Any advice on NW and early mornings?

[SLP123]

Hi
I am hoping to get some advice so that my daughter will sleep more at night. 
Our routine is in its early stages (trying to follow EASY for about 10 days - but gaining more of an understanding as each day passes) and as she seems to wake at different times each day there is as yet no real consistency.
She is 10 weeks old (was 3 weeks prem but 6lb 6oz at birth), up until about a week ago was breast fed for all feeds.  As I was becoming more and more exhausted have started to express milk in the morning for the 2am(ish - although can be between 1am-3am that she wakes) feed so my husband can feed her (even though he has to get up for work at 6.45am)  And since Friday (so past 2 nights) we have also introduced a bottle of formula (she happily takes 6oz) at 6pm, again so my husband can feed her before bath and bed (The reason for this is that on Friday she had full breast feed, or so I thought and still showed signs of hunger and so I had some expressed milk and she took 4oz! I spoke to the health visitor as I was concerned she was not having enough milk and HV suggested the formula.)  She is swaddled and we follow 4 S to help her sleep and use shh,pat. 
We find it increasingly difficult to get her to take naps during the day - typical time is about 1hour and as the day goes on the length of the nap decreases.  We take her to her crib and it is dark and the same routine for night sleep.  She will not take a dummy and it seems to me that at 10 weeks now is  bit late for me to start this?  When she wakes early from a nap it has been impossible to resettle her - we will try for 30 minutes but then it is time for her next feed!
A typical day...

Wake (from 5.30-6.30am) yesterday - 6.40
E 6.40-7.30
A 7.30-8
S8-9.15

E 9.30-10.30
A 10.30 -11.15
S 11.15-12.15

E 12.15-1.15
A1.15-1.45
S1.45-2.45

E 3.15- 4.00
A4.-4.30
S4.45 - 6

E6.00 (6oz formula)
A bath
S7.15

E (DF) 10.40-10.50 (she was then fast alseep and not take any more)

E1.30 (bottle expressed milk - 5oz + 5 minutes on breast)
S 2.00

Awake - 4.30am - shh/pat to sleep

Awake - 5.50am
E - 5.50am - 6am
S 6-7.20am

As you can see her feeding time goes on for ages - she does feed and I make sure she is not suckling or sleeping - but I am having concerns that she is just not getting enough milk to sustain her for any length of time.  How can we ensure she sleeps longer than 1-3am without waking for feed? 

Thanks in advance for your help /support it is much appreciated!

Sarah 

[SLP123]

Thanks Jane
I really have tried to keep A times to 1 hour but she is taking such a long time to feed and as the day progresses more and more time to settle - I know she is then overtired, I can see it myself in the afternoons but she will fight sleep!  I am getting more and more anxious about the whole breast feeding, which I know does not help my milk supply!  Yesterday my husband and I seemed to spend the whole day discussing what to do for the best and came to the conclusion to stick to what we are doing until atleast Friday but with another night of broken sleep it is not easy! 
Do you have any sugesstions for df?  I try not to wake her, but she will literally be on the breast for about 5 minutes and I can't get her to take any more, then last night when I put her back in the crib she woke and it took about half hour to settle her and then she was awake again 1.5hrs later wanting a feed.  She took 4-5oz of expressed milk, not want any more but then awake wanting feed at 5.40am!
Thanks again
Sarah

[RachelC]

Hi there and {{{hugs}}}

So, at 6 weeks, she is waking for a feed once a night?  That is amazing!  Honestly, at this age, in addition to the dreamfeed, I would expect her to wake twice.  If she was waking at that 1-3 time and again at 4:30ish prior to the dreamfeed, I would feed her at both those times.  This will certainly help with any supply issues as well.  I know it's exhausting, but adding more formula in will not help her sleep any better.  Going 4 hours between feeds is wonderful at this age, really.

Yes, she will take more if offered in a bottle.  It is easy to take the milk in a bottle and it does not require a lot of effort.  Please make sure you are using the lowest flow possible so she still needs to work for it.

You can also use breast compressions while feeding to help stimulate the flow: http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=88759.0

Also, here is some info on the DF: http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=65750.0  (That is actually a great time to offer expressed milk.  If your dh could do that, you could go to bed right after she does and get some sleep prior to the middle of the night feed)

This link may help as well: http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=65905.0

One more: http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=98183.0

Hope some of that helps.  I really think what you have going on is completely on track for her age.  The only thing I would work on is getting her some more day sleep. 

[SLP123]

Hi
thanks for your help.  She is 10 weeks old today.  Should she still be waking between 1-3am and then again between 4-5.30?
I will definately have a look at the links when I get a chance.
Thanks again
Sarah

[RachelC]

Yes, VERY normal to have 2 wakings for some time still.  Hang in there though, it will get better, I promise