If your lo will take a paci/soother, try to use that to hold her off on feeds. Otherwise, try distracting her with other activities. At 3 mos she should be able to go 3 hrs between feeds, so I say she is probably snacking as it is now. Like it was previously said, once she gets used to going longer between feeds, she'll begin taking fuller feeds and really get full rather than just a snack to hold her over every hour. However, 3 mos is prime time for a growth spurt, so watch for signs of extra hungriness during this transition. That could include night wakings.
While you're transitioning to a 3 hr routine, you'll want to watch for sleepy signs probably 1.5 hrs after she last woke. Try not to mistake this for hunger, b/c once a baby has had a full feed she really shouldn't be hungry again and her fussiness would probably be for tiredness. Also, try to have a consistent wake time each morning, and then you'll be able to have a consistent bedtime approximately 12-13 hrs from the wake time. You will not want to let her be in the habit of sleeping past feeds on a regular basis (during the day) b/c that will cause feeding problems. Try to wake her when it's been 3-3.5 hrs between a feed, and I recommend naps not being longer than 2.5 hrs each b/c that could interfere with night sleep.
It's good that you are trying shh/pat, but it can take some time, so don't give up yet. Your dd is going to cry and be frustrated b/c it is new and not her normal way of doing things. But it will pay off if you stick with it. Just know that her being upset with your "new method" is a normal reaction, and as long as you are right there with her helping her to learn to fall asleep on her own, you are not hurting her. I believe it is recommended to take a break if have been trying for 40 mins, but I'm not sure what is suggested for doing shh/pat at night.
I highly recommend that you check out the Props board for more help on getting your dd to fall asleep without nursing. We love to help in any way that we can.
