hi
i just borrowed traceys new book from library and its great. i already had secrets of a baby whisperer but this is more detailed. charlie is already on a loose form of 4 hour easy, but im hoping to take this seriously and perservere. the thing is he still wakes once a night for a bottle. he is 24 weeks and on 3 meals a day (started at 19 weeks at hv`s advice). the times are erratic, but only once a night. however, im now exhausted as i have a 3 year old too, so i was reading about the dreamfeed (which i tried a month ago for 10 days, didnt work as i hadnt realised you have to do pu/pd rest of night!) i am quite keen to implement this but is 6 months a little late? tracey says in the book that most 7 month olds shouldnt need a dreamfeed. so do i wait a month and then just do pu/pd with no feed or start now with df? he self soothes, has no paci but a muzzie he sucks and hugs. naps in cot no prob and rarely protests, general routine ias as following but bear in mind he has a big sister so sometimes we are out and about and he does at times napin car or buggy......
6.30 am- awake
7am- bottle (5-6 oz)
8 am- 1- 2 tablespoons breakfast
9- 11 am sleep
12.30- 1-2 tablespoons veg, dessert, water
1-2.30 sleep
3pm- bottle
4.30-5pm sleep
5.15 - tea
7.ish- bottle, bed
1-3 am bottle
if he has bottle at 1 am like last night hes up for day at 5.30 am, if he has bottle at 3 am like night before he will slepp till 7 am. i am very confused about what i can expect from him (dont want to be unrealistic). i presume that as his night waking is erratic then he is waking in hunger rather than habit? i did speak to my hv who said most babies sleep through by 6-7 months (if self settle) and to hang on in there. gina ford advocates controlled crying and says he shouldnt need a feed. tracey seems more flexible but i am unsure f which route to take and how i can get a better nights sleep? my daughters room is next to charlies so i dont want her being woken too. he has dropped his 11 am feed this week and has a good lunch. when he wakes at 5 am i find our routine is all off track.this morning he woke at 5.30 am and chatted and sang for 45 mins til he got fed up. so by 7.45 he had to have another nap (1 hour) he then went to bed at 11 am and is still sleeping at 12.30 pm, which then puts lunch time off track. im sorry if im going off topic here, but a bigger picture sometimes helps.
thanx, laura