how do I get my baby to sleep longer than 4hrs after the 11pm DF???

[nikisin]

Baby Jack is 12 weeks today, we are on a 3hr easy slowly transitioning to 3.5-4, just by reading his cues.
His last feed is at 7pm followed by the bedtime routine. 10.30-11 I give him a DF. He wakes up 3.5-4hrs
afterwards - I try to put him back to sleep, but he's hungry and usually takes 4oz or more, then it's a little
hard for him to go back down, so we cave and bring him into our bed. He then sleeps to 7-8am. Here's the thing he sleep in the Arms reach co sleeper in our room - is it possible that we are disrupting him? Is it time to go in his own room? In the passed he's slept for 5-6 hrs strait, so I know he can do it.

Any suggestions???

[momofclaire]

Hi,
It is possible that he wakes and sees you and then expects or wants to be cuddled.  When to put him in his own room is up to you, although it may be worth a try.  If you keep him in your room too long it may be harder to transition him into his own.  He probably is hungry for that feed seeing as he takes a good amount.  It may be that you are becoming a prop and he needs to cuddle with you to get back to sleep. 

How does he nap during the day?
Myia

[MJMom]

Also, if he is eating that much in the middle of the night, he may not be getting enough calories in the day.  Can you up his calories during the day time feeds?

[nikisin]

Thanks for your reply.
It is possible that I'm becoming a prop : ( ...but I think that he's still hungry.
I tried to up the calories during the day, but he won't eat more, so it doesn't work.
During the day he naps about 3-5 hrs on average.
I've also tried cluster feeding him...but he still wakes.
I'm going to put him in his own bed and see if that works.
Is it possible that he still needs that feed and maybe he'll grow out of it?

[MJMom]

Although it is possible, it is unlikely.  Does he wake up at the same time every night, or does it vary?
Also, how long has this been going on?  There is a 3 mo gs.  he could be waking up earlier due to hunger.

[momofclaire]

I think it is very possible that he still needs a night feed.  Even Tracy stated that night feeding until four months is normal. 

[nikisin]

No, he doesn't wake up at the same time every night...so that's why I think it's hunger.
He's not very consistant. This has been going on from the begining. There are times when he goes
longer and times when he wakes up earlier...like last night at 1-2. I've tried to up the calories during the day - but he won't eat more.


Momofclair - thanx for the response...I read that too, that it's still pretty normal for him to be waking up do to hunger. He is a texbook baby.

[Claire Anne]

Both mine needed to be fed in the middle of the night at that age so I think maybe it is hunger. He's taking a good enough feed to so I'd think he needs it. If it was only a short one you'd kind of think he was just messing!
I do remember broken nights' sleep really catching up with me at around that stage too - are you exhausted?

[nikisin]

Well I was exhausted! But the total hours of him sleeping at night is between 10-12 hours.
He just wakes up and needs a feed. I'm getting sleep, but I think I'm also used to it now.
He also is good at falling asleep on his own, but like I said earlier I usually cave after the 3am -4am feeding and bring him into bed with us. I know, not good. Although, my mission in the next 2 weeks is to get him in his crib.

When did you little ones start sleeping through? and how long?

It's not the lack of sleep that's getting be, I feel like I'm doing something wrong cause his not sleeping through yet. It's frustrating...hopefully at around 4 months he will go longer

This site is awesome - thanx for the support : )

[Claire Anne]

I had fierce problems with DS and sleeping so I’m not really sure when he slept through first but I think he was about 4 months at least. And DD had lactose problems so never got enough until I put her on lactose free formula at 5 months or so. Then she slept through straight away! But DS has a big appetite. They all vary. For a BFing baby though expecting a night feed at 3 months is quite common though as far as I know. I never really expected them to sleep through before 4 months anyway – just as well, as they didn’t!!!!
And don’t think you are doing something wrong because your LO isn’t sleeping through the night yet!!! They are all different anyway and to be honest, you must be doing well if that is your only concern?!! If you are anything like me, you’ll find something to worry about no matter what!!

[nikisin]

Yeah, you got it! lol, always have something to worry about...but I have to be realistic and be aware that it's not gonna be perfect. Thank you so much for the advice, it helps to chat with others mums : )

[Claire Anne]

No probs!!!

[momofclaire]

Claire was a great sleeper and she had a night feed until 4.5 months. At that time she was going from the df at 10 or 10:30 until 6:00am. Through the night tends to mean different things for different children.  I think you are doing great.  Most babies don't sleep more than 8 hours without a feed at 14 weeks. 

[nikisin]

momofclaire, thanx for the advice...he's apretty good sleeper, sometimes a little hard to put back after the night feeding, but not more than 30min to 45min. He goes down at around 8, and if I let him go without the dream feed he will wake up at 1ish-2 so thats 5-6 hours - with the dream feed he goes slightly longer. I wonder if the DF disrupts his sleep? I dunno, I find the DF gets him through a little longer. He could have gas too, cause he kicks his legs up during his fussyness in and out of sleep. I'm just gonna stick to the routine and hope for the best, and get him in his room asap, gonna start on a weekend, so both me and my husband are on call.

I've read 2 of Tracy's books, they are great, and this website is bonus, great help and support...thanx a bunch : )

[momofclaire]

The df doesn't work for all babies.  You might find that if you don't do it he will wake to eat and then go back to sleep faster.  You never know.

Like I said, it seems like you are doing great.