Do I wake my LO for cluster feeds?

[mavincha]

Hi All

My LO is 14wks old (9wks adjusted) and he is on a 4 hour feeding routine during the day with his last feed being 3 hours gap then he is in bed asleep by 7pm.  I then dream feed him at 10pm which gets him throught til 3am at this stage - he then goes straight back to sleep after a feed then I wake him at 7am to start the day again.  We have had a few 5:30am first wakes but 3am is the consistent time for the last 2weeks.

I was thinking of introducing the cluster feeds at 6pm and 8pm then still keep the dream feed at 10pm.  The question I wanted to ask is does Tracy reccomend to wake your baby for the cluster feeds if they are already asleep?  Or does she mean for you to keep baby awake for the feeds and put them to sleep after the last cluster at 8pm?  Reason I ask is that my little man struggles to stay awake past 7pm and I believe that if they get to bed later than this it causes early rising.

Thanks for any help
Davina

[Mum of 3 + 2 stepkids]

Hi, no reason why it would hurt to df at 8pm. The other thing you could do is try the cluster feeds at 5 & 7 (or just before), do you think that might help?

Kate x

[mavincha]

Hi Kate

Thanks for your reply 

Last night I cluster fed at 3pm, 5pm and then again at 7pm.  He was not very happy that he wasnt in bed asleep at 7pm as he usually is.  He fell asleep just after 7:30pm and I dream fed him at 10pm.  But then he was awake at 2am grizzling...I waited for 1/2 hour but he was still going - it didnt escalate into a full on cry but I got him up and fed him - he fed well which I was surprised at...you would think he would have been chock a block full from all the feeds he had!!!!!  He then woke again at 6:10am screaming!! So I fed him and put him back to bed til 7:20am.  He then fed again at this wake time and I have just put him down for a sleep at 8:30am as he was on the second yawn and whingy.

So do you think I should dream feed him at 8pm and not the later time of 10pm? 

Davina xx