4 hr transition is starting ruin our routine!

[Gage and Sophie's Mom]

Gage is 14 weeks now, and I have been noticing that he is starting to transition to a 4 hr EASY. As a result, he is waking every 4 hours at night to eat and is eating 2 oz at some feeds and 8 at others. He has finally learned how to been fall asleep by himself (thank God!), and he is able to play in his crib if he wakes up in the middle of the night (if he is not hungry).

Lately, he wakes up and wants food (I assume). I have tried to get his calories in during the day, but because of his big night feedings he is not always hungry. I am getting so I have not idea when he is hungry because of his off the wall feeds. Some feeds are small so I feed him later (anywhere from 2-3.5 hrs) thinking he might still be hungry, and the cycle continues.

Also, I have been trying to extend his A time from 1hr to 1 hr 15. I have done this for his first nap only like Tracy suggests. I am hoping I can extend his naps this way. I have only done this 2 times counting this morning, and he has slept longer than usual (45 m-1hr.).

Am I on the right with A and S times? I am still not sure what to do about the E times. I just know that we have worked really hard to establish a routine and great sleeI dont feel that Gage needs Pu/Pd as he can sleep on his own, and I think he is way past the pat/shh method. This has been going on for about 3 days. Please help!

[Gage and Sophie's Mom]

Here is yesterdays schedule. It has become progressively worse.


Prior night's bedtime 8:30

10:00 eat 4oz
3am 40z
7am 4oz
*These feeds are treated as middle of the night wakenings.

9:45 wake ( I decided to wait until he told me he was hungry because the other days he was only eating 2 oz)
10:30 Eat 4oz
11:10 Sleep

12:15 Wake
12:20 Eat 5 oz
1:25 Sleep

2:20 Wake
2:40 Eat 4oz
3:30 Sleep

4:25 Wake (Very Crabby!)
4:30 Eat 3oz and laid back down to sleep

7:05 Wake
7:30 2 oz
diaper change, story, massage
8:00 6oz
8:30 bedtime

10pm 4oz * This has been going on and off for about a 1.5 weeks, as we are trying to get him to learn that between 8 and is bedtime not a nap.

[Noelle]

Hi... 

At first glance it looks like his days/nights may be a bit skewed if that makes sense.  It looks like his last nap may be acting as his bedtime (it is VERY long, most times the 3rd nap is a catnap i.e. 45min anywhere between 3-6PM), thus making him wake more/earlier in the night and wanting food as he may be thinking it's start of the day.  I would suggest having 7AM (give or take) be his wake up time, and adjust from there.  If you end up having to feed before a nap as you tweak EASY that's OK..just give some sort of activity so that he isn't going to sleep with the bottle.

You may have to use pu/pd to help him switch from the feeds at night to the day.  An earlier bedtime may help as well.  Even though we like later wake-up times, sometimes their internal clocks say different  :wink:

Let us know if you have more questions 

[Fiona (Leah & Kians Mom)]

My first impression was 7am treated as a night feed, I think you should take this as the start of your day, you can always push it slowly to 8am as I did. I would then go for 9 as his first nap time with maybe 11/11.15 lunch and 12.00 nap time, depending on how long the morning nap was. I would aim for a good 2 hour nap after lunch and a short cat nap around 4 or 4.30 with a bed time no later than 7.30pm and dream feed around 10.30/11.00

[Gage and Sophie's Mom]

Thank you for your help! You were right this is when he should start his day. I have monitored his day sleep and he didnt wake at all last night

[Noelle]

Yay!! So glad it's going better!! Sorry for not catching your question sooner....