4 hour Easy gone wrong...way wrong!

[Intransit]

Need some outside eyes to check out what's been going on....it's getting worse! DD will be 7 months on Friday.
So, it all started about 2 weeks ago--early wakings @ 6am(she had previosuly been waking @ 7)-and in the past
few days she has started waking before 6. I tried putting her to bed earlier yesterday-630 instead of 700 and she woke
@ 530 this morning! I'm at a loss with her daily routine as well....she was doing about 2.5 hours of A time, but the past few days
she has been going 3-4 hours of A time in the morning, and more near 2.5-3 in the afternoon. And she has also been crying when
I put her down for her AM nap---she has never done this before either!
Here is the "new" easy from the last few days: it is def all over the place

545-wake (try to put her back down, but once she is talking to herself, its no use!)
630-bottle 6oz
730-solids (3-4tsp cereal + 1/2 jar fruit)
930-1000-back to sleep for 1.5 hrs-depending on when she will go down, we have to give her the 10am bottle right before her nap....
1100-1130-wake/jar of fruit and activity time till the 4 hour mark comes from the last bottle, and then we give her the afternoon bottle.
2-3pm-showing signs of being tired, put down for a nap-goes down w out a problem for this one.
330-400-awake/activtiy time/playing, walk etc..
500-solids-fruit/veg
615-bath,bottle, bed
1000-df

I know this is a mess---I don't know what is going on! I am home 95% of the time for her naps, and nothing much has changed in regards to her eating...other than her having solids. We are having random NW's as well..
Anyone have any suggestions? Or comments...anything welcome..thanks!!!

[Intransit]

anyone....?

[Jiinx]

hey there,

 Sorry things are all over the place for you atm. Let's see if we can figure things out.

I'm not entirely sure how long she slept for. Could you post today's EAS similar to:
E: 8:15 bf
A: 8am - 10am
S: 10am-11:30

I'm not too interested in what she's eating as I'm a bit rubbish at ounces and how much they should be eating

So, usually at 7 months, if they haven't already, they start dropping their last nap - I think you've dropped it correct? I'm not sure what time she went to bed? 6:15? 7? If it is 7pm - 6am then that's -great-! 11 hours of sleep. However, this is probably not the case?

It's not an EW if she's getting more than 10.5 hours...it's more of a nuisance to be awake that early. My lo does an average of 11 hours ..a little bit more sometimes. If she's getting a consistent 11 hour night then all you have to do is start increasing her As slowly (starting with the first one only) by small increments until you get your bedtime that you think is appropriate. Does that make sense?

At around this age, dreamfeeding is usually dropped as well. Since she's eating solids and it's well established - df may hinder her from getting proper sleep as it may be disruptive. She should be getting enough of her feeds and solids during the day to last the night

Let me know your thoughts and we can start solving the puzzle!

[Intransit]

Thanks Jinx!
e-6am
a-530-845
s-845am-10am
e-1030am
a-10am-1145am
s-1145-130
e-230pm
a-140-3pm
s-3-420pm
a-420-7pm-solids, bath, bottle bed

1000/df

Thanks for all of your pointers...we usually aim for no catnap..but on days where she is up so early, I don't know how she's going to make it from 130-7pm....and you are right, its not really an early waking since she normally goes to bed at 7, and is up at 6...thats 11 hours....but the morning is just too early...so should I put bed time later? (not sure how I can when shes waking at 530!)
And do you suggest stopping the df altogether, cold turkey?

[Jiinx]

Hi there Sjeb,

When I used to get EWs (or just her waking up early bc I would put her to sleep at 6:15-6:30 when I dropped the catnap) I would, and I still do, keep her in her crib for 30 minutes. Often times, they're not ravenous when they wake up and can play in their crib for some time before you need to get them. It's the perfect way to stretch out her A time without the fear of getting her too stimulated.

I noticed her first A time is 3 hours and 15 minutes. Followed after her first nap, there's a second A time of 1 hour and 45 minutes. Her 3rd A time is 1 hour and 20 minutes. Finally, her last A time is 2 hours and 40 minutes.

Is she STTN?

Have you taken a look at these links:
http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=64158.msg476652#msg476652
http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=85130.0

So typical amounts of daysleep is usually 2 naps of 1-2 hours.
I also think her A time is way too short in between all her naps. At her age, she should be comfortably doing 3 hours..or at least very near to it.

Usually, A times increase as the day progresses. However, that's not to say some los don't prefer it the other way around..decreasing as the day goes on.

Let me know your thoughts. I think our first A time is good..or it could be scaled down a bit. However, the following A times are quite low..

HTH!

[Jiinx]

Sorry..I realized I didn't answer your question about dreamfeeding.

Maybe this link will help?

http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=65750.0

[Intransit]

hey Jinx...yes, the A times are a bit all over the place...the first A time being so long, is a very new thing. i guess she's trying to tell me something. I will work on extending the A times--I think you are right--this should do a lot for out problem.
And yes, she is mostly sttn, she has an odd nw, which lasts 2 min....sometimes have to go in, sometimes don't. But mainly, she sleeps right through till 6.
I will work on stretching out A times for sure..

Thanks again

[Intransit]

I will check out the link right now, thanks!

[Jiinx]

keep us posted!

I personally stopped dreamfeeding, cold turkey - it was waking her up. I let her just wake up naturally ..and then the nightwakings for feed just stopped.

Some moms to do the df and some moms just let their los wake up when they're hungry

[Intransit]

Right..I remember my son stopped his himself---he started taking less and less...and one day didn't want it! I guess I was expecting sort of the same from T! Fat chance!!
Last night, she woke at 230(I went in to resettle, took 2 min) and 430(I did not go in) 530(did not go in) and finally woke @ 615...I got her out of her crib @ 630 and fed at 645.....
Going to work on extending A times today....I will def keep you posted!

[Intransit]

Oh, and a question...since I sort of forget....
Since I will be extending A times to 2.5-3 hours..how do her bottles fit in? The first is at 630 for example--the next "should" be 1030--but if her A time is 3 hours...she will technically be sleeping from 9/930 till 1030/11.....is this when easy changes to easesa?

[Jiinx]

You got it.
A- 6am
E-6:30
S:8:30 (or whenever he does go to sleep)
A:10
E:10:30

etc.

And since she's getting solids in between, it's also okay if 4 hours between breastfeeds becomes 4.15 or 4.30 etc...

I think I mentioned this, but just in case - work on one A for a couple of days and do it slowly. Some babies don't mind a big jump in A but some babies take a few days to get used to it I think your first A looks good..perhaps try to increase the second A and see what it gives you.

[Intransit]

You're a lifesaver Jinx...merci merci....we share the same name I believe!
First A time was 2.30--will aim for anything above 145 for the next one.

[tarakay]

I personally stopped dreamfeeding, cold turkey - it was waking her up. I let her just wake up naturally ..and then the nightwakings for feed just stopped.

Hey there - jumping in for a quick question!  Sarah (Jinx) were you BF'ing for the DF when you dropped cold turkey?  Just curious... I've started to do the gradual withdrawl method (earlier and earlier), but I'm getting impatient with it!  However, I'm concerned about being horribly engorged if I were to drop cold turkey.

Also... enjoying following along on the conversation - Sarah (sjeb)'s LO and my LO are the same age... having some of the same issues.  (except my issues are with short naps.... OT/UT.. who knows?)

Thanks- Tara

[Jiinx]

First A time was 2.30--will aim for anything above 145 for the next one.

This first A time and nap will give you a good indication of what A time she wants/prefers.

Sarah (Jinx) were you BF'ing for the DF when you dropped cold turkey?

I was breastfeeding for the DF. I did it from 2-3 months (not sure when I started) to about 5 and half months when we went on vacation. I didn't feel like doing it on vacation. So I just dropped it. She didn't miss it. She was rousing when I picked it up and breastfed her. I was debating to do a bottle..but I just dropped it.

having some of the same issues.  (except my issues are with short naps.... OT/UT.. who knows?)

Do you have a thread going for your naps?

Good luck ladies