How to cut down cluster feeds?

[Vking]

My almost 3mo is on 3-hour easy. She's 14lbs and STTN. She eats every 3 hours until early evening. Evenings were e: 4,5,6,730.now I've eliminated the 5PM feed and it's E: 4,6,715-8PM. She sleeps 8PM- 6AM. At 6AM she doesn't cry out but from BWSAYP book it sounds like she may still be waking for hunger? And why should cluster feeding stop at 8 weeks?

I'm trying to get her to eat more at the earlier  feeds but she's not interested- nurses 10 mins, maybe a few more minutes later. She suddenly seems to want to nurse right before naps but I'm resisting to avoid a sleep association.  She's also started crying at nap time instead of quietly going to sleep. I think she may be hungry- especially since she often wakes up early from naps but then when I feed her, same 10 minutes of nursing then loses interest.

Any ideas?

[Vking]

We don't dream feed because it led to more NW and I go to bed at 9PM so waking up to do it is counter-productive

[*Ali*]

Can you please post the rest of her routine. If you aren't dream feeding then I'd stick with some cluster feeds.

This is a typical time for short naps to start.

Can you post her daytime routine with timings of eating and sleeping?

[1stimer]

Not knowing anything else but really my own experience with cluster feeds, I introduced a paci to DS when his cluster feeds got bad. We were still doing DF though and his clusters were lasting up to 6 or 7 hrs sometimes. Does your LO take a paci?

[Vking]

Thank you! We stopped th paci bc she would wake up when it fell out. We never tried it in place of eating. I got the impression that it was ideal to stop paci by 3 months from BWSAYP book. She sucks her fingers, I was hoping that was doing the same as a paci. Am I wrong?

I've realized she has longer wake/ A times but still eats every 3 hours . Here is original easy:
Wake up:6/630AM
E: 7AM
A
S: 830-10
E: 10
A
S: 1130- 12:40/1 she rarely made it to 1
E: 1
A
S: 230-4
E: 4
A
E: 6
A: bath 7
E: 710-8
S: 8-6/630AM

Yesterday/ today
Wake up: 6am
E: 630
A
S:830- 10
E 10
A
S: 1145- 1240
A
E: 1PM
A:
S: 3-4
E: 4
A
E:6
A: bath 7
E: 710-8
S: 8PM-6AM

E: 630

[*Ali*]

So is she awake from 4-8 every evening without a catnap in there? If so I'd say she is almost certainly OT by that stage and could be why she is so fussy. Typical A time at 3mo is 1hr20-30 so 4hrs is off the scale really 

 I would try putting a CN in around 5.30-6.15 and then doing BT closer to 7.30. If you can't get a CN then I'd bring BT forward to 6.30. She's sttn but her night is on the short side so it is possible she would eat and go back to sleep after 10hrs especially if the night started earlier I think.

What about feeding on wakeup from naps regardless of whether she wakes early and it hasn't been the full 3hrs? That way you get get an extra feed in earlier.

[Vking]

Thanks, ill try that! We gave up on the catnap and her bedtime has been creeping later.

[Vking]

Thank you! Catnap but out some cluster feeding and I'm being mindful of bedtime. Her naps are shorter so she's more open to a CN than when younger

[*Ali*]

I'm hoping you mean the CN cut out some cluster feeds. If so that's great