Moving to a 4hr EASY?

[EmMUK74]

Hi, DD is now 19 weeks old and I am getting a lot of comment from family and friends that she should be eating every 4hrs now and not every 3.5/3hrs as she currently is.  I have tried to get her to 4 hrs but she is starving hungry at 3hrs when she is very active and at 3.5hrs when she is less active. 

The other issue is that she already eats 7floz each feed (sometime 8floz) for 5 feeds a day and so if I went to 4hrly then she would need 10flo feeds each time and she can't hold that much.  She sleeps 12 hours straight every night (has done since 12wks). 

She has severe reflux but is medicated with infant gaviscon which works really well.

I will post her routine but would really like some advice or help on how to space her to 4hrly if it is what is best for her.   As you can see this EAS gets a little muddled around lunchtime but it works well for her and she naps really well then.  You can also see that she is on less than a 3hr at the end of the day but she can't stay awake past 7pm and is happy to take her bottle and get to bed!

Wake and E 7.00am
A 8-9am
S 9am for 1 hr
E 10.30am
A 11- 12.30am
S 12.30am - 1pm (cat nap for 30 mins - doesn't always have this)
A 1 - 1.30pm
E 1.30pm
S 2 - 3.30pm
A 3.30 - 4.30
E 4.30
A 4.30 - 5.30
S 5.30 - 6.00 (quick cat nap/cuddle)
A and Bath 6.00 - 6.30
E 6.45
Bed 7pm

thanks for any input 

[Noelle]

Hello! 

Here are some signs of needing to transition:
1. Not taking as much at a feed (baby not as hungry at 3 hours)
2. Erratic Night Wakings
3. They are extending their awake times
4. Starts taking 45 minute naps

If none of the above are occuring and the 3.5/3 hours is working, I wouldn't worry about moving to the 4 hours yet.      Every baby is different, and she'll let you know when she's ready to move.  And like you mentioned, I think that her drinking 7/8oz is a for sure sign that she's not quite ready.

HTH 

[HeatherC]

I agree with Noelle.  If you lo is content, and still taking a full feed at your current feeding schedule, then she must be hungry then.  She wouldn't eat it, or at least not all of it, if she weren't hungry.  My dd didn't move to 4 hrs until 5 months.  At that time, she started increasing her A time and shifted her naps until one of the naps went past a feeding time.  Therefore, I dropped that feeding, shifted the others around a bit, and she was more at a 4 hrly feeding cycle.

[EmMUK74]

thanks, I really appreciate your reassurance and advice.  I am sure she will move to 4 hrly sometime soon.