Author Topic: Keeping 5 week old awake between cluster feedings  (Read 947 times)

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Offline MamaJo416

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Keeping 5 week old awake between cluster feedings
« on: February 07, 2015, 02:34:43 am »
I started the EASY schedule a few days ago and it goes pretty well except for in the evenings when I start the cluster feedings. It's extremely difficult to keep her awake during the 6pm feeding and she just wants to fall back asleep immediately afterwards. She can't even make it until 7pm for her bath. She's 6 weeks old and was born at 37 weeks. She's on a 3 hour easy schedule:

6:30-7am Feed
7:30-8:30 Awake
8:30 Sleep
10am feed
10:30 awake
11:30 sleep
1pm feed
1:30 awake
2:30 sleep
4pm feed
4:30 awake
5pm sleep
6pm feed (very sleepy)
6:15 wants to sleep
7pm bath
7:39 sleep
8 feed
10:30 dream feed

Should I be letting her take longer naps? She wakes anytime between 2:30-4:30 in the middle of the night, and again at about 6:30. We've only been trying the schedule for a few days but she has a history of staying up for about an hour during the night feed. She falls asleep at the breast but when I put her back down she becomes wide awake.

Any advice would be appreciated!

Offline lily_layne

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Re: Keeping 5 week old awake between cluster feedings
« Reply #1 on: February 07, 2015, 02:53:57 am »
At that age, I would follow her cues more than any schedule. If she just wants to go back to sleep after the 6 pm feed I would let her. 6-7:30 is a long stretch to be awake at that age. She may surprise you with a long night. When my DS was that age, I followed his lead (which was hard for me) and it worked just fine even when he took a long nap in the evening or had very short awake times.

Are you waking her from naps? Some people prefer to wake at 3 hours since the last meal. I am comfortable letting DS go up to 4 hours and it's worked ok. It's up to you if you want to wake to maintain a 3 hour EASY or allow some longer naps.

The hour long night feeds also happen here (although they are getting less frequent at 10 weeks). Same as with your DD - asleep at breast and wakes when put down. I find if I hold DS at least 10 minutes after he falls asleep (he usually has one big jerk and then settles back to sleep) and then put him down he stays asleep (or will go back to sleep with a bit of jiggling of the bassinet if he stirs). We also use the swing some nights.
DD - August 2012
DS - November 2014

Offline MamaJo416

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Re: Keeping 5 week old awake between cluster feedings
« Reply #2 on: February 07, 2015, 15:50:08 pm »
Yes I am waking her from naps at 3 hours since her last feed. I let her take a longer nap last night from 7-8 and she didn't fully wake up for her 8pm feed, and she still slept until 3:30. So I think I'll try following her cues at the cluster feedings and let her sleep longer if she wants to.

Offline lily_layne

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Re: Keeping 5 week old awake between cluster feedings
« Reply #3 on: February 07, 2015, 20:03:12 pm »
Sounds like a good plan.
DD - August 2012
DS - November 2014