baby falls asleep after nursing at night - prop?

[zissi]

Hi there,

My 5 months old DD wakes up at night once or twice to nurse, she usually falls asleep on the breast and I move her then into the cot where she doesnt wake up. For naps and BT we put her into the cot awake and she self settles usually straight away or if she doesnt then with shush pat and  the occasional PU/PD. I wonder if I have to wake her up after the night feed in order to make sure that I am not creating a prop?
In the last 2 weeks she woke up only for one NF around 3, 4am but since a couple of days she wakes up very early, around 6am and if I dont feed her she will get up for the day. When I feed her she will sleep till 7.30ish. her BT is around 7pm. Also, is it normal that babies sometimes go back to waking during the night more frequently again or is it because I am feeding her when I think she could be hungry although she went before 8, 9 hours without feeding?

Thanks for your help!
Fran

[michaeljacknnugg]

I think that if she is self settling during the daytime and at bedtime, she should work it out during the night when she is ready. I personally wouldn't rouse a baby during the night.

Is it possible that she needs a routine tweak? Do you think you could get more feeds in during the day, for example?

[zissi]

last night she went again 9 hrs without feeding but one wake up where we settled her. she woke up then at 6.30 and was up for the day. I have just decreased her day time feedings to 3.5 hrs, sometimes she can go 4 hrs and other times 3 hrs although I often offer the feed when I think that it would clash with her naps otherwise.
I think the different wakings in the morning have a negative effect on her naps. also I am not able to get her down at the right time, either I do it too soon and she wakes up UT after 45 mins or I do it too late and she wakes up after 30 mins. How can I figure out when she needs to go down for naps?

[michaeljacknnugg]

I'm no expert any more, I'm afraid - my 'baby' is nearly 6!  I suggest a post in the EASY forum.

[Violet's mom]

Hey - just went through this not long ago so I totally understand.  It's tough because bf babies tend to not be able to go the four hours that the BW recommends.  Then your four hour easy is kind of crazy!  I agree with pp that you might want to post in the easy forum and possibly in the Bf forum for more help. 

Did you get the answers you needed?