Need schedule help for 7 month old

[kal]

I've been trying to stick to some type of routine but it seems really hard, my ideal schedule is below but for some reason it never seems to work. Any advice, changes or suggestions?
I also nervous about dropping the DF because he's been sleeping so well, is it ok to continue it??

4 or 5 am- 5oz bottle (back to bed)
630 or 7am- Wake
8am- Cereal and Fruit plus 5oz bottle
9am- Nap
12pm- Fruit and Veg plus 5 oz bottle
1pm-Nap
3pm- 5 oz bottle
530pm- Veg and Fruit
7pm- 4 oz bottle and bed
10pm- 5 oz DF bottle

[HeatherC]

I'll try to help.  First, how long does he nap?  Have you tried not feeding at the 4-5 am wake up and instead resettling him back to sleep?  If he doesn't take this feeding, he'll probably make up for it during the day.  Your feeding times are about the same as mine, except I have a bottle at 4 pm instead of 3 pm.  You don't have to drop the df yet if you don't think he's ready, but I would start attempting it around 7 months.  All you can do then is try it one night and see how he does, or as the book suggests, reduce the df by 1 oz and add it to a day bottle until there's nothing left to give at the df time.  What about your routine is not working for you?

[kal]

Thanks for your reply, he sometimes will nap for 1 1/2 hrs and then other days only 30 minutes. I've tried to not feed him in the early am but then he won't go back to sleep and we end up getting up for the day..ugh!
 
I won't say the routine is not working but normally I space out the bottle and solids and I'm thinking he might be able to go longer then 3 1/2 hrs between food if I start giving him "meals". He is just 7 months so I guess in a few weeks I'll start to drop the DF amount and add it to the daytime bottles.

[HeatherC]

Yes, I endured 30 min naps until 6 months.  It still happens sometimes.  Just do your best with him when that happens.  Sometimes, I space out the bottle and the meal.  For example, I might give the bottle at 8, then "breakfast" at 9-9:30.  It doesn't seem to make a difference to her, though.  I just find it easy to do the feeding all at once.  However, I do give dinner at 5:30 after a bottle at 4, just to set a more "normal" dinner hour for her to be used to after she doesn't take bottles any longer.

[949nikkirn]

Every time I am here I realize how different every baby is. It is amazing.
Ds is 7 months old as well. We dropped the dreamfeed very early on because we noticed no matter what time we put him down he always woke up at the same time. He has slept 10-12 hours through the night since 2 months.  I guess he gets enough calories throughout the day and that's why it works. Here is our schedule-

7am - 8 oz bottle
8am - 1/4 cup cereal & 1/2 jar #2 fruit
9-11 - nap

11 - 6 oz bottle *** he will only take 2-4 oz @ this time
12 - 1/4 cereal & 1/2-1 jar #2 veggie
1-2:30 or 3 - nap

3pm - 8 oz bottle
5pm - 1 jar #2 meat combo & 1/2 jar #2 veggie
7pm - 8 oz bottle *** he will only take 5-7 oz usually
7:15 - story & bed

If your schedule is working for you then by all means continue exactly what you are doing. I would also agree with Heather (I think) that you might try to comfort or PU/PD with the 4-5 am waking. It may take a few days or a week, but it might make your schedule work out better and you can then feed your 1st bottle @ 6:30-7am waking. Yes, I know, I feel like I am feeding all day long, but this too shall pass.
Good luck,
Nikki
Trace 2-23-05

[kal]

Thanks for the advice, I've tried to now feed him at 4/5am but he won't go back to sleep and usually ends up crying and then were all up for the day, I'm hoping at some point he'll just drop this feeding on his own ( I know wishful thinking) my pedi at his 6 month appoitment said that at this age there not able to go 12 hrs (7pm-7am) without eating, do you agree??
Also, were dealing with short sometimes 30 minute naps, do you think its better to keep nap times at say 9am and 1pm or if he takes a short nap put him back down about 2 hrs after waking regardless of the time?

[thitz]

Hi Kal,

I would also suggest trying to get rid of your 4/5am feed, maybe just decrease it 1oz every few days.

As for napping, I keep Emily up till at least within 30mins of her normal nap time even if she has a short nap.  Otherwise we get too far off her routine and her A time before bed is too long and she can't make it to bed.  And that leads to an early wake-up next morning.

Good Luck, Tarri

[sophieandhannah]

Nikki,
Hi!  I am new to the site and was browsing this forum only to find that your schedule is really similar to my daughter Sophie's.  She is 6 months.  Still doing dream feed though, how did you phase it out?
Also, I have noticed she is taking less at the 11am, 3pm and 7pm feeds....does that seem to affect your lo's sleep?

[herbst99]

Hi there - Well I will give some advice - don't know if it will work!! but you can try  :oops:
I agree with trying to get rid of the 4/5am waking FIRST (that is not feeding at this time and seeing it as a "habitual" night waking) You can either try
1. Wake to sleep or
2. Using a paci if you use one
3. PU/PD
my dd also woke at 5 like clockwork for about 2 weeks - I "fixed" the problem with her paci and also wake to sleep -
Most probably babe will wake up again at 6:00 ... and this I consider a "decent" wake up time - would love it to be 7:00 but ... (we must consider that at 6:00 they have been asleep for 11 hrs at 6:00am!)

I don't "totally" agree with the pead ... a healthy weight baby, getting enough nourishment during the day (3 solids, and 3-4 feeds of formula/BF) should be able to last the night - remember they will wake up the thing is getting them to be able to put themselves back to sleep without our intervention!

I found with Lise that I have to take in account her "sleep signals" and possible "overstimulation" - If I ignore these to get her closer to my "scheduled" time - she doesn;t settle, wont sleep for more than 30min etc. SO ... each child is different - I would keep a daily log with just sleeps and awake and then try to fit bottle, solids etc in there - A pattern will emerge I can guarantee you that!!

Good luck!!