at the 10.30pm feed to keep him going longer?  He seems to only manage 5oz and that can be a struggle.