Help on EASY for 6m old?

[Natazha]

Hi there

I'm wondering if someone can take a look at my EASY for DD2 who is 6 months and 1 week old. We were on a 3 hr schedule, mostly because of her reflux but like DD1 whose reflux went away once she started rolling, I think the same thing is happening here. I haven't noticed ANY reflux-related incidents, including when we've not used medication for a day or two to see how she's faring (pediatrician suggestion). So in the past 2 weeks, we've noticed that DD2 needs MUCH more A time (she was on 1.5hr - based on sleep cues) and was very distractible and not happy nursing every 3 hrs. She'll do it but only for a few mins before bobbing off. It's not a supply issue - checked that already.

In the past week, we have transitioned to the EASY below. I'm wondering about:
1) Can EBF babies go 4 hrs?
2) Will a routine tweak reduce NWs? I had gotten her to the point where she was waking up about 1am and about 5am and was taking full 20m feeds. I put back a DF to keep with the BW routine and now she's waking up herself at 1030, and then again at 230. I don't mind the DF wakeup at all - I figure whatever I can do to tank her up. When she's been waking up at 430, I try and get her back down without feeding - doesn't always happen - using PUPD but this is SO hard because she never hysterically cries, she just mantra cries. So I stroke her hair or rub her back (she's a tummy sleeper) for AGES but will only need to pick up maybe 3 times. At 630, I leave her in bed until 700. I've also been reducing the time I BF each side at night by 1m each night - she goes right back to sleep after nursing at night.
3) Do I need to increase A times again to closer to 3 hrs? Yikes!
4) Will a routine tweak reduce early morning wake ups?
5) Is it better to not to the DF?

E - 7 (she is up and fussing/mantra crying or playing from 630-645) - I don't feed her til 7. E is only 5-10m (used to be 20m)
A - 710 (watching me, DH and DD1 get dressed, sits in a swing, drops off DD1 in school, then quiet play - is she UT?)
S - 900-915 - goes down within 5m of mantra crying. but wakes up usually within 30-45m. rarely i've been able to extend this nap
A - 1000 (jumparoo or activity mat, walk our dog with DD2 in baby carrier)
Solids - 1115 (abt 1 oz jarred baby food - she never took too well to solids so this is attempt no 3 and it's going well)
A - 1130 (jumparoo or activity mat, followed by quiet playtime with me)
E - 1200 top up - nurses for 5-10m
A - 1210 diaper change, w/d routine lullaby
S - 1215-1220 (no crying and will put herself to sleep, wakes up after 30m, mantra cries back to sleep within 30m and then will sleep until I wake her up for feed time)
E - 200 e nurses for 10m
A - 210 (plays with me, run errands, pick up DD1 from school, watches DD1 play)
Solids - 400 (abt 1oz jarred baby food)
S - 430 - catnap. sleeps 30m
A - 500 - (activity mat or jumparoo while i make dinner, watches DD1 play)
E - 530 nurses very distractedly for 5-10m
A - 540 plays with DH, 600 bath pjs
E - 630 nurses for 10-20m, then takes 4oz formula
A - W/D goodnights, lullaby and sleep sack
BT - 700 (she puts herself to sleep without crying)
MOTN - she wakes up either at 1030, then 230, then 430 then 630 OR 100, 500 and 630

Any insight would be so valuable! Just from typing this out, I can see that her morning A time needs to be longer?

Thanks!

[nevinsmama]

Hi there! I would start by increasing A times. Maybe 15 minutes every 3 days, most 6 month olds are doing about 3 hours.
WRT your questions:

1. Yes, they can, some BF LOs don't do 4 hour EASY until 8 months or so or until they are well established on solids.
2. I would totally expect 2 NFs for this age for a primarily BF baby. WHat happens if you just go right in and feed LO at the 4:30 waking? If it is more than 4 hours from last feeding I would just feed LO. Have you alternately tried to resettle at 2:30 to "save" that 4:30 feed to hopefully knock her out until a better WU time?
3. I would increase A times as advised above.
4. Well, a longer A time before 1st nap can certainly help push that wake up out. LO is doing 11.5 hours if going BT at 7 and then the 6:30 wake up is really quite reasonable.
5. How long have you been doing the DF? For my DS it worked great, DD never got the memo and it just ruffled things up, it can be so individual. I would stick with it and adjust routine for age appropriateness and then maybe reassess.

Hope this helps!