Ok, is it time?

[Tammyj]

Hello all! I have a gorgeous 6.5 month old.  She is waking 2x a night, I feed her and she's back to bed immediately. The best she has done was waking at 4am and then back asleep until 7.  Since then, she's teething (first one coming through!) and also has a pretty good cold. 

Wondering:
1. when to stop dream feed
2. when to discourage night feedings (she's EBF, nursing at night and bottles during the day)

Here's her schedule:
Wake at 7-7:20 and bottle
Food at 9
Sleep at 9-9:30 and 30 minute naps
Bottle at 10ish
Nap at 11:30ish
Food at 12-12:30
Bottle around 1:30
Nap around 2
Bottle at 4
Nap at 4:30
Nurse at 6:30
Asleep around 7-7:15
Dreamfeed at 10/10:30
Wakes around 2-3am and nursed
Wakes around 5-5:30am and nursed

Note: I encourage the 5am nursing as I leave for work right after.  She probably would delay this, but I'm not around and it's easy for the family situation.  When she woke at 3 and slept until 7, that was perfect! Not sure how to get back to that. 

Another note: she's in crib in same room as us, so nice and close.    also, we are not a fan of CIO, so any other suggestions are welcome.  More concerned with feedings as opposed to sleep training.

Hope that's enough info.  Love this forum - can't wait for the advice!

[lolsyb1982]

Hi I have no BF experience so I'm bumping this for you and hopefully someone who does will post with some advice.

[Tammyj]

Thank you!

[Tammyj]

Bump pls!

[Skadiver13]

Hi hun, it's been awhile but I"ll try to help. My frist thought is at this age it might be time to drop the Dream feed. BUT before I say that, is waking for the 5am on her own or were you doing it becuase it's easier for you routine and then it became habit for her? How much does she take at this feeding and at the 2/3AM?

[becj86]

Hi

Presuming you've discounted the idea of a growth spurt - its been going >2 weeks?

I wonder if your daytime routine might make a difference to her NWs - those A times are a quite short for her age - 2hr is more suitable for a 4 month old.

Note: I encourage the 5am nursing as I leave for work right after.  She probably would delay this, but I'm not around and it's easy for the family situation.  When she woke at 3 and slept until 7, that was perfect! Not sure how to get back to that. 

This 5am-ish one would be the feed I'd get rid of, IIWM. She's quite possibly waking then both because you're encouraging that feed and because that first A time is so short. That then interrupts her night and affects her naps. If you don't feed at 5am, when does she wake on her own?

I would try increasing those A times pretty dramatically (average at 6.5 months is 2:45-3:15), especially the first one, try to resettle the 30min waking that will probably happen for the first few days and see how the night goes.

[Tammyj]

Thank you both for your advice! I didn't realize the first nap was so short - funny when you write it down and someone picks up on it!

My guess is yes, I've probably encouraged the 5am feed given my work schedule.   I'll stop that.  If she happens to wake at 5:30, 6, or later, I'll just have my husband try to settle her with the paci.  It makes sense what you said about stopping this one, especially since she did drop it herself for a few days. 

She does take more at the 2am feed than the 5am feed.  My sense is that she still would want at least one feed a night - is that reasonable at this age? I can probably delay it to 3am with the use of the Paci.

if she is dropping the 5am feed, do I need to increase the daytime bottles? Or would that only happen when I stop the DF (which is a full feed - 5 oz. I assuming the 5am feed is like 2 oz). Not sure about that. Also, if I move to the 4 hour easy, will that cause more Nw since she is getting less during the day? Kinda confusing. 

Thank you again!!

[becj86]

My sense is that she still would want at least one feed a night - is that reasonable at this age?

Yep, absolutely reasonable at this age

You're feeding her EBM in a bottle, right? Yes, you can just put more in fewer bottles for the daytime. If you were BFing those, I would say it'll even itself out and it still will with the bottle but you have to think a bit more about it, yk? Actually, its much the same as the snacking issue - she'll be taking hopefully more efficient feeds and getting what she needs so she shouldn't wake more at night, she may even push that 2am feed later on her own. This info may be helpful: http://kellymom.com/bf/pumpingmoms/pumping/milkcalc/

Definitely have a go at increasing those A times and see how you go Average A times- BOOKMARK ME!

[Tammyj]

Ok, so last night we got only one night feed! She awoke at 2:15am and I was able to settle with the pacifier. She then woke at 4:10am for a feed! Then slept until 6:30am! I'll take it! We are working on the A times.  She is ok going longer before her naps, however when she only naps for 20-30 minutes it's a bit tough. But I'm sure that's to be expected.

Yes, she's EBF and I give her a DF in a bottle at 10, and then nurse her at 4am.  This will totally work! I just hope this is the start to a pattern! 😄

Thank you ladies!

[Skadiver13]

This is what my 4month old does. She gets a DF around 10 then sometimes she'll wake around 2ish which is a routine OT issue but she'll resettle with a pacifier till about sometime around 4ish then she'll sleep until 7/8 so you're doing great.