5 a.m. feed throwing off whole day - help!

[mimicoto]

My lo is 19 weeks old, and has been doing well on a 4 hr EASY for the last month (we started EASY when he was about 4-6 weeks).  He's taking a DF at about 10:30 - 11:00 and sleeping through til about 5:00 a.m. - wakes hungry and takes about 4 oz (usual feeds are 6 oz) and goes back to sleep.  We got him up at 7:00, but of course he refused to eat until 4 hours after his last feed...this has thrown off his whole day (starting to get hungry when he should be going down for a nap, getting OT etc.).  Any suggestions to get him back on track - this is terribly disruptive and I'm afraid his night sleep is going to get messed up again....(we're just getting back on track after a string of multiple NWs per night)

[lyndsy_p]

Some may disagree here......but the fact that his 7am feed is small is an indication that he doesn't need to be fed at 5am. If he just went through a growth spurt (and needed that feed) chances are that it may just be habit now. You could try W2S if it's been consitantly 5am for a week or so. Also you could try to resettle with a paci and hold him off as close to 7am as you can. Start tommorrow off fresh, your routine may be a bit haywire for a few days (630am-630pm) but he will get back on track.

Another train of thought is to stop him at 2oz, (if he's fed with EBM) then send him back to sleep as to not wreck the rest of the day. If he's FF then you can water down his bottle a bit, but I'd say that would be reinforcing the habit. It will be harder to change.

HTH
Lyndsy

[*Mona*]

hi there

well, I agree with Lyndsy that if this 5am feed throws your whole day off than you should limit this feed to as small amount of milk as possible and finally cut it off completely.
does he always wake at 5am? if so it probably is habitual waking and it should not be that difficult to cut this feed out.
you could also try dilluting milk with water and limit his milk intake at that time this way.

monika

[grahamsmama]

With Meghan, when she was doing the 5am waking thing, I gave her a bottle with a little water in it and then as she was dozing off switched to the pacifier.  We did this for a few days and she stopped waking for the water.  I did start by trying to offer the paci, but she was not having any of it.  I think she might be a little thirsty because we've just turned on the heat in our house and it's a bit dry.

[mimicoto]

Thanks all for your thoughtful replies - sorry for the delay - we're taking turns with the flu bug at our house and it's my turn    DS has been waking up hungry at different times during for the past 2 nights (including waking for his DF, which he hasn't done before) because he hasn't been taking enough during the day (his first 2 feeds are small, and he seems to get back on track for the 3pm feed).  Last night it was at 3:30 (DH gave him a full feed) - and again at 5:00 (he settled back to sleep with the paci).  I should note that any time he feeds at night (whether at 3, 4 or heavens 5!) he's off his 7:00 am feed.  I think you all are right, that he doesn't need the night feed - I think we'll try giving a smaller amount (or water) if he wakes for a couple of days, gradually dropping it totally.  Thanks again for sharing your experience!