Feeding on 4 hour EASY and Tracy's book - suggestions on what I am doing wrong?

[MatthewsMommy]

Update- well Sat night he slept from 8:30 to 4:30 and so that was good. Went back to sleep until 5:30- gave him his usual "night" 4 oz bottle - went and made another 2oz thinking since he went so long he'd be hungry, ONLY wanted 4 oz (he KNOWS this is his nighttime feed so that says to me it's habit- I mean wouldn't he want more and be hungry IF he was hungry???)

So last night he slept from 7:45 to 1:30- gave paci. Woke again at 4ish - kept giving paci for about 90 min and got him up at 6:30 to feed - again didn't finish bottle (I made 8 oz) - finally finished after an hour - I put it aside and gave him last 2 oz about 4 5min later.

I did let him cry some last night before going in - about 5 min each time instead of rushing him. A few times he DID go back to sleep. I think I just need to train him better. I am going to continue in this manner and hope he just "gets it". We are at least back to 1-2 wakings versus every 2 hours - cross fingers!!!

Lauren

[LŠuren]

Did you ever try the cluster feed?

Good luck and I hope this continues 

[MatthewsMommy]

I kind of clustered him Sat night as he ate at:
6:30, 10:30, 2:30, 5:30 and 8:30 so I did 4 hours for the first 2 feeds and three for the last - am trying to figure out how to cluster now on his last feed at 7 though as he is tired around 7ish.

May try it, I just don't want to keep messing with stuff I guess. My friend has a night nanny and her twins have been sleeping thru the night from 2 mos. She called me and told me that 4 feeds for Matthew was fine- every 4 hours and he shouldn't need a night feed. So am hestitant to add another in there. I don't know - will try what I've been doing for a week and if it doesn't work may try the cluster. I don't want to do too much ya know?

thanks again!
Lauren

[LŠuren]

Your right, this looks fine and it sounds like he is winding down this night feed and its good he is getting back to sleep on his own. 

Went back to sleep until 5:30- gave him his usual "night" 4 oz bottle - went and made another 2oz thinking since he went so long he'd be hungry, ONLY wanted 4 oz (he KNOWS this is his nighttime feed so that says to me it's habit- I mean wouldn't he want more and be hungry IF he was hungry???)

I did let him cry some last night before going in - about 5 min each time instead of rushing him. A few times he DID go back to sleep. I think I just need to train him better. I am going to continue in this manner and hope he just "gets it". We are at least back to 1-2 wakings versus every 2 hours - cross fingers!!!

[MatthewsMommy]

I think I've figured out my issue - it's not food it's the swaddle. He's breaking out of it and that wakes him and then he won't sleep without it but he really needs to be weaned from it. Am going to check about swaddles on the prop board - I don't think food is my night issue at all as he went without it night before last and still woke a few times and last night I gave him a 4 oz at same time (about 3-4ish) and he continued to wake after- so it's not food. Food only stops him from crying and puts him back to sleep but it's temporary. He's not napping well now that i have stopped swaddling at naps....

thanks for all your help!
Lauren

[LŠuren]

Hi  - I fully swaddled DS until he was about 4.5months, he kept breakingout his blanket and I had to get up in the night to wrap him up.

Now I put him a gro'bag and only swaddle his arms with a blanket. I take an arm out for naps. It means he can't get out the grobag and he can't kick off any covers 

I fold the blanket in half to it ends up like a triangle, the longest side goes in line with his shoulders, and the pointed bit of blanket at either side are tucked over his arm and under his body. (easier to do then explain)

HTH

[MatthewsMommy]

we've unswaddled him now. I tried the arms out and he still got out of the swaddle rest of way so for naps this week been doing the Halo sleeper and he's been doing fine. So last night we did Halo sleeper for first time - he still is waking but I swaddled him in Miracle Blanket at one waking and he still woke and got out so am done with the swaddle. He needs his hands to pacify anyway. Thanks for your info on the swaddle though! I figure DS is 4.5 mos so time to stop!

Lauren