Author Topic: 4 month/4 hour transition  (Read 1399 times)

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Offline wes' mom

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4 month/4 hour transition
« on: October 25, 2005, 01:58:23 am »
Hi!!  I'm very forgetful lately (imagine that) and I know I've seen how to do this somewhere.  I have a 16 week old I'm trying to get on a 4 hour schedule.  Aren't I supposed to do it slowly over the course of a week or so adding extra to his expressed bottles?
Also, he isn't eating as much at his feedings.  Whenever I nurse him, he's not interested after about 10 minutes.  He'd rather chew on his fingers.  Does this mean he is teething even though I'm not seeing red gums?  Also, when I picked  him up from daycare today, he had only eaten 3.5 ounces out of his 5.5 oz. bottle.  What's up???
Thanks for any and all help!!

Offline Erin (redstarfalling)

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4 month/4 hour transition
« Reply #1 on: October 25, 2005, 12:06:08 pm »
First, to transition to a 4 hr cycle, you definitely do it gradually.  But he'll probably let you know if he's hungry sooner.  Some babies can make it 4 hrs in the morning, for instance, and need more frequent feedings by afternoon.  You'll have to be the judge.  As for the other - it may well be teething. Or he could have a bug and just not be as hungry. I'd give it a couple of days and see how he does.
Erin
Mother to Megan and Samantha


Offline Erin M

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4 month/4 hour transition
« Reply #2 on: October 25, 2005, 16:09:00 pm »
He may also be getting lots more than you think.  Babies at his age become more efficient eaters, so he may be getting a lot more in those 10 minutes than you think.

Offline tracefo

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4 month/4 hour transition
« Reply #3 on: October 25, 2005, 20:27:17 pm »
My daughter has started to become more interested in her fingers than eating too!  I thought that she would get efficient gradually.  Is is possible she's learned to eat that efficiently overnight?  It also seemed to happen when I switched to double sided feeding.  ( I kept leaking and this seems to help the problem)  By the time I get to the second breast she's not very interested.  How long should I feed on each breast.  I've been trying 10 minutes per side but when we get to the second side there's not much nursing going on.  I'm pretty sure she's getting enough because she sleeps through the night and seems to be happy on a three hour schedule  during the day and a 2 to 2 and a half hour schedule in the evenings!  I'm also afraid that I'm misreading  bored cues or other cues for hungry cues.  All soooooo confusing! :?
Tracey

Offline tracefo

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4 month/4 hour transition
« Reply #4 on: October 25, 2005, 20:28:18 pm »
oh yeah, she's 14 weeks old!

Offline wes' mom

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4 month/4 hour transition
« Reply #5 on: October 26, 2005, 01:32:30 am »
Thanks for the tips.  Once again today, he didn't finish all of his bottle at daycare.  Then while nursing him, he is eating his fingers instead.  I have noticed though, that if I switch him after a couple minutes of him being fidgety, he will eat better for a while on the other side.  Then I switch him back.  Strange.  He did sleep through the night though, despite his "lack of eating" interest.  He likes to get up around 5:30-6 and eat.  Is this normal or should I try to make him wait until 7.  He is dreamfeeding each night at 11.