question about night waking

[chell]

HI everyone, just wondering if any of you could help a bit here...
my little boy is just over 4 months. I have followed a rough schedule - basically EASY but following his cues. We are still on a 3 hour EASY. I reckon Harrie is Angel in personality, although he sometimes has some difficulty in getting to sleep for some naps, sometimes he will jsut lie there and go off without a sound.
At night it really varies - a few weeks ago he was doing fantastically and gradually working towards sleeping the whole night through. He doesn't like going down for a late afternoon nap, so bedtime is very early - 6pm. Now he will wake between 12 - 2am and then around 3-4am. He finally wakes at about 6am. It would be good if we could get rid of at least one of the night feeds, but He does genuinely seem hungry, so I do feed him. I have tried tanking him up in the afternoons and have tried dream feeding, but it doesn't seem to help him to sleep longer. The first part of the night is his longest stretch.
Any ideas anyone???

TIAxxx

[Tweakster]

Hi there we had two night feeds until 5.5 or so months of age.  He's still soo young and needs to eat regularly to compensate for all his growth spurts.  That is not to say that you may hear of some bubs who do it, but they are the exception rather than the rule.  I don't actually know of many (or any?) on here that do it at 4 mths.  Tanking up is a good plan...but still...they do so much growing at night and often still need a top up.  Are you bottle or BFing?  His wakings are exactly what my kid was doing at that age.  We would go to bed early and enjoy that first long stretch...

It all sounds really normal hon, hang in there (((hugs)))

[chell]

HI Wendy, thanks for your response....but I feel really bad now!! Last night when he woke at exactly the same time as the previous night (3.20) I decided to do pu/pd. It took 40 mins and he fell asleep then. He wasn't sucking at me  and had a really good feed at 1.30am so I thought he was waking out of habit, not real hunger. He woke at 5.30 when I fed him, and he didn't feed for long (I am BF).

If you are on line, PLease respond!! as I am not sure what to do now, should I just feed him then, and not do PU/Pd. It did feel a bit cruel, as he is usually such a calm boy. It's just that I thought if he can go 3 hours during the day, then surely he can do it at night. Having said that, he had been feeding perhaps less than 3 hourly at times - 2-2.5 durign the day. Today he did well and went 3 hours at least between all feeds. Although I think I shoudl really be on 4 hour EASY shouldn't I?

TIA V Muchxxxx

[Tweakster]

Hi there, sorry not trying to make you feel guilty hon, just letting you know the norm :-)  Normally they are ready to move to a 4 hr EASY @ 16+ weeks but it tends to come after the 4 mth growth spurt, their tummies are bigger and they can go longer between feeds.  Leading up to that point is typically a feeding frenzy.

Personally at 4 mths I would just feed him, since he's only doing 2 feeds at night and you are BFing I think it's great.  I had a mother come by my office the other day who has a 10 mth old STILL eating 3 hrs through the night at 10 mths!!  She's not on BW of course and I didn't say anything but I was thinking if she were on EASY her life would be easier hehe  Some LO just have really hearty appetites no matter what they eat in the day.

I really think you have to decide if it is truly hunger or not.  It sounds like it to me but if he settles with PU/PD it might not be.  We didn't do PU/PD at all with our LO and I think to do it at night it is a bit full on.  The less stimulation the better.  I would prefer to see shush/pat for a LO who is not hungry and maybe has some trouble settling for whatever issue.  But if he's hungry or in any discomfort I would put the PU/PD in your back pocket for now and revisit when there's truly a sleep issue.

Why don't you post the whole day for us to take a look?  (((hugs)))

[chell]

Thanks Wendy! That was such a speedy fast response! - He woke just now (9.30 for a feed which is unusual.)

My routine isn't brilliant in terms of doing things at exactly the same time each day, as I am not all that strict, and do go on his cues. But roughly here goes:
E- 6am feed
A - for 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 hours
S - 7.15/7.30

this is a bit tricky as naps are often only 45-60 mins, but also can last 2 - 3 hours. i am not strict on making them fit into the EASY routine. It depends on whether we are out and about. If travelling in pram car - often sleeps for longer.

E - 8.30
A - often short, as we are then on the school run and he drops off to sleep in the car, but it depends on how tired he is.
S- tends to be the longest nap (probably because of car journey)- 2 hour nap

E - 10.30/11.30
A - 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 hours
S - 1pm - usually 45 mins

E - 2pm
A - 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 hours
S - 3.30pm  - 45 min nap

E - 4.30/5pm
A - longest time - often finds it much harder to settle here, so bedtime is early, which also fits in with getting Jacob (6yearsold) fed and in bed.
S - bedtime 6pm.

[Tweakster]

Hi there, to start I would think about bumping up that morning A time.  It's pretty short for a 4 mth old.  Do you think he would go for closer to 2 hrs?

[chell]

Thanks for taking the time. I could try to push him to 2 hours in the morning, but usually he starts getting tired around the 1 1/4 hour mark, if I was to keep him up he would need to be carried about / distracted a lot (from feeling tired) to stop him from becoming upset, which can be tricky (time wise) due to getting ready to get J to school, but I can give it a go! I coudl use the baby sling I guess - hmm, but then he may fall asleep on me.... I'll let you know
xxxx

[chell]

Just to let you know, that he managed 2 hours awake time this morning. Last night he woke just once at 12.30, which was great, so hopefully this will continue.xxxxx