Advice please - feeding slowed

[lu-c-lu]

Hi

Would be greatful for some advice please. My little boy is 3 months and had gone through the night a few time recently but started waking again in the night about 5 for a feed, its definitely hunger and I have tried settling him but he guzzles down 6oz and will not settle on less, he then wakes 4 hours later and is hungry but only takes 2 or 3 oz, I cannot in anyway get him to take more he will not swallow and it just comes out so he is obviously not hungry. my common sense says to give him less at 5am but he's not having any of it! not sure what to do he is obviously waking as he is not getting enough milk in the day (his subsiquet feeds are also less) but I cant phsicaly force him to take milk I can only offer which I am doing, he is well established on easy and sleeps well is happy etc has a dream feed etc... any advice is apreciated

Lu-c-lu

[Lolly]

Can you post your EASY so we can see how the whole 24 hours goes for you please? It's helpful if we can see it in terms of

Eat - what times and how much
Activity - how long for
Sleep - what times and how long for

You said he's 3 months - how many weeks is he? Just so we know if he is just 3 months or closer to 4!

Laura

[lu-c-lu]

Hi

Thanks Laura, he is 13 weeks, he has been in hospital for a few weeks when he was born due to a genetic condition (nothing that would effect his easy) but although I could allow for him being behind however he was on a four hour routine naturally from about 8 weeks

when waking at 7...

E - 7:00 - 7:20 Morning feed
A - 7:30 - 9:00
S - 9.00 - 11:00
Y

E - 11:00 - 11:20
A - 11:20 - 1.00
S - 1.00 - 3.00
Y

E - 3:00 3.20
A - 3:20 - 4,30 / 5
S - 5.00 - 5.45
Y

E - 7.00 - 7.20
BATH
BED
Sometimes I do bath feed bed depaending on how tired he seems but he is pretty much a text book baby like his sister was.

When he wakes for 4am feed I feed him (as in the first post he really is only satisfied with a full feed, I then put him back to sleep) and start the day when he wakes usually about 8 and offer a feed (this is where he is taking the small feed) if he feeds at 5 he ususlly wakes at 8 anyway but I feed him at 9 and continue with easy but just on a later time trying to bring him round to a 7ish bed time.... I know that the answer should be waking at 7 and offering a feed but he will not take anything then when he is hungry about 9 he is then doing ESYA for the rest of the day.... when trying to offer at 7 and do EASY I felt this way he had less milk and didnt want his 9am nap as was hungry... hope that make sense!

Thanks in advance for any responses

Lucy

[lu-c-lu]

Ooops forgot to add I also wake him for an 11pm dream feed

Thanks
Lucy

[Lolly]

A lot of babies go through these phases when the 5am feed is having an impact on the first feed and really the ways to deal with it are to do as you are or to reduce the 5am feed, resettle and start the day with a top up feed when he wakes. Will he take a DF without you waking him? Ideally you need to pick him up still asleep and feed him without waking him to keep disturbance to a minimum.

The other thing you could try is to get more calories in him during the day, have you tried a faster teat or going back to 3.5 hour feeds to see if he will take more? How much does he take at each feed now?

Laura

[lu-c-lu]

Hi

Most of the time he does sleep through the dream feed even when we change his nappy! I tried doing 3.5 hour feeds but he refuses  I was thinking of a faster teat but when he takes the 6oz feed in the night he doesn't have any issues, I would say he is taking approx 20 - 26 oz a day he weighs about 13lbs, I am a bit lost as to how to up the milk in the day if he's not interested... hopefully it's just a phase and if you advise one of the ways to deal with it is as I am may be if I just go with him he will go back to sleeping through...fingercrossed 

Lucy

[Lolly]

I think going with him is your best plan! You know him best, it may be a bit of a growth spurt at the moment making him wake for feeds when he hasn't been. It is hard work though I know!!

Laura