schedule question

[CaedensMama]

What do I do when the LO doesn't sleep till time for the next feed.... do I let him play, or do I feed and then let him play and go to sleep a little sooner? We are trying to get onto a 3 hr feed schedule, but sometimes I can't get him to sleep past 45 minutes which puts the feeds closer to 2 hours apart.
What works best for you?

[Jadynsmom]

Hi Jennifer,

Gosh, it seems like yesterday my lo was that young and sometimes it seems like years.

Can you post your sched to get an idea of what your day looks like?  Is he waking after 45min naps?  Seems kinda young to wake at the 45min mark.  For me, if it was time to eat I would always feed her and let her have a few mins of activity time (usually just a diaper change so that she wouldn't associate feeding & sleeping) and put her to bed.

Kathy

[CaedensMama]

We are working on extending the naps but at this point sometimes it works and other times it doesn't!
So far this week:
Mon
Eat: 4:30 a
Played w/ daddy
Sleep: 6:30-7:45
Eat: 8:00
Sleep: 9:00-9:50
Eat: 10:00
Sleep: 11-12:15
Eat: 1:00
Sleep: 1:45-3:30
Eat: 3:45
Sleep: 5:00-5:30
Eat 6:00
Sleep: 7:15-4:30
dreamfeed at 10:15
Eat:4:30
Sleep 5:15-6:30a.m. Tuesday Morning

Tues:
Eat: 7:00
Sleep 7:30-8:30
Eat: 9:30
Sleep: 10-11
Eat: 11:30
Sleep: 1-3:30
Eat: 3:30
Sleep: 4:30-5:30
Eat: 5:30
Sleep: 6:30-8:30
Eat: 8:30
Sleep: 9-2 a.m.
Eat: 2:00, and 4:30 and 6:30

In between times of eating and sleeping was actvity!
I have bounced back and forth between feeding him when he wakes whether it has been 3 hours or not and letting him play and try to get closer to 3 hours.
He is getting more consistent, there has been some progress though it still needs some work!

Just not sure what tends to be best for when I can get him only to sleep and hour or 45 minutes - do I move right back to Eating and then let him play and he will get to sleep a little sooner  - Or do we play for awhile, Eat and then play till sleep and try and stick a closer to a regular schedule.

Thanks for any advice!

[alligirl]

It depends....are you reading his cues when he wakes (for the record, I STUNK at reading my kids' cues)?  Is he hungry or does he act like he's still sleepy?  If he's hungry, feed him.  No baby will eat at exactly every three hours.  At that age it might 2 hours, 2.5 hours or even 4 hours.  If he's acting like he's still sleepy, then try to extend his nap with paci or pat/shh.  Seems like you've got a pretty good schedule going for him not even being two months yet!  Good job!!

[CaedensMama]

It depends sometimes he seems sleepy and I can very occassionally get him back to sleep. More often then not we try for 15-30 minutes, depending on what he is doing and how I am feeling    and then get up if he seems done. Now and then he seems more awake and hungry and we do get up and just move on.
It has been helping keeping track of our schedule this week cause I am seeing a more consistent pattern and it is helping keep me more and track and know we are making progress!
As for reading his cues, sometimes I seem to get it right and most of the time I think I am just guessing and playing "process of elimination", but I am learning more what he likes and how he reacts and what he needs, so I sure it will get better.
Speaking of which I think we are getting tired here so off to go try and nap!