4m old - Should I BF after every wake up or at fixed times? - still up to 10/day

[odd]

These are wonderfull moments but ...  DD has been Bfed on demand at first but at the age of 7 weeks, to I've introduced the 2h EASY to get out the chaos of cluster feedings on demand (and the hidden reflux and cramps, etc).

Is that normal that I still feed after every wake up? My DD is 4 months old and still on 2h EASY and difficult to change. I've been trying for weeks now. Anyway, can I skip BF? Or give it later then stright after WU? Setting fixed meal times is impossible as every day we have a different schedule (depending on DD's wake up times.

how do you Bfeed?

[amayzie]

Hey hon- i always fed on waking, but you might need to try to stretch out the naps if you want that to work for you. If you feed every 2 hours at 4 months they may not be taking a big enough feed and only snacking...

What is your current schedule? How long is the A time? 

[Shiv52]

I would not be feeding on every wake up if it means feeding every 2 hours. It is totally fine for your EAS to look more like EAS AEAS AEAS when naps are wonky.

[odd]

hi,
thanks for your respons. I have a thread here on her sleeping:
3,5m-old still on 2h-EASY, not always easy. should I change? HOW?

I realise one has got to do with the other, so trying to find a solution from both sides. Yes she snacks. That's why I give her formula once or twice during the day - she can't drink more then 60ml (snack, again) and before bed, at 8pm 150ml. It's a real(!!!!) struggle to prolong her A-time, because she sleeps so short, because she eats so little, she can't play long.
a vicious circle! to tell you the truth as long as I follow her on her 2h EASY, which she got used to so beautifuly, it's fine. But I am the one running upstairs/downstairs...

today I've tried EASA(30min)E(30min)AS(30min!!). I've just stretched her 30min nap... she fell asleep after 30min of a big drama I don't see myself doing that every time.

maybe I should start solids to fill her up and keep her busy longer...?

PS.: her daddy snacks all day too, instead of filling himself up decently at a meal time. our fridge goes open-close-open-close-open-close... 

[Fiver]

Solids may provide a bulk, but don't provide sufficient nutrition at this age.  Breast milk contains more in the way of calories and fat than any of the average weaning starter foods.  What can happen if you give solid food to try to "fill up" a baby is that their delicate digestive systems get upset by it and they can end up constipated which then compounds the problems you already have.

Do you think you/she'd be able to increase time between feeds by something as short as 5 minutes at a time so they're a little further apart each couple of days, but not in such a huge jump that she'll notice a big difference?

[odd]

I just don't know how to do it... the feedstretch by 5min. At night she drinks really a lot, like 10min from one breast, so I would think the hindmilk. But she still wakes up after 2hr.

You see, every day, every EAS is different, it can be by 5 or 10min. so, very often it is further apart in time but it doesn't make it any better. I've just forced her to sleep the second cycle (she showed tired), again big huge mega drama. I'm considered a bad mum by my parents (uncapable), because my baby cries so much. I'm staying with them now. And all they remember about babies is "they sleep and eat, you'll see". And I'm just trying my best to change things for the better. Honestly, I'm on the edge. The depression is coming with big steps. I feel lost. It works for others, why not for my baby?

[Fiver]

Big hugs.  Sometimes when we are stressed and anxious, LOs pick up on that and we end up in a downward spiral.  I know it's not very BW advice, for which I apologise, but I know for me, when I was depressed, I really should've stepped away from the routine a bit and relaxed and followed my instincts and enjoyed my DS more for who he was rather than being sad that he didn't fit into my idea of a routine.  We both would've been happier, honestly.

In terms of the NW, you could be dealing with the 4m sleep regression there as well, which can be hard.

Also, have you got the reflux under control now?  That could go some way to explaining why she wants to feed little and often.  Some refluxers find that the milk provides some relief from the pain or they've learnt that if they take a big feed that it will be unpleasant when they bring the feed back up.

[odd]

Thanks for your kind words.

Me being stressed by her uncapability to do the 4m-things and her stress b/c of my stress became a vicious circle I guess... And when I let go off the new stretched routine, we're back at the 2hr EASY 24/7.

Sleep regression... not sure what that is, but it doesn't sound good . she drinks really a lot at night and still WU every 2hr; last night I put her back to sleep every other WU with no feeding, so she drank every 4hr. Well, she's survived with 'a bit' of crying. And up at 6am or maybe even didn't fall asleep after the 5:20am BF... I did

The reflux: she started spitting lately, since I try to feed her longer apart with more milk, as if too much milk at once (she's used to small amounts every 2hr), so I'm not sure. She had a silent reflux 0-2mo. I gave her a sirop last night, she still woke up 4x, where with curing reflux she would wake up 2x. If she was a 'small eater' would that be bad, you think? I would sacrifice...

[Fiver]

I gave her a sirop last night

Sorry, I don't know what that would be or whether it would be helpful for the reflux
At 4m, even if they've been sleeping well beforehand, they can start waking more often, which is what the sleep regression is.
With the lots of NW, I would wonder whether there might be some pain, whether from the reflux or with wind.  Based on her going back to sleep last night without being fed at each waking, it may be that not all the NWs are for hunger.

[odd]

oh sorry, I meant Gaviscon, a medicine in a bottle to drink for the reflux. no idea if that actually helped or if there was need for that for that metter. it might be a habbit or she just feels the need to make contact with warm mum more often Should there be ANY feeding necessairy at night at that age?

I have just been reading on 'high need babies'... and it starts making sense.

I'll try to skip feedings again this night.

[Fiver]

Ok, so Gaviscon can be used to keep milk in the stomach, but doesn't control any acid that's in the stomach, apart from the stop it coming up.  Usually for babies one would be using infant Gaviscon that comes in sachets and you mix with milk or water and feed to LO before giving their milk feed.

At 4m you would definitely be expecting to give a feed in the night, if not two for some LOs.

With the NFs, you'll need to gauge whether or not the wakings are for hunger.  It may be tricky, though.