5 month breast enough?

[camys mum]

Hello,
My LO is EBF and is 5 months old. He usually feeds at 7am,11am,3pm and 7pm with a DF at 11pm.
We usually put him to bed at 7pm DF at 11pm and he wakes for the day at 7am.
However, for the last three days, he has been waking up early for his dream feed at 9.30pm he is also waking at
5.45am hungry. But will go back to sleep until 7am.

This isn't so bad at all, but with the early wake up let's say he eats at 6a,10am,2pm,6pm then this sets the pattern for early dream feed early wake etc. The reason why I'm wondering is that he is 5 months and 20lb (big boy!) and I was wondering if this is perhaps a sign that he needs a little more sustenance? He usually only feeds from one side during the day and easily drains the breast in 10 minutes, but seems satisfied with that. It's the 7pm and dream feed that he drains both breasts in about 20 minutes.
Hope that makes sense?
oh also, we've been working really hard on our 45 minute naps, so the earlier feeding sometimes conflicts with nap times.
Any thoughts would be appreciated!

[Samuel's mum]

I wish I was getting nights like that at 5 months

With regards to the early wake-up I would try and give him a smaller feed so he'll have something again at 7am (same side) and then your day can start as normal.

He might need a little more. Is he moving more in the day than he used to be? A keen roller?
The obvious thing is to start to try and encourage double-sided feeding throughout the day and at least offer the second side.

Any change to his daytime behaviour? Might this be a growth spurt?

[camys mum]

Hello Samuel's mum, thanks for your reply!
This morning I tried the smaller feed at 5.30am and he took another smaller feed at 7am, hopefully that keeps us on track?
He does roll during the day, but he's not to keen on it!
I'm going to try and encourage double sided feeding during the day. He takes 10 minutes every 4 hours, but will take both sides at the 7pm and dream feed. Does that seem like enough? We've only recently (for the last week) been doing 4 hour between feeds, do you think perhaps he is adjusting and I need to be more vigilant to get more calories into him during the day? He seems to be more interested in smiling and laughing on the nursing pillow 

[Samuel's mum]

10 minutes can be a full feed at this point but for sure. But if you've moved to a 4hr routine and you've noticed changes in his wakings it makes sense to try and get a full as feed as possible when you do feed. So really finish that first side and then offer the second if he's interested. Keep him going as long as he is happy. But you can't force him if he isn't interested!

[camys mum]

It's true, he turns his wee head away, looks back around and smiles 
Just one more question, is he too old (5 months) for a cluster feed. For example feeding at 7am 11am 3pm (try a small feed at 5pm) and 7pm then DF.
Or should I just leave alone? He's a big boy and I don't want to over feed, but I don't want to under feed either!

[Jennerific]

what we've found successful when Liam wakes early (for the DF) is try our hardest to get him back to sleep w/o feeding him, then once he's been asleep for half an hour do the DF then. that way he's not getting into the habit of thinking he will get fed when he wakes up. don't know if this will help but once we started doing that he stopped waking for the DF

also your little guy might be ready for solids given his size, just remember that rice cereal causes constipation & almost all solids cause NW'ings for about 2 weeks - as long as you're prepared to deal with that then i'd say give it a go!

[Samuel's mum]

I probably wouldn't push a cluster feed at his age as he'll probably take small amounts and not much more overall. The delaying df idea sounds good.
If he'll take a second side in the day then try that first. Some people at this age feed in a darkened room to minimise distractions.

[Jennerific]

samuels' mom you're so right!! around 4.5 months we started feeding both sides at every feed (or at least offering, sometimes he'd only suckle a minute or two) as well we feed in my bedroom laying down with the blinds drawn & the covers over our head. yes we look like hermits, but its the only way i can get him to take a full feed b/c he's just so distracted otherwise

(i wouldn't cluster either, just try offering the 2nd breast at each feed)

[camys mum]

Thanks ladies, I will try later for the dream feed.
Today he ate 7 minutes and started smiling, so I took him off, burped and we chatted for a few minutes, then put him back on, and he ate another 5 minutes, i'll just keep giving him the opportunity.
As for solids causing NW's, REALLY? I think I may hold off for a bit longer then! ha!

[Jennerific]

oh yeah some cause bad NW's... i know rice did for us

i sort of look at the 1/2 hour we spend in E time as time i'll keep offering the breast & crossing fingers he'll take it... its hard when they get so distracted isn't it?

[Samuel's mum]

Yeah, we got extra night wakings with solids too