new working mom with 3-mo old going to daycare

[april2013]

My son is very inconsistent with how much he eats at every feeding, but seems to do okay with the 3-hour schedule but I think he could probably do 3 or 4 hours.

But I'm working mom (starting this week) with a 45 minute commute to work/his daycare.

He needs to wake up and eat at 6 a.m. so we can get out the door for daycare. This should be okay because he wakes up at this time anyway.

I need to leave daycare by 4:30 to avoid traffic so I want to make sure he gets a bottle b/w 3 and 3:30.

If we did a four-hour schedule, the last feeding would be at 6 which is too early IMO and if we did a 3.5, he'd be due to eat when we need to be in the car on the way home.

Here's what I'm looking at trying based on his pattern the past week or so. I'd love any opinions.

E 6 a.m. 5 oz
S
9:30 a.m. 3 oz (or more if he wants it, he usually doesn't and this feeding has been a struggle)
A
S
E 12 pm 4.5 oz
A
S
A (sometimes)
E 3 pm 4.5 oz
A
S
A (sometimes)
6 pm 3 oz  (or more if he wants it)
A
S (sometimes)
Bath 8:15
E 8:30 5 oz  (just worked up to 5 oz at this feeding...it's sometimes a struggle for him to finish the bedtime bottle)

He's never done a dreamfeed.

(I know this adds up to less ounces a day than most 3 month olds but we've had reflux issues and he's slowly been working his way up to eating more.)

[Kirsten~]

Hi, I had to go back quite early like you too, and I have a long commute. So I totally understand what you're dealing with.

6pm for the last feeding is probably too early. His BT seems a little late for such an early WU. Does he not tolerate an earlier BT? How many times does he WU at night now and does he always eat when he wakes up?

Do you think at the 9:30 feeding he's resisting because he's not hungry yet?

[april2013]

Thanks for your response.

He does not wake up in the middle of the night and he does always want to eat when he wakes up around 6. But he goes right back to sleep afterward. I agree an earlier bedtime is ideal but at the same time I think he may struggle with 830 because he's not hungry yet.

Maybe he is ready to drop a feed and will start eating more at each feeding? Do I somehow remove the 6 pm and do closer to a 730 bedtime bottle, but I don't know what to do with the earlier in the day feedings...or do I just see if he tolerates going from maybe 330 to 730...

Thanks again.

[creations]

His BT seems a little late for such an early WU.

I might be wrong here but it looks like morning WU is 9.30am rather than 6am?  With the 6am feed being a very nicely timed 'NF'.

April perhaps you can clarify the WU time?
If you want him to continue to sleep again after the 6am feed I wouldn't move BT, it looks late because many babies go to bed earlier, but if 8.30 - 9.30 nights suit you/him then I would leave it. With your routine change and going back to work, if you are going to get him right up at 6am rather than let him go back to sleep then BT will need to move to give him long enough at night to sleep.  Do you expect him to sleep in the car on the drive to day care?  I suspect you won't be able to keep him awake and he will finish his night sleep (or call it first nap) in the car.