Is she really ready for a change?

[edjo]

Hi,
I have posted a couple of times on here and find all the info invaluable, but I read far more than I post
Anyway my LO Eva is 5 1/2 months old, she's always been on EASY and a 3 hour one at that, she was prem and could only manage an hour awake time up until about 3 weeks a go. She is now awake for 1.5 hours at a time, she eats 3 hourly - she's started waking early from her naps and this morning at 5am, she learnt to roll from her back to tummy yesterday and now wont stop!  I am wondering if this was the cause for the 5am waking, she drank a whole feed.
I guess my main question is, should I try and push her to a 4 hour routine?  I have read my BW book and the FAQs numerous times but am still not sure. Eva seems really hungry by 3 hours and guzzles down her bottle in about 10 minutes!  We tried to give her some solids but she's not interested yet.
She is such a lovely wee thing and sleeps from about 7 - 6am.
Here is our schedule at the moment
E 6:30
A
S 8am (usually 1.75 - 2 hours)
E 9:30am
A
S 11:00 (usually 1.5 hours)
E 1pm
A
S 2:30 (usually 1.5 hours but lately 1 hour tops)
E 4pm
A
CN 5-5:30 (usually 45 mins sometimes just rests)
E 6:00 - 6:30
A Bath
S 7pm  (used to be 7:30 but was having a meltdown and 7 works better)

If I put her on a 4 hour feeding schedule do I up the quantity of each feed?  She takes 170ml at a time, not sure what that is in oz.
How will she know that she needs to extend her nap?  She doesnt respond well to the pu/pd and I've never really had to use it as she has been such a good sleeper.

I'd really appreciate your thoughts.  I find this forum my lifeline as I live away from family and friends.

Thanks,
Jo

[*Mona*]

hi

if her naps get worse and she has more early morning wakings- do try moving her to 4hrs easy, gradually thou.
she will know that she needs to extend her naps because she will just be more tired after a longer A time.
don't hurry with those solids, she still has plenty of time for that.
as for bottles- try giving her 210ml [of water plus 7 scoops of powder formula or whatever the producer says] instead of 170ml when going for longer breaks between the feeds.

hth
Monika

[edjo]

Hi Monika,
Thanks for your reply you have put my mind at ease and I will just monitor those naps!
Also another quick ?  Eva seems to be needing or wanting her cat nap less and less, sometimes she will just lie in her cot for 45 mins and take some time out.  Does this normally happen around 6 months?  It just means she will be up for longer at bed time or should I get her in bed earlier?
Cheers,
Jo

[MomforAidan]

Hi my son is the same age and does the same thing for his last nap of the day. So what I do is if he totally fights it I just get him up cause it's too frustrating to try and put him to sleep when he won't. And then I just watch him and if he's getting totally tired and cranky, I put him to bed earlier than normal, if not I try to keep it the same. For example today he was awake from 3:30 - 8p, cause he missed his late afternoon catnap. He seemed to be fine so I didn't worry.

Also just to let you know I am still on 3hr easy too. I just found it too hard to extend the time, he just seems hungry still this often. Also I noticed you have no df or night feeds, so this may be her way of being able to sleep so long (3 hr easy).

[*Mona*]

HI

YES, 'disappearing' CATNAP IS PERFECTLY NORAL AT THAT AGE. IF HE'S HAPPY TO BE IN HIS CRIB- LET HIM BE BUT DON'T FORCE HIM TO SLEEP. YOU MAY HAVE TO MOVE HIS BEDTIME EARLIER A BIT WITH NO CATNAP FOR A WHILE BUT HE WILL ADJUST LATER.

Monika

[edjo]

Hi Aidan's Mum,
Thanks for your reply, I've never df Eva, she has slept through from about 3 months.  I found if I fed her when she was sleeping she'd wake up then wake up after that at the usual time!
Can I ask you what your routine is?