Keep awake at 6am or back to bed

[klowell]

My daughter is 15 wks old and I've never done the dream feed.  I never had to do one with my son either.  My daughter used to go to bed around 9 and wake at 7, lately though she's been so tired we're putting her down between 8 and 8:30.  She will now wake though anywhere between 5 and 6:30.  When she wakes around 6ish or later, I usually keep her up.  She then goes back down for a 2 hr nap around 8.  She'll then eat around 10, nap around 11:30 until eating around 1:45, take a short nap around 4 (40 min). Then she'll eat at 4:45ish (3hr EASY).  Then around 6 she gets really fussy, acts tired but won't go down for a nap.  We've resorted to carrying her around in the baby bjorn the last couple of nights and she is happy until bedtime. 

When she wakes at 5am I feed her and put her back down. She'll sleep until 8:15ish, eat at 8:45 and then typically nap around 10:30 for a long nap until about 1:30.  Then she gets into the same routine as above.  My question I guess is, should I be putting her to bed earlier and then doing a dream feed?  My concern is that she's not used to the dream feed and may want to stay awake, or may not want to wake up.  I'm just not sure.  I don't have a problem leaving things the way they are (8-6 isn't bad at all I don't think), its just she's so miserably tired at night before bedtime.  Thanks!
Kirsten

[Katet]

I think the best thing to do is pick a time ie 7am, so if it before that you re-settle although from 6.45, I'd just have quiet cuddles until 7am) & if she sleeps past that you wake her no later than 7.30am & then you can consistently start your day & keep to a fairlyconsistant routine... as she gets older her cicradium rythmn will kick in & you may find "shifting" sleep/awake" times will cause problems. I have always found it easiest to start my day within a 1/2-3/4hour time frame
At 15 weeks I wouldn't keep her up much longer than 1.5-2 hours & probably try to get her to bed earlier & either do the df or feed her if she wakes

[klowell]

Thanks,  we've actually seen a little improvement (at least for the time being).  She has reflux badly and we increased her medicine since she was having to nap in her carseat and was spitting up a lot.  Since the increase, she did nap for me last night at 6pm, just a catnap, but that's fine.  She then ate a little around 7 then went to bed at 8:30.  She slept until 6:45ish.  I hope that the reflux was to blame, but you never know.  I think your suggestion about keeping a consistent time is a good idea, that is why I was wondering what to do.  I agree that it is best to get them used to waking at a certain time.  thanks!