3.5 month ready for 5 hr. EASY?

[Matka]

Hello!  Ds is 3.5 months and is on a solid 4 hrs easy.  Here's our current schedule (aprox.)

Up at 6:00
Eat 1 tlbs. cereal with 2 tlbs. formula, 1 tlbs. fruit (I've been giving him his normal 8oz. bottle with this, but lately he will only take about 2oz. in the morning.)
A until 7:30-8:00
S battle the 45 min nap monster until 9:30 or 10:00
E about 4 oz. (Again, used to be 8oz, now this is all he will take)
A until 11:30-12:00
S battle the 45 min nap monster (AGAIN!) until 1:30-2:00
E about 4-6 oz.
A until 3:30-4:00
S This is the one nap he usually takes!
E Same as breakfast
A until 7:30-8:00
S Bedtime
E Dream feed at 10:00 (will usually take full 8oz)
Sleeps all night!!

Okay, my question is, now that he is starting on foods, he doesn't seem to be wanting the bottles at 10:00 and 2:00.  For the most part I can get him to take it, but he plays around with it a lot.  Ideally, I would like his feeding times to be as follows:

6:00-7:00 am cereal, fruit, and bottle
11:00-12:00 veg. and  bottle
4:00-5:00 dinner (still cereal and fruit bottle until he's ready for more veg. and protien)
10:00 dream feed

Is this to long for a 3.5 month old to go without eating?  He's always been a good eater (already 16 lbs and 26 in long!!) so I think he could go longer inbetween.  Just wanted some advice/opinions.

[Deb_in_oz]

i am going to move this to the bottle feeding board as i am not sure about amounts and changing bottle spacing and solids  .... at that age.  i hope more people with this type of experience can help you.  good luck

[Noelle]

Hmmm...
Every baby is different of course, but you want most of their calories to come from the breastmilk/formula until closer to one year in age.  You may want to cut back a little on the solids and see if his intake increases again, especially since he's so young yet.  I do think 5 hours is a long time.  Zoe is still on a 4 hour for the most part...has a snack in between lunch and dinner.  But if everything is going good and he continues to gain weight/sleep through the night - you will have to go with your instincts.  You may want to check out some of the EASY samples in the EASY forum too, it may give you some ideas. 

The other thing that popped out at me was his awake time.  I'm wondering if you put him down a little sooner if you might be able to get rid of some of the 45 minute naps.  My kiddos could barely make it an hour in the mornings.  Just thought I'd throw that out there  :wink: 

[Matka]

Thanks Noelle!  I didn't think about where the calories were coming from.  Good thought!  I meet with his ped on Jan. 4 so I will ask him what he thinks then.  I think I'll keep him on what he's doing now through the holidays.  As for sleep, I've tried shorter awake times, longer awake times, everything under the sun and nothing seems to work.  I've just kind of adjusted his schedule on the days he takes shorter naps.  I know he'll get the hang of it eventually.  Oh how I wish someone was trying to get me to sleep longer!

[Noelle]

Oh how I wish someone was trying to get me to sleep longer!

Hee hee - too true!!!!  :lol:

Does he wake happy from his naps?  If he does, I say just go with the flow and keep tweaking like you've been doing.  MUCH less stressful than trying to extend them 

[Matka]

Yes, he wakes up with a big gummy smile, which somethimes makes it all the more frustrating (but it's pretty cute).  I 've been relaxing a bit more with nap times and letting him take two per EASY if he needs it.  I'm just feeling a lot of pressure to get him on the 3 meals per day and 4 bottle routine (mainly from my mom, who is wonderful and a great help, but she seems to think if he eats more he'll sleep longer).  I don't think I'm going to be able to do it until he is sleeping for longer streches, then there won't be so much A time involved.  Just need to go with the flow...