Author Topic: 20 Week starting to wake early - what next??  (Read 1735 times)

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Offline Mum of girl, boy, boy

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20 Week starting to wake early - what next??
« on: April 25, 2006, 09:00:21 am »
Hi all,

My DS doesn't seem in such a good rhythm with EASY as 1 to 2 weeks ago and I am wondering if I need to do something.

This is what is looked like 2 weeks ago.

7am Feed
Activity
830 / 845 Sleep (2 hours +)
1100 / 1115 Feed (Wouldn't feed because too full before)
Activity
1230 / 1245 Sleep (2hrs +)
15.00 Feed
16.00 / 1615 Last nap (45 mins)
515/530pm cluster feed
630 Bath
7pm final cluster feed and  bed.

DS has started to wake at 6ish (545 and 615 last two mornings) after sleeping until 7am / 730am. When he woke for the 545 feed I put him back to bed after and then woke him at 7am and offer boob but he wasn't interested and he wasn't still wasn't at 11am!!
He seems hungrier in the morning and at the cluster he doesn't seem to be taking as much.
He used to be happy to stay in his cot until I got him but now he seems to be waking hungry from the odd nap.

I am not jumping to change it in case it's a growth spurt but he doesn't seem hungry at all feeds and I can't feed him more often in the day.

My thinking is that it could be one of three things 1) growth spurt (but that doesn't ring true when he is feeding less at the 2 feed sometimes) 2) Not needing the final nap (but I can't keep him up very long even though we are on a 4 hour routine he stays awake no more than 1hr 30 to / 1hr 45 from the first two feeds). 3) He is starting to need more (but I don't want to wean before 26 weeks unless it really is needed)

I would welcome your views. Obviously there isn't a crystal ball to see what he is going to do but if anyone can add some insight and what sort of things I should be looking for then I would appreciate it.

Many Thanks

J
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Offline HeatherC

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Re: 20 Week starting to wake early - what next??
« Reply #1 on: April 25, 2006, 15:05:09 pm »
My only thought is to drop the last nap, and up bedtime by 30 mins or so until he adjusts.  Feeding him when he wakes early is surely going to cause him to not be hungry at the usuall times.  So, either use a sleep training method to get him back to sleep, or let him lay there until a decent wake time if he's not crying or aggitated.  If he's not taking as much at the cluster feeds, it may be time to consolidate them into one.  That especially might help (to feed him at 6 or 6:30) if you need to put him to bed earlier when trying to drop the catnap.
Kelsey, Feb. 4, 2005
Landon, Jan. 2, 2007

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Re: 20 Week starting to wake early - what next??
« Reply #2 on: April 25, 2006, 16:02:03 pm »
Hi thanks for the reply.

Do you reckon he will be able to get enough from 4 feeds i.e 7, 11, 3 and lets say 630?? It will be interesting today as he hasn't had as much sleep. He woke from his pm nap after 45 minutes with wind and I couldn't get him back down (seemed charged up again) and as he had woke DD I decided to go out than face the 4 walls again!!! He's having a nap in the car now. I guess if he sleeps later tomorrow it might be that he needs a little less sleep.

Any ideas how much sleep I should be aiming for if he only has two naps??

Thanks again.

J
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Offline HeatherC

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Re: 20 Week starting to wake early - what next??
« Reply #3 on: April 25, 2006, 20:16:45 pm »
Sorry to be so vague, but honestly, all you can do is try.  If he's not taking much at the cluster feeds any way, he might take more if the 2 are just 1 KWIM?  As far as the naps, you can still be flexible about it.  Take today for example, since he had a short pm nap, you could still give him the catnap.  Anytime a situation arises where he has less day sleep than usuall, if he'll still take a catnap, by all means let him.  I only dropped my dd's b/c she started refusing it, but I wasn't ready for it, trust me.  It did take her a long time to adjust without that last nap, but she had always been a very POOR day sleeper.  However, when her naps straightened out and she was on 2 (at 6 mos), they were both 2 hrs.  So, I'd say he might do the same or a bit more at his age, and probably 12 hrs at night, maybe 12.5 until he adjusts to not having the catnap.
Kelsey, Feb. 4, 2005
Landon, Jan. 2, 2007

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Re: 20 Week starting to wake early - what next??
« Reply #4 on: April 25, 2006, 20:48:56 pm »
Hi ya,

Thanks for your reply. I have been thinking about this whole nap thing and was wondering how I was going to manage it. Is it possible to do it before weaning. The only reason I say that is because if he was to have two naps I would want to push the morning nap to about 930ish I guess but that means he would only be down for 1hr 30 before his next feed at 11am. Would I be better waiting until I can do 7am feed, 9am breakfast, 930 sleep to 1130?? J

I am going to keep monitoring what happens. I am hoping that DS will kick in with a feeding fest and then it will settle back again. I know what you mean about not wanting to drop a nap. It's really useful when DS is down whilst I am giving DD tea!!!

Cheers for your help.

J
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Offline HeatherC

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Re: 20 Week starting to wake early - what next??
« Reply #5 on: April 25, 2006, 22:44:48 pm »
Well, if he is currently going down for a nap at 8:30, I think it will take awhile for him to build up to a nap at 9:30.  My dd only did 2 hrs of A time at 6 mos and for quite awhile after.  Even at almost 15 mos she only has 2.5 in the am.  However, babies are very different and may be able to tolerate it, but it would need to be stretched gradually.  As for adding breakfast, which you don't have to do just yet, you could do more of a bottle at 7, breakfast at 8.  I think you don't want to space it out too long so that it won't interfere with the next bottle.  KWIM?  I personally have always fed the food first, followed by the bottle, except the first little while when she was just getting a taste of solids and learning what to do with them.
You're on the right track, just keep watching him, and he'll probably set his own new routine.
Kelsey, Feb. 4, 2005
Landon, Jan. 2, 2007

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Re: 20 Week starting to wake early - what next??
« Reply #6 on: April 26, 2006, 08:34:27 am »
Hi ya,

Ok so he didn't sleep quite so much yesterday pm and I had to work hard to keep him going through bath whilst trying to get both DD and DS down at 7pm. The good news is that he slept until 7am and I had to go and wake him to feed (needed to get it out the way for DD's sake more than anything). I guess I will need to tinker with it a little until I find what suits. I am trying to push back the morning nap. This morning it was 845ish and he was pretty tired so hopefully he won't wake at the first sleep cycle. I guess I will try and stretch the afternoon next activity as much as I can. I think I might be better shortening the two day time naps to 2hours gradually and keep the cat nap going for bit. I guess I just have to hope it works out but I definately want the 12 hours at night.

Thanks for your help.

J
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Re: 20 Week starting to wake early - what next??
« Reply #7 on: April 27, 2006, 18:20:01 pm »
So for the last two days DS hasn't had all his sleeps and today was the first day back in the house (as I haven't been feeling well) and DH took the day off to help out. It gave me a chance to just look after DS and our routine looked something like this.

E 715
A
S 830
E 1115
A
E 1215 (I let DS have a bit of a top up because I wanted him to settle well for the pm nap as he hadn't had it for 2 days + I needed a rest in between due to this viral thing
A
S 1pm ish
E 315
A Play mat, some cuddles and smiles with all the family, a gentle walk around 6pm bath
E 620 (because I didn't cluster it took longer as it was a big feed, DS wake really tired but he seems to have gone, lets hope he stays down)
S 645

I was hoping I could get him down earlier but with one thing and another I don't think he went until 7ish. I think the top up feed worked for him at lunch so the nap was 2hrs + otherwise I think he would haven't woken sooner and never lasted until 7pm.

I am not sure I'll be able to do this every day but at least I know this is where the routine is heading (i.e 2 long naps)

Well let you know how it turns out. I am off to take another couple of paracetamol (if only I could take something stronger!!).

Thanks for your help.

J
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Offline HeatherC

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Re: 20 Week starting to wake early - what next??
« Reply #8 on: April 28, 2006, 01:41:04 am »
Wow!  Sounds great.  There is nothing wrong with splitting feeds or topping up.  You might be on to something.
Hope you feel better soon.
Kelsey, Feb. 4, 2005
Landon, Jan. 2, 2007