Early Cluster Feeding - OK?

[Shellha]

My DS is 12 wks old and after a week of 'sleep training' (deprivation for me!) he has stopped waking at 2, and now DF b/w 10-11 and then wakes at 4ish, then again for the day b/w 7-8am. I have tried getting him back to sleep at 4am but he seems genuinely hungry, and more often than not his 'trumpet bum' and subsequent explosive bowels wakes him up.

I have been cluster feeding, but as I don't want to wake him after he has gone to bed at 7.30, I have to do it earlier than the 7 and 9pm suggestions. He also has reflux so I can't feed and put him straight down - awake or not.

My question is, does such early cluster feeding (2.30, 4.45 and 6.30 approx) negate the effect of Cluster feeding as the D/F isn't until between 10 and 11pm?

Also, if I was to feed him at 7 (just before bed) and then 9, could I treat the 9pm feed as an initial D/feed followed by another at 11pm? I don't want him waking and having to get him back down again at 9pm.

Thanks in advance

[Shellha]

Stacy

Thanks heaps for your reply - I am really pleased with his progress (although speaking to all the other Mum's I was in hospital with, you'd think one night waking is horrendous as they all sleep through the night! 

I did read on here one day a Mum say that she had always assumed that she would be up during the night to feed her baby so wasn't resentful of that fact - and I coudn't agree more - I actually thought I would be up every few hours!!!!

Should there be 3 cluster feeds in a 4 hr period (eg 2.30, 4.30 and 6.30) followed by a DF, for it to be effective?

At the moment DS has 7 feeds in a 24 hr period, but attempting to transition to a 4 hr easy at the moment - difficult working on the 45 min naps when he has to go 4 hrs b/w feeds - but that's a whole other post!

[Shellha]

Stacy - that routione looks pretty much like what we have at present!! Thank God  It has taken an age to get something that looks like a routine due to the terrible time we had with undiagnosed silent reflux, so it's good to know we are on the right track.

I have fed at 2.30 and now 5.30 today, so will try a feed at 7pm and see how he goes - he usually takes a good feed regardless of how long he has gone - he is a greedy (not so) little thing.

Is it usually the case that once you transition to a 4hr routine that the night feed drops? Don't worry I won't hold you to it, just curious 

Is a 4hr EASY usually recommended around 4+ mths?

Also - we have 45 min naps, which i have read should be 'fixed' with the transition to 4hr easy, however what comes first - longer naps and then 4 hr feeding, or struggling with longer awake time and short naps whilst moving to a 4hr routine?

Thanks so much for your help, you MODS deserve a big gold star!