transition to 4hr EASY

[LucyA]

My DS is 18 weeks, and I am thinking he probably should be changing to a 4 hour EASY. However, in the last week his feeds have gone from 15-20 mins each to 30-40 mins each, and an hour at bed time.
He is currently doing a pretty consistent 3 hr EASY, and is up for 2 hrs at a time (battling short naps...).
Just wondering if I should be going longer between feeds when he already seems to be needing more food? He also still has a night feed (about 3 am), and feeds for 30 mins then too.

[estherofi20]

Hi , my DS is 12 weeks and i changed him to a four hour routine almost 3 weeks ago, it has been going pretty well, i did this because he just wasn't hungry after 3 hours. I changed his routine from one day to another (quite drastically :oops: ), and it took him around 3 days to adjust, but took it pretty well. But if you feel that doing it cold turkey is going to be too much for your LO, there is an example of changing routine in tracy's 2nd book. I will write down for you, here it goes:

DAYS 1-3
E: 7am
A: 7:30
S: 8:30 (1 1/2hrs.)
E:10
A: 10:30
S: 11:30 (1 1/2hrs.)
E: 1
A: 1:30
S: 2:30 (1 1/2hrs.)
E: 4
A: 4:30
S: catnap (1/2hr)
E&A: 7 feed and bath
S: 7:30
E: 11, DF

DAYS 4-7
E: 7am
A: 7:30
S: 8:45 (1 1/2hrs.)
E: 1:15
A: 2
S: 2:45 (2hrs.)
E: 4:15
A: 4:45
S: catnap (1/2hr)
E&A: 7:15 feed & bath
S: 7:30
E: 11, DF

DAYS 8-11
E: 7am
A: 7:30
S: 9 (1 1/2hrs.)
E: 10:30
A: 11
S: 12:30 (1 3/4hrs.)
E: 1:45
A: 2:15
S: 3 (2hrs.)
E: 4:30
A: 5
S: NO catnap  :?
E,A,S: by 6:30 or 7 feed,bath and bedtime
E: 11, DF

DAYS 12-15
E: 7am
A: 7:30
S: 9 (2hrs.)
E: 11
A: 11:30
S: 12:45 (1 1/2hrs.)
E: 2:15
A: 2:45
S: 3:30 (1 1/2hrs.)
E: 5
A: bath
S: in bed by 6:30 or 7
E: 11, DF

THE GOAL
E: 7am
A: 7:30
S: 9 (2hrs.)
E: 11
A: 11:30
S: 1 (2hrs.)
E: 3
A: 3:30
S: 5 t0 6 (catnap)
E, A,S: by 7:30pm feed, bath & in bed.
E: 11, DF

These are times sugested by tracy, she also says that in days 8 to 11 you migth have to put your LO to bed earlier since you are cutting one nap, and they sure can get cranky :? .
My Ds also has a nigthtime feed around 4-5ish am :shock: , but i guess you have to feed them if they are hungry (i've been trying to make him take more food in the day, but the little guy just won't eat more than what he wants :roll: ).
But anyway... hope this is helpfull to you, and let me know how it goes
GOOD LUCK!!! :!:

[Noelle]

He is currently doing a pretty consistent 3 hr EASY, and is up for 2 hrs at a time (battling short naps...).

Hi 
Just wondering....is his awake time 2 hrs, or do you try to stretch it out to make the 3 hr EASY?

[LucyA]

no, usually he is happily awake for 2 hours. If he gets tired earlier I put him down earlier, and he has some A time before feeding.
He does seem to get hungry after 3 hours, although not frantically so. Hungry enough to eat for 30-40 mins, anyway. But if I can get him to have a longer nap it will sometimes be 3.5 to 4 hours between feeds.

thanks, Lucy

[Noelle]

Hi again Lucy.

I'd say it sounds like he maybe isn't quite ready to go to 4 hrs competely yet.  This is not uncommon, especially in bf babies.  Sounds like you are doing the "right" thing. 

[Sadiebird]

I don't get days 4-7.  Eat at 7 am and then not again until 1:15?  That can't be right. 

Jessica

[estherofi20]

ooopppssss!!!!!!!! big mistake i forgot to put one eat part in days 4-7, but here is corrected (SORRY!!!!):

DAYS 4-7
E: 7
A: 7:30
S: 8:45 (I 1/2HRS)
E: 10:15
A: 10:45
S: 12:15 (1 1/4HRS)
E: 1:15
A: 2
S: 2:45 (2hrs.)
E: 4:15
A: 4:45
S: catnap (1/2hr)
E&A: 7:15 feed & bath
S: 7:30
E: 11, DF

There, that's the coorect way...sorry for that...

[Sadiebird]

Thank you so much!  That makes more sense now!   

[LucyA]

Thanks, I think we'll leave it another week or so and see what happens...

Lucy