3.5 hr EASY 2 quick questions??

[NiknLily]

Hi
Ok so we are on a 3hr EASY at present (DD 16weeks old) I know that she cant yet stay up for 2hrs at a time so I was thinking we should transition onto a 3.5hr EASY.  My questions are, forgive me if this seems obvious, but do you loose the catnap completely with 3.5hr easy as otherwise the day would be getting too long? and do we cut back from 5 feeds + dream feed to 4 feeds + dream feed so that we are following 4hr Easy with number of feeds but simply cutting back on A time to suit baby's needs?
Like I said this may seem obvious but a little advice would ease my mind.
Thanks
Nik

[Carmela's Mom]

My son (12 week old)  is currently basically on a 3.5 hour schedule (though if he wakes early, he feeds at 3 hours).  Right now he has 4 feeds.  i don't do the dreamfeed.  Our day basically looks like this:

E 7:45ish
A
S 9:15ish

E 11:15 a.m.
A
S 12:45

E 3:45 p.m.
A
S 4:30 (normally 45 minutes)

E 6:00
A Bath
E 7:30 (top off)
S 8:00

[caf_uk]

My dd was on 3.5 EASY from about 11weeks and stayed that way until 16weeks, when she was ready to stretch longer.  I dropped the catnap in the arvo so our day was something like:

E  -7am
A - 7:30am
S - 8:30am
A - if woke early from nap
E - 10:30am
A - 11am
S - 12pm
A - if woke early from nap
E - 2pm
A - 2:30pm
S - 3:30pm
A - 4:30/5pm (depending on how long she napped for)
E - 5pm
A - 6pm - bath
E - top up bottle at 6:30pm
S - 7pm

Hope that makes sense, the last part of the day I didn't really follow EAS pattern but it worked for us...

[rebecaq]

Newmum - If she's fine without the catnap then I don't see a problem.  Remember that every baby has their own personal needs. My ds never had the catnap or the dreamfeed, he was very content without either one. Where my niece (only 11 months older than him) still catnaps in the pm between dinner and bathtime. So give it a try to see how she does, and also remember you can adjust EASY to your baby's needs.

caf_uk - In Tracy's last book she mentions that it's very different that they fall asleep during the last meal of the day than nursing them sleep everytime. So don't worry if your routine isn't EAS at bedtime    Your dd's routine sounds great!

- Beca

[NiknLily]

Thanks,
I think what you all seem to be saying is if it works its OK.  One thing tho, you all seem to feed directly before bed, I have never done this so don't want to start if I don't need to. So hears hoping that she can cope with 1 less feed a day, I guess I'll soon know, although 1st 2 replies your baby's are still quite young so I guess thats why they still require the extra feed.
Well fingers crossed for tonight then, if I encounter any probs I will be back tomorrow!!
Nik

[rebecaq]

Nik,

I'm glad the other moms were able to help you out    Regarding to the feeding before bedtime.......if it ain't broke, don't fix it 

Hope today goes well for you!

- Beca

[LyndaManus]

FYI - I agree with the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it)I think it will also depend if you formula or bf.  Formula stays in the system longer and they can normally sleep longer (from what I have heard anyway).

We bf, are at 4 months, on 4 hour easy and are trying to go from 6 to 5 feeds a day (4 day, a df, trying to eliminate night feed). 

[rebecaq]

Hmmmmm, I think that babies sleep longer when they are developmentally ready. Well, I speak from personal experience anyway. I bf and my ds slept through the night at 2 months. My niece was formula fed and slept through the night at 5 months.

Just my 2 cents! 

- Beca

[NiknLily]

Update...
Not too sure if today was success or not really, tonight will be the teller.  Previously our day would go something like this
E 7.00am
A
S 8.30

E 10.00
A
S 11.30

E 1.00
A
S 2.30 would only take hour if had 3hrs total during morning, however this could vary with 2nd nap which would sometimes be 1 hour and afternoon 1.5hrs

E 3.30
A
S 5.00 catnap 45mins

E 5.45
A Bath
S 7.15 - 7.30 Bed

DF 11.00 sleep through till 7.00

If she did for some reason have 3 1.5hr sleeps during day theres no way she would catnap in evening.  And she hasn't been that good at bedtime since bought of colic at 2months (I think some accidental parenting crept in and has taken an age to fix) It will frequently take 45min-1hr of moaning and fist chewing (not crying) to get to sleep at night, last night for example it was 8.30 before she fell asleep.

Today went like this
E 7.30 (mum was too tired for 7 this morning!)
A
S 9.00 (2hrs)

E 11.00
A
S 12.30 (1.5hrs)

E 2.00
A
S 3.30 (1hr then woke crying was happy too see me but started crying hard again when we didn't do the norm and instantly eat, so we did eat which pleased her no end arms and legs waggling lots of little ur ur ur noises)

E 4.30
A 5.10 (couldn't decide what to do did I keep her awake for 1.5hrs then try to get a nap at 6pm (unlikely) and by 6.45 she would have been well overtired after eating and bath and would take an age to settle at bed time, so I decided to do Bath)
S 6.30

Now I've got all my bits crossed that A) her nappy will last the night (we use non disposables) B) that she sleeps through till her dream feed at 10.30-11.00  C) that she will sleep through till 7.00 and not wake too early either hungry or simply having had enough sleep.

If all goes well tonight then thats fine, but if it all goes Pete tong what would you suggest, do we stick at it will which would frazzle me if the early mornings start again as I'm just starting to feel the benefit of 6/7hrs unbroken sleep at night or do we go back to the 3hr routine.  Am I indeed trying to fix something that isn't broke by changing from 3hr to 3.5hr??

[rebecaq]

I think maybe the switch was too long for her to try at once. What if you try pushing it from 3 to 3.5 little by little, in 5 minute increments every few days?

[NiknLily]

Hi Beca

Well last night was a success!!  after going to sleep at 6.30 she didn't wake again until her dreamfeed when getting her out of her hammock usually wakes her slightly, she fed like she hadn't eaten for months then went straight back down and didn't wake till 6.50 this morning.  Then to cap it all this morning, following her cues, she was up for a full 2hrs before I took her back up, she fussed and moaned a bit more than usual going to sleep but it only actually took her about 5mins to drop off.

With regard to stretching it 5mins a day I don't think I will need too because I know she can go 4hrs between feeds during day without getting upset or grumpy as she has done on several occasions when we've been out and haven't got back in time for her feed, so its not that she cant last. I think its just that she expects to be fed when she gets up, its just what we do, so she got very upset when I tried to change that.

Nik

[rebecaq]

Nik,

I'm so gald to hear your night went well!! And she let you sleep in a little bit this morning, lovely!

I think you're right in that she's probably used to getting her feed right away and that was the reason for her grumpiness.

Hope both of you are well!

- Beca

[LyndaManus]

Congrats Beca!!11111111111111111