When should I feed 4 1/2 month old?

[Cluckylollie]

So we've finally had some progress with DS naps but now the nights seem to be going wonky.
I've been doing a dream feed the last three nights to try and get down to one NF.
He's started waking more frequently and doesn't always need a feed.
How long until the dream feed shows some results?

Before his naps improved he would feed at 6:30pm then NF at MN and 4 and up at 7.
Now he will wake at 1:30, 2:30-NF, 5:30. I got him up today at 6:45 because he wouldn't settle and I thought he wanted to get up for the day. He fussed a lot at the breast then was very tired so only stayed up for an hour. This happens often.

Do you think I need to drop a night feed so he's more hungry in the morning?
How can I get him to stretch to a later morning feed/wake up because he clearly doesn't want to get up when he's due to feed?
With his 4 hour EASY should I always feed at 4 hours or just when he wakes? Sometimes he wakes at 3-3 1/2 hours.
Should I stop cluster feeding in the evening? I feed at 5ish and 7.

It's really hard to know when he's ready to get up for the day because he's smiling and chatty nearly everytime he wakes up and only started grizzling after being up for 1/2 hour.

Sorry about all the questions. Just when I think I've got him sorted he goes and changes! 

[Shiv52]

HI there! 

Are you BFing or FFIng?

[Cluckylollie]

Sorry I'm EBF.

[Cluckylollie]

Our EASY so far today is a mess.

WU/E: 0645
A: 0700
S: 0745 he was very cranky and I couldn't stretch him
A: 0830 dirty nappy, couldn't resettle him, screaming
E: 0930 finally fed him and he seemed starving. Felt horrible that he was crying for so           
            long because I didn't pick up that he was hungry. Didn't do usual signs
A:0945 even though he seemed so tired after the 45 minute nap he was fine after his
           feed, a little bit more quiet than usual.
S: 1030

I think that if i can just start our day at the right time everything will be a lot easier.
Maybe get rid of the dreamfeed and put him back to bed after the morning feed. It just ruins our EASY though!

[Cluckylollie]

So last night he was in bed at 630 and asleep by 7.
I wasn't going to do the dream feed but he woke at 1030 so i fed him. Seemed to be a good long feed.
Then he woke at 130, 145, 2 and then I fed him at 230. He wasn't really crying for a feed, so I stretched him to the 4 hour mark. Then he woke at 6am and I fed him and popped him back to bed. I tried to give him only one side so he would feed again when he woke up but he screamed for the other side.
Then he woke at 715 for the day.
He's easily gone 8 hours between feeds overnight before so I don't know why he's waking to feed now.
 
How do I get rid of the 6am feed?
Should I just try to resettle him instead of doing the dreamfeed?
I wish he would just go back to midnight and 4am feeds. At least then our day started at 7ish and wasn't so confusing!

TIA for your help

[*Kara*]

There is a growth spurt at 4 months... could it be that hun?

[Cluckylollie]

It could be.
A couple of weeks ago he fed every 2-3 hours day and night for 4 days so I thought he was over it.
I guess it will sort out in time.

[*Kara*]

hmmm, if he had the 4 month spurt a couple of weeks ago... I doubt that is the issue hun.

I think he might be trying to drop a feed... I would try dropping the DF and see if he wakes closer to 11pm/12 midnight... then he may wake again around 3/4 am and it wouldn't be so tough to get him back to sleep..

What do you think?

[Cluckylollie]

Thanks for the reply.
I dropped the dream feed the last few nights. He's still waking 1030-11ish but I think it's habit. He is easily resettled. Then he wakes super hungry between 1230 and 130.
Problem is he still wakes to feed between 530 and 6. Which would be fine if he just wanted to start the day early but he gies back to bed until between 7 and 730 and isn't hungry. We've been managing. He's just all over the place. Today after his 530 feed he went back to bed until 845! That frightened Mummy!
I'll give it one more night of not feeding when he wakes at dreamfeed time. Then if he's still waking I'll feed him and try to get him through until 7ish.
WDYT?

[Shiv52]

If you are EBFing then it cuold be he does need 2NFs.  Personally I would feed at 10.30/11 and then hopefully the next night feed should be 3/4am and then he'll go back to sleep until a reasonable time. 

Problem is he still wakes to feed between 530 and 6. Which would be fine if he just wanted to start the day early but he gies back to bed until between 7 and 730 and isn't hungry.

i would think that is hunger waking him if he last fed at 12/1 am and I would do as you are doing and settle him back to sleep and not start your day at such an early time.

Then if he's still waking I'll feed him and try to get him through until 7ish.

So were you thinking of feeding him at 10.30 if he is still waking and then not again until your wake up?  Or at 12/1am and then get him through to morning from there'?

[Cluckylollie]

I've just decided to follow his cues overnight. So I generally try to settle him and if he doesn't fall straight back to sleep I'll feed him if it has been 4 hours. If he settles and then wakes not long after I'll feed him. He's started making a mum mummy sound when he's hungry so that's helpful too.
He's started going 5.5-6 hours between feeds overnight so I think he's slowly going to drop a feed. Last night went as follows:

BT- 7pm (at family dinner)
NF- 930 he was hysterical for 30 minutes so I fed him to settle (yay APOP actually worked for once!) OS/OT from visit I think
NF- 0300
NW- 0530 I resettled twice. He had rolled onto his tummy the second time.

WU -0645
E- 0700
A- 0715
S- 0815