Help needed with 4hr Easy - long, sorry

[Mayasmum]

Hi,

Not entirely new to this site – it was a great source of help/information/advice/reassurance with my first dd (will be 3yrs old in Aug).
I need help with my 2nd dd’s feeding/sleeping routine. I have tried to loosely follow 3-hr easy from birth – it seemed to work – she was taking good naps and she was sleeping through with a DF from around 10 weeks.

All of a sudden from around 12 weeks we have been having various problems: she started to take less at her feeds – this I put down to teat flow on her bottles – it seemed to resolve the problem for a little while when I got faster teats and then a couple of weeks down the line – she wasn’t interested in her bottles at around the 3 hr mark and her naps were getting shorter. I took this as a sign that she needed her feeding and activity time extending.

For the last couple of weeks I have been trying to get her on a 4hr pattern. Naps are getting better now, although she seems to have 3 naps (3 x 1.5 rather than 2 x 2hr and catnap) and sometimes needs my help after 45 mins to get her back to sleep. Night time sleeping seems to be going ok – will sleep from 7/7.30 pm until around 3.00 or 4.00 am. The first week she started getting up at 3.00/4.00 am – I fed her and she took a full feed and went back to sleep but noticed that she wasn’t taking any of her first feed in the morning. Then last week, I tried offering her water – she only took a couple of oz but is still waking at this time nevertheless and wasn’t interested in her bottle in the mornings still. For the last 3 nights she has also started waking up for her DF at 10.30 and still not interested in her morning bottle and her eating pattern is getting really scattered and I need help to get her back into regularly.

Here is our routine:

E   7.00 – 1-3oz (if I’m lucky)
A   7.20
S   9.00 ish (sometimes earlier if she hasn’t slept well from her 3 / 4.00 am wake up. Will sleep around 1.5 hrs on a good day but 3 out of 7 days when we have to take my other dd to nursery in the morning – she will have a little nap in the car and then I put her in her cot around 9.20 ish (not hard to get down but will usually need extending at 45min mark).

E   11.00 (although she is usually starving by around 10.30 as she has only taken about 1oz at 7.00) 4-5oz
A   11.20
S   12.30/12.45 (1.5hrs)

E   2.00 – she usually takes a good feed at this time – 4-5oz
A   2.20
S   3.30/4.00 – (45 mins if out and about or will need waking up at around 5.00/5.30)

E   5.00/5.30 – hungry at this point – 3-4oz
A   6.30/7.00 bath & bed
E   7.00/7.30 5oz
S   7.00/7.30
DF   10.30 -  5oz

She’s 17wks and weighs around 14lbs (born at 36wks - 5.5lbs). She was breastfed for first 4 wks but FF since then. She uses a pacifier for naps and night time sleep – have stopped using it during the day when she’s awake (although she seems to be needing it to be put back in when she wakes during naps and early morning – will tackle this issue at a later date). I also think she’s teething – have used Bonjela before feeds to see if this helps but to no avail.

Feeding times are getting to be a real struggle during the day and she seems to be establishing her own pattern. I also read that if she’s waking up for DF – I should stop it – is this correct? I don’t think she’s getting enough food during the day and she sleeps erratically from 4.00am mark with her pacifier but this will mean she’s often tired and can’t take the full 2hr activity and it will throw our entire day out.

Apologies for the garbled message – trying to type it before she wakes from nap. Would appreciate any help/advice – even if its reassurance. I feel like I’ve ruined all the hard work and an easy going baby.

Thanks

[HeatherC]

There seems to be something about the 4 month age mark that throws babies for a loop.  They are becoming more alert to the world around them, their bodies are growing so quickly.  I suggest sticking with the 3 hr feeds for a bit longer.  Also, if she is extra sleepy in the morning, don't try to have 2 hrs of A time, go ahead and put her down after 1.5 hrs if needed.  If she's ready for her feed around 10:00/10:30, go ahead and give it to her.  The 3-4 am night feed should drop soon, and she'll be back to eating a full first feed again.  The other option is to limit how much you give her at 3 am to just enough to hold her over.
I haven't heard about dropping the df if the lo is waking for it.  Rather, waking after going to bed is often a sign of overtiredness and inability to settle well enough into a deep sleep.  Or, she's simply hungry.
Oh, just another note, my dd didn't do 2 hrs of A time until after she was 6 months old.

[Mayasmum]

Hi Heather,

Thanks for replying.

Feeds are still erratic but she's teething and I think its really painful (she moans and whines all day). She's taking smaller feeds and so can't stretch to 4 hrs yet - I'll just wait until she's better and try and extend then.

I've been putting her down after 1.5 hrs A time and her naps are considerably better and she seems happier with this, although we are ending up with 3 naps (1 2hr and 2 1.5hrs).

Thanks again for advice.