5 month old and regressing to 3hr feeds during the day effecting nightsleep?

[lyndsy_p]

Hi all! I have a 23 week old who is almost 15lbs.

Ok , our naps are screwed..A times are so hard to predict these days that sometimes I get a 1.5hr nap and sometimes I get a 45 min nap or sometimes a 2.5hr nap. When my EASY goes wonky I end up feeding DD earlier because she seems to want it . Sometimes not even 3hrs between feeds! Tell me why I should hold out??? I know I am suppose to be moving to a 4hr easy but wouldn't you feed more during the day to get less night feeds? Or could it be perpetuating night feeds? Here are the variations of our schedule:

Sweet perfection

W 7
E 730
S 930-11

E 11
S 1-230 OR 3

E 230 OR 3
S 430-6 OR 5-545

E 6
TOP UP 730
BED 745 OR 8

DF 11 or 1130
settling NW with Paci at 4

Utter dispair

W 630
E 7
S 830-930

E 10 OR 1030 (if I can hold out)
S 1130-130

E 130 or 2
S 330-445 or 5

E 5
wont top up
BED 645 or 7

DF 1030 or 11
eating at 3 or 4 and not hungry when she wakes up for 7!!!!

Any help would be appreciated!
Lyndsyx0x0

[Erin M]

Hi hun,
The idea between feeding every 4 hours is that they take fuller feeds if they feed less often -- taking in more calories by not only taking more milk, but by feeding longer and getting more hind milk -- does that make sense?  But, like you said, it's really hard to get feeds spaced apart with short naps.  Can I ask -- are your times above exact, or just approximations -- I notice that you got a longer nap off of 2.5 hours A time on the top example than your 2 hour A time on the bottom.  I would think that would be part of it -- at just over 5 months, 2 hours would be on the shorter end of A time so you could do with some more there. 

[lyndsy_p]

Hi Erin thanks so much for your reply. They are really just approximations, as I have vowed not to "chart" this time around with DD. Last time my nickname was SGT Slaughter with my husband and we didnt have much of a life because I was so concerned with the "perfect" nap.

In the last few days I have been able to push her longer between feeds and it's better. Maybe just composing the post helped me to answer my own question!

I am starting to realize that she can handle more A time so I will keep pushing. It's such a tightrope though...She was up for 2hrs15min this AM and we got a 30 min nap 

Lyndsyx0x0x

[Erin M]

hey are really just approximations, as I have vowed not to "chart" this time around with DD. Last time my nickname was SGT Slaughter with my husband and we didnt have much of a life because I was so concerned with the "perfect" nap.

BTDT    Much better the way you're doing it now. 

Glad things are a bit better, I'd keep working on the A time.  5 months is such a tricky time sleep wise!