question about transitioning to 3.5hr EASY

[oe]

My LO is 13 weeks and doesn't seem interested in eating at 3 hrs. I am thinking of switching him to a 3hr easy. My question is the bedtime.
Currently he eats at
8
11
2
5
7:30-7:45
10
Usually there are no NW (knock on wood)

My question is  - if he switches to a 3.5hr easy I know he would eat at
8
11:30
3
6:30
then what do I do about bedtime at 7:30-7:45 as it is only an hour later? Or do I change the 6:30 feed earlier? I did try once and he would eat anything at the 7:30 feed, had the df at 10, but then had a nw to eat... which I am hoping to avoid as I have been really lucky so far.
thanks in advance

[empowered mama]

hi pam,

Have you tried cluster feeding in the evening?  If so, will he take more milk?  If you fed at 6:30 and again at 7:30, that essentially would be a cluster feed.  The idea is that you want to get in 5 feeds plus a DF if possible so that he is getting enough calories to hold him through the night.  If you wanted, you could try to go really gradually to the 3.5 hr easy and start with 3.25 and see if he will take it.  Just a thought!

[oe]

thanks. I did try feeding him at 6:00 and then 7:30 and he wouldn't eat anything at the 7:30 feed, which led to the nw, which is why I am concerned. I have been super lucky and he has been sttn, so I don't want to drop a feeding just yet. Right now I kinda cluster feed in that I feed him at around 5:30 and then again at 7:30-7:45, before bed. Sometimes he eats only a little of the 7:30 bottle but usually he does ok. The feedings during the day have been taking 45 mins, cause I think he isn't that hungry which is why I think I should be switching. Should I drop a feed instead?

[Julie2008]

Hi,

I was going to post with the same question - I have a 9 week old at almost 14lbs and she is capable of drinking 6oz but was only taking half that at the 3 hour mark, today I went to 4 and she drank a whole bottle so I'm going to play it out and see what happens.

My concern is the same as yours in getting the 6 bottles in through the day and DF because at the 4 hour sched. she only gets 5 bottles.

I am also finding that she is waking to feed at night but then doesnt drink very much in the am bottle.

Maybe we can keep eachother posted about what seems to be working??

Goodluck today and tonight!

Julie

[Texomamama]

Ha, you guys.  I am going through the exact same thing with my 14 wk old.  She will regularly now go 3.5 hours (and sometimes even 4) between feeds. She usually takes 5 oz.  Last night, I gave her a full feed at 6 pm, so I knew she wouldn't eat much at bedtime at 7:30, so I only offered 3 oz, and then she woke up before her DF at 10 hungry I guess.

I am also hesitant to drop a feeding, but after all, that is the point of going from 3 to 3.5 and finally 4 hour EASY, right?  Lord knows, I am looking forward to preparing and cleaning less bottles

[Julie2008]

Always good to have company! Lets keep in touch about whats working and not working...does your baby wake between DF and morning? Are you feeding at that time or do you find you can settle without?

I know my girl is still young but she eats a big bottle and is taking between 30-36 oz between 7-11pm so I'm hesitant to feed especially since it seems to be affecting the first bottle of the morning.

Julie

[oe]

hey guys
thanks for the feedback. I am super interested on how it goes with you guys. Owen eats at the df at 10 (he always wakes up as I have to burp him) and then usually sttn until 8am. I don't want to mess it up if I can help it... cross your fingers.
Julie - you could try and limit the night feeding if she isn't eating that much for the morning bottle.
texomamama - I totally hear ya on the cleaning less bottles thing! I just don't know how to transition... I think I might try and do a 3h and 15 minute easy next week and still offer a whole bottle at bedtime and see how much he drinks and then take it from there... if that makes sense. Usually now he does 3hrs but one time (cause I'm out or he is sleeping) he does one 3.5hr, if that makes sense.

[Texomamama]

OE, if Owen eats a df at 10, and then goes on to STTN till 8, then you are lucky indeed, and I know why you don't want to mess with that routine

Last night was the 3rd night in a row my LO took at df at 10 and woke up at 3:30 and then again at 6:30, and drained 5 oz bottles each time.  I hope this is a GS, because she slept from 10 to 6:30 both nights over the weekend.  Sigh.

[oe]

I spoke toon soon... he woke up at 1:30, 2, and 3... which is when I finally fed him.
texomamama - sounds like a gs, def a lot of eating.
He ended up sleeping in this morning as I had to take dh to work, so first bottle wasn't until 8:30. I am going to stick to 3h today, but tomorrow I am going to try 3h 15 min, I think.

[Julie2008]

Arrrrrrrr!

We had a great night 2 nights ago with DF and then not a peep until 5am but last night was TERRIBLE! She woke at 3 and I tried to hold her off knowing she went until 5 but then it was chaos and when I did feed her (4am) she didnt even want it and wouldnt settle even after that!!

I finally took her to bed with me since I needed some sleep before my toddler woke up for the day.

It was such a frustrating night, nothing was working to put that kid to sleep and she had the exact same day as the one where she slept until 5am!!

Really needed to vent and am very tired and grumpy.

Julie

[Julie2008]

P.S I'm really close to letting her work it out herself  (aka some cio) because nothing I do seems to help her settle back to sleep. She was trying to soothe with her thumb but isnt coordinated just yet to keep it in.

[oe]

Julie - what about paci? Is she swaddled? I admit I rock Owen to sleep  A LOT! usually the first nap is the only one I can get independendtly for the day, and then it is rocking the rest and bedtime/nighttime too... I swaddle, paci, hold super tight to me, he usually fusses/cries, then settles. I know AP isn't great, but sometimes... our sanity is worth more, and sleep too!
I am going to attempt 3.5hr easy today... wish me luck. He had 5oz at 8, so I am hoping to hold him off until 11:30... esp cause we are seeing santa today at 11!

[Texomamama]

I am doing the same thing to settle mone (see my "I let her fall asleep on me" thread on the 'Props' board).  I am getting pretty good now about naps.  I just put her down and let her CIO for a while.  Sometimes I go in there to resettle her, but usually she is done fussing after about 15 mins. 

All I know is all of our nights seemed better before we all started responding this thread, so that must be the problem

[Lolly]

Ladies - just a gentle reminder that CIO is not a method that we use here. If you haven't seen these links they will explain why Tracy never wanted us to leave our babies alone to cry http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=63839.0 http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=163042.0 . I know some babies need that mantra cry time but please make sure you are responding to an "I need you cry". Even the writers who advise CIO don't suggest it's used under 6 months.

I know it's hard - we really struggled with my first refluxer, nights were literally a nightmare until he was nearly 2 really.

When you are transitioning to longer between feeds the bottle sizes will increase so although there will be 1 bottle less on a 4 hour EASY the volume of milk should be the same, if not a bit more, because they will need to be able to take a bit more in each bottle.

With nightwakings, if it has been at least 3 hours after a DF then I would feed - with babies under 6 months the chances are they are hungry and 1 feed after a DF is totally normal.

Laura

[oe]

so far he has been really good with eating
8 00 6oz
11 30 - 5 oz
3 00 - 6oz
6:15 - 6oz (although he puiked a lot after so I am not sure if he was hungry or just sucking)
The part I am most worried about is bedtime and df (although it is really just another feed, cause he never goes down to sleep well and is awake at 10)
anyhow, hope it is going well for you guys... good luck!
as for the sleeping... here's to sleepy vibes tonight for everyone!