HELP Starting 8 month old on EASY

[allofmyhobbies]

I have a son that is 8 month olds.  He was sleeping 10-12 hours a night until about a week before he was 4 months old.  He has had 3 ear infections, a stomach virus and multiple colds.  I have read BW, but have had trouble implementing the 4 hour EASY.  He just seems so hungry and I have never been able to stretch him to 4 hours. Since he has been sick so much, I have also had trouble distinguishing the causes of his nightwakings (pain, hunger, habit, etc.)  Right now he is eating 2-3 times a night plus every 3 hours during the day and 3 solid meals a day.  He feeds to sleep for naps and bedtime, which I know is a whole other issue.  I need to post in props and nightwakings too probably.  Anyway, here is our current schedule.  Any suggestions would be great. 

3 am feeding
6-6:30 am Awake for the day
7 am BF
8 am Yogurt or cereal and fruit (quantity varies, usually between 2-4 oz)
9:30-10 am 6 oz bottle EBM (he goes to daycare during the week, I BF on the weekends)
NAP (usually 30-45 min at daycare, he will sleep 1-1.5 hours at home on weekends)
12:30 PM Veggies 4 oz bottle
NAP (on the weekends we can get him down between 1 and 2)
3:30 6 oz bottle (he usually takes a 30-45 min nap around this time at daycare if we are lucky)
5-5:30 dinner
6:00 bath
6:30 BF and to bed
9:30 he wakes up, my DH tries to get him back down without me feeding him, sometimes I end up feeding him
11:00-12:00 BF

I am exhausted and don't don't know what to do anymore.  Please help!!!!

[*Mona*]

hi there and welcome

well girl, you definitely must get rid of those night wakings! do they happen same time or almost same time every night? if so, and I think that's how it is, it's habitual and your Lo doesn't really need those feedings to sleep through. he needs you obvoiusly [I guess his illness, daycare issues must have a lot to with it] but you have to work on getting him back to sleep without feeding him at night.

I will move your post to night wakings board and I hope you'll get more help there 

monika

[Colin Macs Mom]

To be honest, it sounds to me like a big part of your problem is consistency. It's SO important to be consistent and stick to your plan. Otherwise everything goes out the window because LO learns that he has more willpower than you do.

It seems obvious that he's become a snacker - eating smaller amounts more often, which at his age he definitely does not need to do. That means that if you want it to change, you must commit to it and not give in. I would suggest that you start by stretching the A times 5 or 10 minutes each day for a few days and then another 5 or 10... and so on until you're on a 4 hour EASY. He'll be cranky and drive you crazy, but you will have to stick it out. It's not a lot of fun, I know, but you'll all be SO much happier in the long run for it.

Also, depending on how much he takes at those night feeds (assuming you BF for them) you can offer less minutes every few days as well to wean them.