3 1/2 months won't DF or Cluster feed...

[rileyand wyatt]

I have posted many times  on this board before and you guys have helped me out..

Riley is on a 4 hour EASY. here is her feed shcedule
7am - 4 oz
11 am 5 oz
3pm - 6 oz
6;15pm - 2 oz
won't eat anymore after 6:15 and not a big feed she  is screaming at us and we always feel like we are force feeding her.

we do a DF which she takes on 2 oz. at 10pm but we have been doing it for months, i still don't know why since she never takes more then that.i guess i feel she needs as much calories as possible even if it is 2 oz.

she wakes every night at 3am. i know it is total habit since it has been over a month she has been waking anywere from 2:30 to 3:30.. she takes 4 oz and right back to sleep, no paci.. sleeps till 6:30.

she naps pretty well. we extand naps, she wakes after 45 minutes and we extend with a paci at this point.
 Okay here are my questions..

1) how can i get more food in her? as you can tell not a big eater. I wish she would take more in the evening before bed? How do i make that happen..

2) do i continue the DF even if 2 oz?

3) do i not worry about the nightfeed even though it is habit and feed her?

Can you tell i am allover the place.. I just need to figure out how to get more food in her...i wish she would cluster feed every 2 hours then i would stop the df.. if i lether go and 6:15 with 2 oz she still take 2 oz at the df you would think she would be hungry.. we are so frustrated...
Any advice would be great

Dana

[LŠuren]

Hi Dana {{{hugs}}}

1) how can i get more food in her? as you can tell not a big eater. I wish she would take more in the evening before bed? How do i make that happen..

2) do i continue the DF even if 2 oz?

3) do i not worry about the nightfeed even though it is habit and feed her?

1) Is she regulary gaining weight and having lots of wet nappies?
What is she doing after 2oz? Have you tried taking a break during any of her feeds for 5 - 10 mins, then trying again? Does she scream during every feed or just that one? If she gets her bath at night, have you tried a bit milk before then the rest after? Is she maybve overtired when you give her the last feed?

2) Have you tried a night w/out the d/f to see if she wakes at the same time during the night? If her pattern is the same then drop it.

3) If you are posivite she is hungry feed her, if you are positive she is waking from habit, try 'wake to sleep'. At this age my DS was in the thows of dropping his 2am feed and bring his 5am one closer to 4am, then up for 7am.

HTH

[rileyand wyatt]

) Is she regulary gaining weight and having lots of wet nappies? YES
What is she doing after 2oz? SHE STARTED ARCHING HERBACK AND CRYING Have you tried taking a break during any of her feeds for 5 - 10 mins, then trying again?  YES Does she scream during every feed or just that one? JUST THAT ONE FEED, I THINK BECASUE SHE JUST IS NOT HUNGRY YET. If she gets her bath at night, have you tried a bit milk before then the rest after?  YES SOMETIME SHE WILL TAKE ANOTHER 2 OZ BUT MOST TIME SHE STARTS CRYING AGAIN, I ASSUME STILL NOT HUNGRYIs she maybve overtired when you give her the last feed? SHE COULD BE, SHE TAKES A CAT NAP FROM 5:15 TO 5:45 AND THEN WE FEEL LIKE WE HAVE TO KEEP HER UP TILL SHE IS HUNGRY TO FEED HER SINCE IT HAS ONLY BEEN  2 1/2 HOURS SINCE HER LAST FEED AND THEN BATH. MAYBE I NEED TO SWITCH THAT WHOLE ROUTINE UP  AFTER HER CAT NAP. ANY SUGGESTIONS

2) Have you tried a night w/out the d/f to see if she wakes at the same time during the night? SHE WAKES EARLIER LIKE 2 OR 2:30 If her pattern is the same then drop it.

3) If you are posivite she is hungry feed her, if you are positive she is waking from habit, try 'wake to sleep'. At this age my DS was in the thows of dropping his 2am feed and bring his 5am one closer to 4am, then up for 7am. i DID TRY THE WAKE TO SLEEP LAST NIGHT AT 2:30 AND IT DID WORK.. i NEED TO CONTINUE THAT FOR 3 NIGHTS RIGHT???

thanks for responding so quick..

Dana

[LŠuren]

Yes Wake 2 sleep is 3 nights. It is good she is gaining weight and has wet nappies, that should set your moind at ease a bit 

SHE TAKES A CAT NAP FROM 5:15 TO 5:45 AND THEN WE FEEL LIKE WE HAVE TO KEEP HER UP TILL SHE IS HUNGRY TO FEED HER SINCE IT HAS ONLY BEEN  2 1/2 HOURS SINCE HER LAST FEED AND THEN BATH. MAYBE I NEED TO SWITCH THAT WHOLE ROUTINE UP  AFTER HER CAT NAP. ANY SUGGESTIONS

Can you post the rest of the routine?

It may just be the case that she is happy with 2oz at bedtime and a 2oz dreamfeed. What weight is she?

When you did wake to sleep does that mean she went the whole night without a feed? If, so was his first morning feed any better? At 3.5month Ds was still waking between 3 - 4 am for a 3oz feed.

[rileyand wyatt]

3:00 to 3:30pm - feed depending on the day
5:00 pm  - cat nap 45 minutes
6:15  - feed.
right after feed. bath, massage and then try more bottle.

7:00 - 7;15 down for the night

does this seem right??


yes she slept thru the whole night NO FEED.. she ate 6 oz no problem.. normally 4 oz..this is the second time but the first she woke at 3:30 and we plugged her with the paci.. last night no paci  all night.

[rileyand wyatt]

she has not been back to doctor for a wieght check since 2 months at 2 months she was 11lbs, but i think she is around 12.5 to 13 lbs.. not very big..we go to the doc on the 24th of this month, which seems such along time..

[LŠuren]

Do you not have access to a drop in clinic to get her weighed weekly?

Your routine looks similar to ours at 3.5months.

yes she slept thru the whole night NO FEED.. she ate 6 oz no problem.. normally 4 oz..this is the second time but the first she woke at 3:30 and we plugged her with the paci.. last night no paci  all night.

I think this is the key to the whole issue, she doesn't eat a lot anyway, so in comparison, a 4oz night feed is lots for her. It is good that her morning feed has increased already, just by doing wake to sleep. Keep at it a couple more nights and I am sure this will be resolved.

Let me know how it goes. x