Getting a 4month old on 4hour EASY

[jhcodrum]

Hi I have not asked a queation before but i frequent the site a lot (i am usually able to find my answers from other posts).Anyway my delema is i am atrying to put my 4 month old boy on a 4 hour EASY he is currently on a very good 3 hour EASY. He is not naturally progressing to 4 hours and Tracy suggests in her new book if they don't naturally progress to 4 hours at 4 months you need to guide them. So i am following her 15 minute progression technique at the moment, my delema is he is always well and truly ready by 3 hours i hold him off until the 3 hr 15 min mark with a lot of coaxing and persuassion he will feed well for about 10-15min(breastfeeding) then he obviously need a burping which i do then he will not go back on (if i do manage to get him back on it takes me at least 15 min to get him on then he doesn't feed very well). Has anyone got any sugggestions i feel if i can get him to feed longer he may last longer between feeds. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

[Erin M]

In my opinion, he just might not be quite ready to wait 4 hours.  With my DD, I tried to "guide" her to 4 hours around 4 months, but she wasn't having any of it.  Then, a few weeks later, she started napping longer and naturally stretched herself out to a 4 hour routine.  I think the 4 hour/4 month recommendation is more of a guideline than anything else and if it doesn't work, it can wait.  If his naps and everything else are going well, I wouldn't worry about it just yet.  Of course, this is just my take on it and I'm sure you'll get other ones

[GraceKellysmom]

I agree to let your breastfeeding baby stay on a 3 hr EASY until he starts staying awake longer and sleeping longer. Most babies will go to 4 hr by themselves, if allowed. My ds was 8 months old when he went to 4 hrly EASY.

[jhcodrum]

Thanks i guess you are right to let him naturally take his own time. I am a little eager especially when i have a 3 yr old running around. I remember just letting her move on when she was ready but then again i only had her to think of. I just needed a reality check as we all do from time to time.

[GraceKellysmom]

Ah, so having a preschooler to chase does change my answer.  :lol:  Does your 3yr old still take an afternoon nap? I did/do whatever I could to encourage baby to nap when toddler did. Sometimes I would EAEASY or EAESY. They started napping together regularly around 6 months, and 9 months later still do. Saves my sanity.  :wink:

As long as you are getting plenty of calories (6ish feeds) in during the day, feel free to manipulate the schedule a little bit to serve your sanity.

[jhcodrum]

Yes they do nap together during the day which is great. i should be gratefull he has a great routine at the moment feeds are 6am,9am,12noon,3pm,6pm and dream feed at 10. So i am fitting 6 feeds in a day, i really shouldn't start mucking with it and go with the flow. I am however curious as to how i might be able to extend his feeds i currently single side feed and was woundering if i should start offering the other side as well or just not muck with that either. Strange you would think when you have already had a baby and i breastfeed her untill she was 15 months i would have the answers to my own questions but they are completely different babys and i am always a bit reluctant to try things in case it doesn't work (if that makes any sense). Also his feed times are never consistant sometimes he feeds for 15 min other times 45min which is confussing the hell out of me, especially the 15 min feeds as he has always been a long feeder (i am very jealous when i read other posts saying it only takes 5 - 10 min to feed). As he is generally a long feeder that was the reason for my inital need to go on a 4 hour routine as i feel like i am always feeding because of the lenth of time it takes.The odd 15min feed is something he has only recently started prehaps he is getting a little more efficient. :!:  :!:  :?

[GraceKellysmom]

One thing you could try is listening to his suck-swallow pattern. Certainly he isn't swallowing much after the first 20 min or so? He may just be sucking, which some babies have higher suck needs than others. The great thing about his longer feeds is that stimulates your supply so well. As he gets really interested in his surroundings, he will be too busy to nurse.

I'd be hesitant to muck up the single side feeding too. I started offering both sides at 4 months or so, and ds loved it, but he is the type to not want to suck much. I had to pump after feeds to keep up my supply because he just drank the let downs and was done. I think I'm saying, it sounds like you have a great thing going, so keep it up!  :wink:

[jhcodrum]

Thanks i think you are right about the need to suckle. If he isn't breastfeeding he has a great need to suckle constantly sucking on hands or tongue so i will also watch out for that from now on .You would never guess but when i decided yesterday to stop forcing the 3.15 feedings he has naturally gone to 3.5 hrs on his own i guess its just a matter of time till he can go to 4.Thanks you have been a great help in clarifying things for me and just letting me sound things out.