6MO and al lot of NW and mom is getting tired. Please help!

[Sis-Marianne]

Hi all 

I am posting a question for a friend, she might peek in as well, but her English in not such that she wants to type up the original post. My English also isn't thát good but here it goes, I hope you can understand;

Friend has a beautiful dd, she is almost 6mo. The problem is dd is waking up every 3h at night to nurse and mom is soooo tired she almost falls asleep at work and driving the car is getting dangerous.

Routine:
E/A: 6am
S: 8am
E/A: 10.00am
S: 12
E/A: 1.30pm
S: 3.30pm
E/A: 5.30pm
Catnap
BT, 8.30pm
NW: 0.00 and 3.00am

Routine isn't always the same. She does take a pacifier but not at night, she drops it and screams again. If she nurses she is really taking her milk which means she does need the feed/she's hungry?

Mom is thinking to give formula before BT but actually want to keep up the fulltime BF, mom is commited to the BF.

I'm thinking: more feeds during the day and less sleep? Don't really know how much a 6mo needs to sleep during the day.
BT at 7?

I'm always sooo happy with the advise you're giving, it's really helpfull so please help a friend-mama also!

TIA!

[Sis-Marianne]

Help anyone?

[newkidontheblock]

Hi honey. Let's see if I can help. So a few things I would suggest -
1) This baby is doing a VERY long day - 14.5 hours. It is best to keep the day to 12-12.5 hours max. If WU time is 6am, BT should be no later than 6.30pm, IMO.
A times do also need to be increased. Right now, because of the extra long day, baby is getting 3 naps + a catnap. That might be too much day sleep, you know? That can also contribute to NWs. With an A time of 2 hours and a 12 hour day, all the baby needs are 2 naps + a catnap.
At 6 months though, A times are actually closer to 3 hours. As A times increase, the catnap can be dropped and they move to a routine with 2 naps of 1.5-2 hours. I'm posting a link about the transition here
Average A times- BOOKMARK ME!
All about the 3-2 transition- 5/6 months
However,

2) How come there is no BT feed in this routine? Was it an error or is the last feed at 5.30? If that's the case, then definitely the baby would be hungry and waking at night. If it is an error and there is another feed just before bed, I would still suggest dropping the 5.30 feed. It is too close to BT and would prevent baby from taking a full feed at BT. They don't really need to cluster feed at that age yk? I would instead suggest feeding *before* nap 2, so at around 3pm.

3) And lastly, BT is too late. With this current routine, as I said before, I would definitely bring BT waaay forward.

Basically, I think the whole routine needs a change. The day is too long with too much day sleep. Pushing A times to a more appropriate amount should sort this out.

[Sis-Marianne]

Thanks newkidontheblock!
Sorry, forgot to mention a feed at 8.30pm, before BT.

That sounds good.
More routine with two 1,5-2h nap and a catnap.
something like this?
A/E: 7
S: 10
A/E: 12
S: 3
A/E: 5
BT/E: 7

Depending on the sleeps during the day if the catnap is needed. If she sleeps 1,5h maybe let dd do a catnap at the end of the afternoon?
Isn't 4 nurse moments to little for a 6mo? Maybe nurse before and after naps?

[newkidontheblock]

Exactly so. Of course, she won't be able to get on this routine right away. If she extends time too quickly, the baby will get OT. Best to do it gradually. For a while, she will probably have to keep the catnap but hopefully, once she is on a longer A, she could ditch the catnap and pull bedtime forward instead, just for a while. I'm linking a post with many sample routines for her to go through.
chronological EASY samples, 4-6 months
chronological EASY samples, 7-9 months

I also felt similarly about the feeds. I would feed twice in every A time - on WU from the nap/in the morning and around 30/45 minutes before the next nap. At 7 months, I stopped the second nurse in the first A as she was having solids too. I added milk to her solids. So she would nurse in the morning on WU, then on WU from nap 1 and again at 3/3.30 before nap 2 and finally BT feed with porridge with 2 oz milk in the first A

[Sis-Marianne]

Thanks a million NKOTB!
She is gonna try and make the routine work;
7.00am E
9.30am S
11am E
1.00pm S
3.00pm E
catnap?
7.00pm E+BT

I'll keep you posted on how it's going! And told my friend we can always reply again here when she having worries again.

Sigh... I LOVE babywhisperer forum

[newkidontheblock]

Hope everything is going well

[Sis-Marianne]

It is!
Dd is now getting 1 nightfeed (bottle with breastmilk and rice flour) and that is going well. Mom is a bit struggling though with the pumping. She can't pump enough. Maybe she is going to switch to formula for that one bottle.

Thanks for asking newkidontheblock

[newkidontheblock]

bottle with breastmilk and rice flour

I don't think it is safe to add anything to the milk, hun. Just posting a few links regarding this
http://kellymom.com/nutrition/starting-solids/solids-sleep/
http://www.babycenter.com/404_will-my-baby-sleep-better-if-i-add-cereal-to-his-bottle-at-n_9155.bc

If mom is having trouble pumping, it is better that she gives baby formula instead of adding anything to the breastmilk. Please ask her to be safe. {hugs}

[Sis-Marianne]

I did'nt know that! Thanks! I'll tell her.

[Sis-Marianne]

Mom has read you're post NKOTB and she will stop giving dd the rice flour. Thanks for letting us know the downside of giving the rice flour, very much appreciated!

[newkidontheblock]

Oh I'm relieved