Getting 3-mo-old on longer schedule

[Lauren's Mom]

We have been practicing a variation of EASY with DD since day 1. At about 3 weeks, she started wanting to eat every 2 hours, and we haven't been able to break her of it since.

Her schedule:
6:45 a - Wake & Eat
8-9 - Sleep
9 - Eat (This varies since she's at daycare.)
11:30 - Eat (I feed her at my lunch hour)
She usually eats 1 or 2 more times in the afternoon at day care.
5:30 - Eat when we get home
6:30 - Sleep
7:30 or 8 - Eat
9 - Eat
9:30 - Sleep (I've been gradually trying to move this to 9)
4:30 - Wake & eat

On the weekends, it's definitely every 2 hours for Eat. She's pretty consistent with 15-30 minutes eating, 30-45 minutes of activity, then an hour nap throughout the day. I think it would help her to stretch out this cycle. She's easy to put down at night, and always wakes at 4:30. Do I wake to sleep at 3:30 then?

I also worry that she's not getting enough to eat at the breast. I pump 11-12 ounces during two pumping sessions. My afternoon session, I barely get 4 ounces. I've been drinking Mother's Milk tea, but it doesn't seem to make a difference. Wet/soiled diapers are fine, but she's only gained a pound in the last month.

To sum it up ... how do I stretch out her schedule (She gets really worked up when she's hungry if it takes me too long to feed her.), how do I eliminate the 4:30 feeding, and how much should she be taking at each setting?

[daisymelan]

Hi there,  Sounds like your lo is doing wonderful.

I wouldn't worry about her waking at 4:30.  At that age, one night feeding is absolutely fantastic.  I'm pretty sure she still needs it, so I wouldn't try to adjust it just yet.

If you want to help stretch out the feedings a little bit, I think there are a couple things to conisder.  She is only napping for 1 hour at a time, you may want to try and start stetching that out... but in saying that, increasing A time goes hand in hand.  The easiest way I found to stretch out A time was to have someone else entertain my lo.  But read your los cues.  If you gently coax her to stretch it, she may surprise you and go longer. 

About your pumping yield.  That is amazing and i"m not quite sure why you think your lo is not satisfied at the breast.  Babies weight slows down after the first 2 months, so unless your dr is concerned, don't stress that at all.  I've never managed to pump more than 2 or 3 oz, so pumping that much should not be a concern in the slightest.

I hope this helps, let us know if you have any more questions.

[Lauren's Mom]

Thanks, Jodie. I was writing all this and worrying, and then she went 3 hours between almost every feeding yesterday and slept from 9:45 to 5:30 a.m.! I think I just worry too much! We'll work on activity time, but I want to make sure we don't overdo it. She had a hard time going down for a nap last night when we lost track of time on the new bumbo. But, then she napped 1.5 hours!

[daisymelan]

That's great news, and that's the way it will happen..... next thing you know, you look at the clock and the time has flown past.  And even better news on the 1.5 hr nap.... that's on hte right track to extending everything!

Thank you for sharing your great news.

P.S.  You're going to make a lot of mamas jealous with that much sleep this early on!